Nevada mine site opens 3.5-acre park amid $257m arsenic and lead cleanup
What was once a mining site associated with potentially harmful industrial waste is now making way for neighbourhood parks, walking trails and thousands of homes. In Henderson, Nevada, a former manganese mine that operated for decades and left behind contamination is being transformed into a large residential community. The opening of Greenbow Park marks a new phase in that redevelopment.
According to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP), the Three Kids Mine site has been the subject of extensive environmental assessments and a cleanup programme, with the estimated remediation cost reaching approximately $257 million.From wartime manganese production to an abandoned mining siteThe Three Kids Mine has a history dating back more than a century. Manganese ore was discovered at the site in Clark County, Nevada, in 1917.
However, mining operations took place intermittently, including between 1942 and 1943 and again from 1953 to 1961. Manganese was an important industrial mineral, particularly during World War II, when demand increased for materials used in military equipment and steel production. According to the NDEP, an on-site processing mill was constructed in 1942 to meet the renewed demand for manganese during World War II.
The mill reopened in 1951, and mining resumed in 1953. Mining continued until the open pits were exhausted, and operations permanently stopped in 1961.The end of mining, however, did not mean the end of the site's environmental problems. Former mine features included open pits, waste rock, an ore yard, processing facilities and tailings ponds. Environmental assessments identified dust, residues and processing waste containing lead, arsenic, manganese and petroleum.
The contamination raised concerns about the condition of the land and the work needed before it could be considered suitable for redevelopment.Why the cleanup carries a $257 million price tagThe scale of the environmental work is reflected in the estimated cost. The NDEP's November 2023 Record of Decision placed the total estimated cleanup cost at approximately $257.5 million. The wider Three Kids Mine property covers around 1,165 acres, although the former mining operations affected a smaller portion of the site.
The area affected by the former mining operations covered approximately 410 acres, distinguishing the contaminated mine area from the larger property earmarked for redevelopment. Environmental investigations and feasibility studies were undertaken to identify contaminants and determine the appropriate remediation measures.The federal Three Kids Mine Remediation and Reclamation Act was enacted in July 2014, creating a framework for transferring federally owned land through the City of Henderson Redevelopment Agency so that assessment, remediation and reclamation could take place.
The land transfer was completed in February 2024, while major cleanup activities began in May 2024. The NDEP also established a perimeter air monitoring plan to monitor air quality during the work.The contamination identified at the site was not limited to lead and arsenic. Investigations also identified manganese, petroleum-related materials and other industrial waste. The environmental work therefore involved addressing several types of contamination rather than simply clearing away the remains of the old mine.Greenbow Park brings a new public space to the former mineOne of the most visible signs of the transformation is Greenbow Park, a new 3.5-acre recreational space that has opened on the former mine property.
According to FOX5 Vegas, the park is part of the Aries master-planned community in Henderson. Its facilities include pickleball courts, playgrounds, shaded gathering areas and more than 3,000 feet of trails. Visitors can also enjoy views of the Las Vegas skyline from the walking routes.The park adds recreational space to an area being developed into a residential neighbourhood.
Its opening is significant because the former industrial property is now being incorporated into a community designed around housing, outdoor activities and shared public spaces. Rather than leaving the former mining land as an isolated industrial site, the redevelopment is intended to give it a new role in Henderson's expanding urban landscape.More than 3,000 homes planned across 24 neighbourhoodsGreenbow Park is part of a much larger development plan.
The Aries master-planned community is expected to include more than 3,000 homes spread across 24 residential neighbourhoods. The redevelopment covers more than 1,100 acres, making it a substantial addition to Henderson's residential growth. The community is being developed on the former Three Kids Mine property, with housing and recreational facilities planned as part of the wider project.The transformation also highlights the challenges involved in bringing previously industrial land back into urban use.
Former mining properties can offer substantial redevelopment opportunities, but their conversion requires careful environmental assessment, remediation and long-term planning. There is also an important distinction between the progress of the redevelopment and the environmental project's official status. While Henderson's redevelopment director told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that remediation work had been completed, the NDEP's public project page continues to describe the overall cleanup as ongoing and lists site closure reports and monitoring documents.For Henderson, the opening of Greenbow Park offers a visible glimpse of what the former mine site could become.
A property once associated with manganese production and industrial contamination is gradually taking on the appearance of a residential community, with parks, trails and thousands of homes planned as part of its next chapter.
