Company Files Year Long Blasting Plan, Impacts McDowell County Residents

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Division of Mining and Reclamation published a public blasting notice on November 17, 2025 submitted by Southern Minerals Inc, a Bluefield based company registered as S400307. The notice indicates blasting operations will occur in the Big Creek District of McDowell County, approximately 0.6 miles southwest of Cucumber, and are scheduled to commence November 20, 2025 and continue through November 19, 2026.

Under the notice, blasting will take place Monday through Saturday, from sunrise to sunset, with no blasting on Sundays. The company described a series of procedural and safety measures intended to minimize risk to the public and the environment. Access to blast areas will be secured 10 minutes prior to and immediately after each blast. An audible warning signal that is audible to at least one half mile will precede each detonation. That warning is to consist of three short blasts of five seconds each, with five seconds between blasts, delivered three minutes before detonation. The all clear will be a single long blast of 20 seconds. The filing also states that unscheduled detonations will occur only in emergencies such as weather or safety considerations.

The notice underscores that blasting will be conducted to prevent adverse impacts to the public and the environment. For residents of McDowell County, the schedule and warning procedures have immediate practical implications. Noise and vibration from blasting may affect nearby homes, livestock, and day to day activity. The specified warning signals and access restrictions will require short term adjustments to travel and property access near the blast site. With operations slated to begin tomorrow, community members, landowners and local institutions may need to plan around the Monday through Saturday schedule and the defined warning cadence.

Regulatory publication of the notice is part of state oversight intended to ensure that mining related blasting follows established protocols. The public filing provides a clear operational window and specific safety measures that local officials can monitor. As work proceeds, the Division of Mining and Reclamation will hold responsibility for enforcing permit conditions and responding to any complaints about safety, environmental impacts, or unplanned detonations. Residents with concerns should track county and state communications for any updates to the schedule or procedures as operations begin.