After more than a decade of unsuccessful legal challenges to prevent the construction of an “in-situ” copper mine within the town boundaries, the Florence Town Council agreed to settle the matter and end its court battle.     

This month, the council voted 6-0 to approve three agreements including a settlement agreement with the mine, , and its Vancouver-based owner, Taseko Mines Limited. 

After years of protracted legal battles, there was little discussion during the vote. Only one council member spoke. Vice Mayor Michelle Cordes praised the final resolution and stated that the town will benefit economically from the $230-million project. 

“For me, this has been a long thing that I’ve watched the town go through and I’m proud to sit here and say that it’s finally coming to a close, and we as a town can move forward and I hope that we have a good partnership with Florence Copper,” said Cordes, who added that the town can now enjoy benefits like other mining communities in the region. “So for us as a town, I think it’s a great thing that we’re moving forward and finally putting an end to all of this.” 

It took more than $3.2 million in failed lawsuits, private attorneys’ fees and damages to come to this point. 

It also took numerous steps by Florence Copper to gain the community’s trust in the safety and benefits of the project. Mine officials have met with thousands of residents over the years and funded like the Florence High School scoreboard, veterans projects, community gardening projects, local food banks, and college scholarships. 

“We are justifiably proud of what has been accomplished. And now, with the Town’s legal challenges in the rearview mirror we can focus on what we do best – making copper,” company officials said. 

Two decades of preparation amidst legal struggles 

The settlement agreement marks a major milestone in one of the longest, most thorough and detailed examinations of a mining project in Arizona history. 

It’s been two decades in the making since Florence Copper began exploration, permitting and the opening of a small testing site, the Wellfield test facility in Florence. 

Not only did it take years to adhere to all the necessary state and federal operating permits, but the company spent more than seven years in and out of litigation with the small town. 

Starting in 2013, the town has tried to block the mine’s temporary permit, claiming it  has no historic or legal right to the property. But lower and higher courts ruled in favor of Florence Copper on both issues. 

The most recent ruling came in March, when the rejected every argument made by the lawyers representing the town.   

In the decision, the appellate court upheld Florence Copper’s right to mine its private property and ordered the town to pay the mining company’s $1.7 million in legal fees as well as tens of thousands of dollars in accrued interest. 

Testing phase a success 

Currently, the Wellfield testing operation is in its third year of the testing phase. In addition to producing one million pounds of copper, the facility has proven safe and reliable, company officials said.  

Now, it’s on track to secure a key permit from the Environmental Protection Agency. That will pave the way to start preparing for construction and commercial scale operations. 

In gaining the community’s approval, Florence Copper executives said that the mine has taken to successfully obtain 13 state and federal permits and set the highest environmental standards to protect groundwater, soil and air quality. 

‘In-situ’ copper extraction, less harmful to planet

The mine is using a process called in-situ recovery mining, which is a less invasive extraction method than traditional mining, company officials said. The process involves dissolving copper underground into a liquid and pumping it to the surface.

“It is by far the most environmentally responsible way of extracting copper from the ground,” according to the . 

Among its advantages:

• No waste or ore removal
• No blasting or large equipment associated with traditional mining
• No open holes, waste dumps, leach pads or tailings
• Minimal noise, dust and greenhouse gas impact

Mine to fuel post-pandemic jobs, economy in region 

At full operation, the mine is expected to produce 85 million pounds of copper per year for 20 years. During that time, Florence Copper is estimated to create close to 500 jobs for Pinal County and generate $3.4 billion in economic activity for the state of Arizona.

Mining typically pays higher salaries than the average wage, which could help boost median incomes in the town, which are nearly $10,000 lower than the state median. 

During the life of the project, the mine will create significant economic benefits for Arizona and Pinal County, according to an by the L. William Seidman Research Institute in the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. 

According to the report, Florence Copper will:

• Inject about $3.4 billion into the state economy with $2.1 billion remaining in Pinal County 
• Create and support an annual average of 796 direct and indirect jobs in Arizona, with 480 in Pinal County
• Generate $1.9 billion in total personal income over the life of the project with $0.9 billion going to Pinal County workers and business owners
• Generate local and state revenues exceeding $468 million with approximately $68.5 million directly accruing to the town of Florence and $33.5 million directly accruing to Pinal County

To read more about the project, visit:

The post Town of Florence agrees to settle decade-long dispute with copper mine appeared first on �鶹��ýӳ��.

Businesses and community leaders in Arizona’s historic “Copper Corridor” are calling foul on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its recent decision to rescind an important step toward completion of a land swap that is essential to the development of the mine. 

At stake are thousands of jobs in the struggling region, said Superior Mayor Mila Besich, who is trying to get the word out about how important the Resolution Copper Project is to the mining region.  

Besich said the unexpected setback came after years of negotiating in good faith with all concerned parties to address environmental and other community concerns. The copper mine, which has been working for almost a decade to get all permits in place, is projected to employ 3,700 workers and generate more than $1 billion in annual economic benefit when fully operational.  

“When the Resolution Copper project was introduced to Superior, it brought a glimmer of hope and opportunity to our small, close-knit community. Its predecessor, the Magma Mine, was shuttered in 1996 and opportunities were scarce for Superior to provide employment and business prospects for our diminishing population,” said Besich in a recent editorial in the .

“Arizona’s Copper Corridor is the equivalent of Yukon gold. Some of the richest and most accessible copper ore deposits are found here in eastern Pinal and southern Gila counties. Two of the three copper smelters left in the United States operate in our region,” said Besich, who also serves as executive director of the Copper Corridor Economic Development Coalition, a  region-wide private-public partnership to advance the economic and community development of Arizona’s mining country.

Huge global need for copper 

Having a steady home-grown copper supply will be a competitive advantage for U.S. manufacturing companies, said business and economic development groups who have worked through the process. Arizona stands to benefit tremendously. 

The mine will be one of the largest producers in the country. Copper is an essential component in mobile devices, medical equipment and clean energy technologies, and demand is growing worldwide. The World Bank estimates global copper demand could rise by 200 percent by 2050. 

“Mining belongs in this part of Arizona and it can be done responsibly while protecting the environment and the beautiful landscape that we love and cherish,” Besich said. 

Years of negotiation shot down under new administration 

At issue is a involving the Oak Flat area, which is considered sacred to tribes in the Southwest. To alleviate those concerns, the mine underwent seven years of negotiations with the tribes to put into place measures everyone could live with, Resolution Copper officials said. 

Several changes were made to the project as a result, including permanent protection of natural features of the Apache Leap cultural and recreational area and a partnership to protect Emory oak tree groves in the area. 

The land exchange legislation allows for the exchange of 2,422 acres of land above the copper deposit for 5,459 acres of Arizona land owned by Resolution Copper that will become public land.

In January, the mine was notified that the U.S. Forest Service the land swap in its final environmental impact statement. A 45-day review was to follow. But when President Joe Biden took office, the USDA announced it was rescinding the environmental impact statement, halting the objection phase, and revoking the land swap. 

USDA wants another “thorough review”

In a , the USDA said it is requiring the project go through another “thorough review” with all parties involved because of a new Presidential Memorandum involving tribal relationships. The memorandum refers to ensuring that the Forest Service “has complied with the environmental, cultural, and archaeological analyses required,” the USDA stated. 

But company officials said they already have engaged all parties “every step of the way.”

The Forest Service, the lead agency charged with overseeing the federal approval process, spent nearly a decade gathering insights from local leaders, Native American tribes, NGOs, community organizations and businesses, company officials said.  

“Simultaneously, Resolution Copper participated in hundreds of other conversations and engagements, including numerous community working groups, to collect the input that continues to shape the project,” the company said in a prepared statement. 

Voices in support of Resolution Copper 

Business and community leaders including Governor Doug Ducey have issued public statements protesting the action. Here are some of their voices:  

Gov. Doug Ducey

“I am extremely disappointed in the Administration’s decision to cease progress on Arizona’s Resolution Copper project, which is set to grow jobs and is estimated to create a direct and indirect economic impact of more than $1 billion to Arizona’s economy every year,” Ducey . 

“An effective and predictable regulatory environment is a critical factor in Arizona’s booming economy. In Arizona, we follow what works. Undoing lengthy, comprehensive, and already-completed federal environmental studies on a whim with the changing of federal administrations doesn’t work. This type of activity threatens an untold number of major projects in Arizona and around the country.”

Pete Rios, former vice chair, Pinal County Board of Supervisors

“As Pinal County District 1 supervisor and a native to the Hayden-Winkelman area, I am extremely familiar with copper mining — both the opportunity it represents and its legacy,” . “I know the Resolution Copper project and the enormous opportunities a project like this can unlock for Pinal County. I think you’ll agree, as I do, that Resolution Copper is good for Arizona and good for the people of Pinal County.”

Garrick Taylor, interim president, Arizona �鶹��ýӳ�� of Commerce and Industry

“The Forest Service conducted its work with transparency and with a genuine commitment to public engagement. This will be a tremendous job creator. Not only will Resolution Copper be a major employer, but it will lead to construction activities and new commercial development such as housing, hotels and retail. What’s more, we know from the Environmental Impact Statement that it will be a safe, environmentally responsible project that will help meet the ever-growing demand for copper.”

Jacob Evenson, Boilermakers Local 627, business manager

“Throughout this process, Resolution Copper consulted with multiple tribal nations throughout the state of Arizona. Hundreds of our Boilermakers that are also tribal members have been at the table helping shape the vision of the Resolution Copper mine. To have a clean energy revolution, we need copper to power our windmills, move electric cars, and operate solar panels. We demand the USDA reissue the Final Environmental Impact Statement without delay and continue progress towards construction.”

Mike Oddonetto, Oddonetto Construction, Inc., Globe

“Resolution Copper has been an important source of business for my firm over the past year, enabling us to expand our own , and I look forward to continuing to work with the company to grow our business.”

Rich Nolan, president, National Mining Association  

“The mining industry stands ready to support the Biden administration’s aggressive plans for electrification and modernizing our nation’s electric grid – actions that will require massive amounts of copper and other mined materials – but it is imperative that our permitting processes proceed in a timely manner to support those goals.”

By the numbers: new jobs, tax revenues, industry 

Resolution Copper is considered one of the most significant private investments in Arizona history, developing one of the world’s largest untapped copper deposits in Arizona’s Copper Triangle. 

Economic impact studies show that once in operation, the mine would:

• Supply up to one-quarter of the nation’s copper demand and produce up to $61 billion in economic value for Arizona over the 60-year life of the project.

• Create approximately 3,700 jobs with 1,500 direct employees and 2,200 indirect and induced jobs. Employees will be paid approximately $134 million in wages and benefits per year. Approximately 600 employees and contractors are already on site. 

• Generate between $88 to $113 million in state and local tax revenue each year. An additional $546 million will be spent annually in goods and services from local businesses.

The post Delay of mine in “Copper Corridor” could have “devastating” effects on economy in region appeared first on �鶹��ýӳ��.