SMARA mining oversight and abandoned Picacho mine
Imperial County, California
Summary
The county has 30+ mine sites; consultants track reclamation bonds and inspections. The abandoned Picacho gold mine is entering a bond forfeiture process with roughly $85,000 available for partial cleanup.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 2
- Last 30 days
- 2
Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Oct 27, 2026.
Impact analysis
About $85,000 in forfeited financial assurance available for reclamation; consultant costs are borne by operators.
Taxpayers, since operators pay for oversight and bonds cover reclamation.
Mentions & discussions (2)
Board hears update on county's mining operations
EL CENTRO — Imperial County Director of Planning and Development Services Jim Minnick brought a presentation to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, October 27, to elaborate on
Board of Supervisors - Oct 27, 2026
The county has 30+ mine sites; consultants track reclamation bonds and inspections. The abandoned Picacho gold mine is entering a bond forfeiture process with roughly $85,000 available for partial cleanup.
We'll email you when it's on an upcoming agenda and when it's voted on, at most once a day.
The weekly brief for Imperial County, California
What the council decided, in plain English — one email a week.
Free. Unsubscribe with one click any time. We never sell your email.