Conservation Fund Halts Okefenokee Mine Project

The Conservation Fund has secured a nearly $60 million agreement to purchase 7,700 acres from Twin Pines Minerals, effectively halting a proposed titanium dioxide mine near Georgia's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. This acquisition, including both land and mineral rights, ends a six-year dispute over the project, which environmentalists and local communities feared could irreparably damage the swamp's ecosystem. The Okefenokee Swamp, the largest U.S. wildlife refuge east of the Mississippi River, is home to more than 400 species such as alligators, wood storks, and bald eagles. While Georgia regulators previously claimed the mining project would have a 'minimal impact,' scientists warned it could threaten water retention and worsen drought risk. Conservationists and lawmakers, including U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, praised the deal as a major win for environmental protection. The purchase guarantees the Okefenokee Swamp's preservation for future generations.