By Kayla Branch
kayla@readfrontier.com
State regulators are reviewing a proposal to expand sand mining over the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer, despite Oklahoma’s moratorium on new mines in the area.
January 8, 2026
Michael Hearrell worries that a proposed mine two miles his home will dry up his water well.
Hearrell, a retired pilot, has lived around Roff, a town of just over 600 outside of Ada, his whole life. The town is dotted with a few gas stations, a senior center and a short Main Street that is home to the public school. Roff is also surrounded by mining operations, thanks to the sand reserves nearby.
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