On February 25, partner Tom Bloomfield will be speaking at the 2026 SME Annual Conference and Expo, in Salt Lake City. This signature, annual event of the Society of Mining Metallurgy and Exploration focuses on the future of mining, with key topics covering responsible mining, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), as well as technical advancements in the industry.

Tom’s talk will address Long-Term Liabilities at Hardrock Mine Sites – Legal Risks and Management Strategies. The perpetual generation of acid mine drainage (AMD) can impose massive environmental liability on owners and operators of hard rock mines. This liability can attach even decades after the cessation of mining, the completion of traditional reclamation and the sale of the property. These risks arise under a range of federal and state laws: statutes like Superfund and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, mining regulations, traditional common law theories, and claims for natural resource damages. This presentation will provide an overview these potential legal exposures, compare various state and federal programs, and present case studies from a range of former mine sites.

For more information about the conference and to register, please click the button below.