2017 Annual and CSR Report
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Environment Arizona

In June 2017, we moved closer to building a modern mine that showcases state-of-the-art techniques and sustainable environmental practices when the US Forest Service issued a Final Record of Decision (ROD), one of the last two permits needed to develop our Rosemont project in southwest Arizona.

Soon after receiving the ROD, we submitted our mine plan of operations (MPO). Once the Forest Service approves the MPO, it becomes the permit for the project. We are awaiting the final permit from the Army Corp of Engineers, which we hope to receive in 2018.

Minimizing Our Footprint

Of the five scenarios presented, the ROD sanctioned the “Barrel Alternative”, which impacts the fewest acres of land, addresses air quality concerns, protects a Native American ball court feature, and protects biologically sensitive areas and critical habitat. Under the Rosemont MPO, we will employ technologies and practices that generate a higher yield of copper and impact half the amount of land for a typical copper mine. In addition, reclamation work will start during the first year of operations to further minimize adverse impacts.

Due to the filter tailings technology, our water conservation and recycling approach will allow us to reduce our water use by half compared to similar copper operations in Arizona that employ conventional tailings management. We will construct an eight-mile-long, 36-inch-diameter pipeline to transport water from the Central Arizona Project (CAP) terminus to the Green Valley area. The pipeline will allow the Green Valley community’s water utility to use its CAP allocation and offset its groundwater withdrawals. It will also allow Rosemont to recharge water near its production wells.

Comprehensive Mitigation and Monitoring

With the majority of stakeholder concerns related to environmental impacts, we plan to implement more than $50 million in monitoring and mitigation measures to address potential impacts.

The ROD includes more than 100 monitoring and mitigation requirements. Along with standard mitigation measures to manage potential impacts to water, soil, air and biodiversity, we will fund specialized programs, including camera studies for large feline predators, management and removal of harmful non-native aquatic species, habitat improvement for the western yellow-billed cuckoo and the southwestern willow flycatcher, and ground-based sky brightness monitoring. As part of an agreement with the Arizona Trail Association, we will pay to relocate approximately 10 miles of the Arizona National Scenic Trail.

Once operations begin, we will establish and maintain a public website where we will post the latest monitoring reports in a timely manner.