The Granite Gap Mine Safeguard Project is located approximately 12 miles south of Road Forks and 28 miles southwest of Lordsburg in Hidalgo County, New Mexico. The project area lies on private and federal land in portions of Sections 34 and 35 of Township 25 South, Range 21 West and Sections 3 and 4 of Township 26 South, Range 21 West, New Mexico Principal Meridian.

The project basically involved the following work:

• Backfilling of 19 mine features using mine waste and other nearby material.
• Construction of 18 structures to protect wildlife while safeguarding mine features.
• Seeding of all areas disturbed by construction.

The work of this project was scattered over area of approximately four sections of land.

Various bat species continue to use the interior of the mountain for night roosting and hibernation and possibly maternity activity. These species include Antrozous pallidus, Eptesicus fuscus, Corynorhinus townsendii, Myotis californicus, Myotis ciliolabrum and Myotis thysanodes. Mine features inhabited by barn owls were also protected when feasible.

General Site Location Map

The contractor was St. Cloud Mining Company based in Truth or Consequences, NM. St. Cloud Mining Co. has done many abandoned mine reclamation projects in the past.

Year Completed: 2007
Cost: $331,713.72
Project Engineer: Mike Tompson, P.E.
Project Manager: Lloyd Moiola

BEFORE		AFTER
AML 42-3
A mine adit leading to the inner workings in the mountain.		The bat gate was built to allow bats to come and go while keeping curious humans out.
AML 43-7
Mine shaft with rickety ladder. Water is sometimes found at the bottom.		High tensilse steel mesh now cover the shaft opening. Potential access to water is preserved.
AML 44-5
An adit with an open stope near the entrance. The stope was not used by bats and was covered with high tensile steel mesh. The bat gate was built just inside the view of this photo angle.		This bat gate was built to allow bats to come and go while keeping curious humans out. The stope at the front entrance, which is not used by bats, was covered with high-tensile steel mesh.
AML 44-11
A shaft in a location with no vehicular access.		The shaft was backfilled by hand. A slight depression was left for historical purposes.
AML 47-1
This shaft went down more than 300 feet. Bats were not found but it was home to barn owls.		This cupola closure allows for use by owls and possibly bats. The lack of backfill material nearby made this a sensible option.
AML 49-8
A mine adit leading to the inner workings of the mountain.		A bat gate built at the adit entrance.
AML 49-13
Adit that leads into the interior workings of the mountain. AML had to remove a colony of africanized bees at the entrance before starting construction.		Bat gate constructed at the entrance to the adit. High tensile steel mesh was installed above the gate along with a raptor perch.
AML 49-18
Shaft entrance that hosted bats and barn owls.		A unique bat gate constructed at the entrance to the shaft. High tensile steel mesh was attached to the gate and covered the shaft. Barn owls continue to use the gate for entry.
AML 50-3
Adit with bat use		A culvert with a bat gate has been constructed at the adit entrance.