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GTG
Was lost but now am found
Joined: 30 Dec 2002
Posts: 2387
Location: Peoria, Arizona, originally from Rocket City, USA
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 Posted: 11/11/2004, 6:54 am Post subject: Superior sitting on copper fortune |
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From today's Arizona Republic -
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1111britishmining11.html#
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Superior sitting on copper fortune
Deep ore lures pricey project
Chip Scutari
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 11, 2004 12:00 AM
LONDON - The old Arizona mining town of Superior has felt more bust than boom over the past decade, but a deep-pocketed British corporation wants to revive the area's glory days with a $2 billion mining investment.
Resolution Copper Co., a subsidiary of British mining giant Rio Tinto, found a huge underground ore body that sits more than 7,000 feet below the surface.
Rio Tinto's top brass, including Chief Executive Officer Leigh Clifford, told Gov. Janet Napolitano this week that they will spend at least $200 million over the next five years to tap into the copper body and make the project work. Getting at the copper could cost more than $2 billion, an investment the British company is willing to make for its payoff down the road.
"Make no bones about it, the world will need copper," Clifford told Napolitano and other state officials. "It will be 10 years from discovery to development. It's one of the huge bodies of copper in the world. And we're spending a lot of money to make it work."
Napolitano smiled when the mining executives talked about the job-generating potential of the project. The one-hour meeting was a key part of her four-day overseas trade mission, which she hopes will spur long-term benefits for all of Arizona. She said the mining project is part of an overall strategy to attract more British business and tourists to the Grand Canyon State.
The Resolution Project will provide about 1,400 construction jobs and 400 permanent jobs once it started operation. Bruno Hegner, who's heading the project for Resolution, said the permanent jobs will probably pay salaries of $60,000 or more. Hegner said the workers must be computer literate and know how to work automated equipment.
Resolution Copper has already spent $35 million in preliminary work, and the company will pump an additional $4.5 million into the mine in 2005. Located at the Old Magma Mine's Shaft No. 9 east of town, it could be the deepest copper mine in Arizona and maybe in all of Ameri- ca.
It's called 21st-century mining. Forget the old days of a miner coming out of the mine with a blackened face, carrying a hard hat, pick and shovel. There will not be an open pit that looks like an eyesore. The mining will be done 7,000 feet underground with a combination of robots, machines and manpower.
The company, Hegner said, will use a block cave technique to extract the ore. That involves tunneling below the deposit and blasting the ore loose from above, sort of like an upside-down open pit.
But there are obstacles.
• Heat. The ore is so deep that temperatures could reach 175 degrees Fahrenheit, requiring refrigerated air to be pumped into the shaft.
• Depth. The drills will have to descend 7,000 feet.
• Water. The project will re- quire about 20,000 acre-feet per year.
• Stress. The company will have to find a way to keep holes from closing up because of the tremendous gravity pressures.
• Time. The mine won't officially open until 2014. There will be five years of environmental assessments and tests.
Despite the challenges, Napolitano said the mining endeavor could be a gold mine for Arizona.
"This has been identified as one of the major new mining ventures in the world," Napolitano told The Arizona Republic. "This will be much more consistent with environmental protection goals and restoration. They will restore the lands to their pre-mine appearance. That is very, very exciting."
It could be the catalyst for Superior, which has been down on its luck for several years. When the Magma Mine closed in 1982, it put 1,200 people out of work. In 1989, the mine hired about 200 people but cut those jobs in 1996 when the mine closed again. An advantage is that Resolution is expanding an existing mine, not starting from scratch.
Arizona Department of Commerce Director Gil Jimenez said the 21st-century mine could bring about a long-awaited boom for the depressed area.
"It's a great potential for that part of the state," Jimenez said. "The mining communities are in such great need of economic development.
"The commitment of a major, multinational firm to that part of the state is incredible," he said. "It will help the area, help schools and revive the area."
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GTG
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Good things come to those who walk. |
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GTG
Was lost but now am found
Joined: 30 Dec 2002
Posts: 2387
Location: Peoria, Arizona, originally from Rocket City, USA
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| Posted: 11/11/2004, 9:35 am Post subject: email today |
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I got this email this morning as I am subscribed to The Friends of Queen Creek. If you're opposed to what's going to possibly happen, their site is a good place to start to get information. The article I posted above is included in the letter, what has been added I will put in blue bold.
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Hi Friends of Queen Creek
The article below appeared in today's Arizona Republic - page 1 of the Valley & State section. Please email opinions@arizonareplublic.com. Tell them you are a Friend of Queen Creek and that you do not want this unique public land destroyed. Please add any other comments as you see fit. My response is listed below the article.
Thanks
Paul Dief - Friends of Queen Creek
================================================
Superior sitting on copper fortune
Deep ore lures pricey project
Chip Scutari
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 11, 2004 12:00 AM
LONDON - The old Arizona mining town of Superior has felt more bust than boom over the past decade, but a deep-pocketed British corporation wants to revive the area's glory days with a $2 billion mining investment.
Resolution Copper Co., a subsidiary of British mining giant Rio Tinto, found a huge underground ore body that sits more than 7,000 feet below the surface.
Rio Tinto's top brass, including Chief Executive Officer Leigh Clifford, told Gov. Janet Napolitano this week that they will spend at least $200 million over the next five years to tap into the copper body and make the project work. Getting at the copper could cost more than $2 billion, an investment the British company is willing to make for its payoff down the road.
"Make no bones about it, the world will need copper," Clifford told Napolitano and other state officials. "It will be 10 years from discovery to development. It's one of the huge bodies of copper in the world. And we're spending a lot of money to make it work."
Napolitano smiled when the mining executives talked about the job-generating potential of the project. The one-hour meeting was a key part of her four-day overseas trade mission, which she hopes will spur long-term benefits for all of Arizona. She said the mining project is part of an overall strategy to attract more British business and tourists to the Grand Canyon State.
The Resolution Project will provide about 1,400 construction jobs and 400 permanent jobs once it started operation. Bruno Hegner, who's heading the project for Resolution, said the permanent jobs will probably pay salaries of $60,000 or more. Hegner said the workers must be computer literate and know how to work automated equipment.
Resolution Copper has already spent $35 million in preliminary work, and the company will pump an additional $4.5 million into the mine in 2005. Located at the Old Magma Mine's Shaft No. 9 east of town, it could be the deepest copper mine in Arizona and maybe in all of Ameri- ca.
It's called 21st-century mining. Forget the old days of a miner coming out of the mine with a blackened face, carrying a hard hat, pick and shovel. There will not be an open pit that looks like an eyesore. The mining will be done 7,000 feet underground with a combination of robots, machines and manpower.
The company, Hegner said, will use a block cave technique to extract the ore. That involves tunneling below the deposit and blasting the ore loose from above, sort of like an upside-down open pit.
But there are obstacles.
• Heat. The ore is so deep that temperatures could reach 175 degrees Fahrenheit, requiring refrigerated air to be pumped into the shaft.
• Depth. The drills will have to descend 7,000 feet.
• Water. The project will re- quire about 20,000 acre-feet per year.
• Stress. The company will have to find a way to keep holes from closing up because of the tremendous gravity pressures.
• Time. The mine won't officially open until 2014. There will be five years of environmental assessments and tests.
Despite the challenges, Napolitano said the mining endeavor could be a gold mine for Arizona.
"This has been identified as one of the major new mining ventures in the world," Napolitano told The Arizona Republic. "This will be much more consistent with environmental protection goals and restoration. They will restore the lands to their pre-mine appearance. That is very, very exciting."
It could be the catalyst for Superior, which has been down on its luck for several years. When the Magma Mine closed in 1982, it put 1,200 people out of work. In 1989, the mine hired about 200 people but cut those jobs in 1996 when the mine closed again. An advantage is that Resolution is expanding an existing mine, not starting from scratch.
Arizona Department of Commerce Director Gil Jimenez said the 21st-century mine could bring about a long-awaited boom for the depressed area.
"It's a great potential for that part of the state," Jimenez said. "The mining communities are in such great need of economic development.
"The commitment of a major, multinational firm to that part of the state is incredible," he said. "It will help the area, help schools and revive the area."
=======================================
Letters to the Editor
11/11/04
The article by Chip Scutari “Superior sitting on copper future” in the November 11 Republic left out two very important facts.
First, a big chunk of the land around this proposed mine was protected by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1955 when he signed BLM Public Land Order 1229 which specifically put this land off-limits to all future mining activity. The Tonto National Forest’s Oak Flat Campground resides on this public land. It is also the site of the world’s largest annual outdoor rock climbing competition, the Phoenix Boulder-Blast. Although perhaps best known for its wonderful rock climbing, Oak Flat campground is also a recreational site frequented by bird watchers, hikers, dirt bike riders, campers and other recreational user groups.
Second, the “block cave” technique the Resolution Copper wants to use to extract this ore will result in the area above and around the mine subsiding several hundred feet. While not an “open-pit” mine, the end result will look the same. It will not be possible for Resolution to “restore the lands to their pre-mine appearance” as Governor Napolitano stated in the article. This area is a maze of seasonally water filled canyons and rocky outcrops.
The Friends of Queen Creek is not opposed to mining activity in general. We are opposed to removing Oak Flat from public use and the destruction of this unique area. If you feel the same please visit our web site www.FriendsofQueenCreek.com.
Paul Diefenderfer
Friend of Queen Creek
602 509-1543
info@friendsofqueencreek.com
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It seems the whole area including Haunted Canyon may be in jeopardy due to various mining ventures, we should do try to do something now instead of trying to when it's too late.
GTG
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