Appleton Ranch
Before developing the Superior mine, Resolution Copper Mining must complete extensive studies to determine the specification and location of critical infrastructure. These activities will require an investment of over $750 million in additional exploration and in excess of $3.5 billion before production can commence. To justify an investment of this magnitude, RCM needs to facilitate industrial development of the surface lands in and around the Oak Flat area on national forest land that is currently excluded from mining by federal law. This is necessary to complete our feasibility study and to make a final decision regarding how to develop the mine. Passage of the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act will accomplish this goal. Here are five things you should know about this act:
- It exchanges over 5,500 acres of private, high-priority conservation lands for roughly 2,400 acres of national forest property. All of the lands were selected in consultation with the United States Forest Service, BLM and leading conservation groups, including the Trust for Public Land, Nature Conservancy, Sonoran Institute, and Audubon Arizona.
- It provides over 250 acres of land for economic development in the Town of Superior. Less than five square miles in area, Superior is land locked and needs additional lands for economic development.
- It requires conservation and protection of scenic and historic Apache Leap located above Superior.
- It makes a $1 million financial commitment to support development of one or more replacement campgrounds in close proximity to the Oak Flat campground.
- It agrees to provide a full plan of operations, including location of infrastructure and impacts to the area, as well as data on cultural and ecological attributes for full public comment and review. RCM will submit to a full, comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act prior to opening the mine.
Tags: apache leap, arizona, arizona copper mines, copper, government land exchange, resolution copper, Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act, superior arizona
sounds interesting. hope you get it done.
We would like to see NEPA studies done and completed BEFORE the land exchange takes place.
I want to know exactly how much land subsidence there will be. Your own people said it would be approx. 2 miles. Well, if it is 2 miles it will greatly affect the town of Superior.
I also want to know how the water aquifers will be impacted…will there be acid mine drainage?
There are many unanswered questions that are being overlooked by the political people that have signed on to this project.
It always sound good in double speak…but is it really?
We need answers BEFORE & not AFTER it is a done deal.
We understand and appreciate your concern for the environment. Understanding how valuable public participation is, we requested that the newest version of our bill (which can be found here) include provisions requiring a full NEPA Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be conducted prior to opening the mine. This extensive study will include information on hydrology, surface impacts and mine infrastructure. We are currently in a stage of development known as pre-feasibility. The purpose of this phase is to determine how we will develop and operate this project. Findings from this stage will be included in our Plan of Operations, a key component of the EIS, and will be available for public comment and review. We encourage you to visit us in Superior, tour the property and see first hand what we are doing to protect and improve the environment in and around Superior. We have extensive information on the project and can share with you what we are doing to ensure the safety and preservation of Superior. In the meantime, please visit this link for detailed information on our mining method and what we are doing to protect Superior, Apache Leap, and the area. You will notice on this page we have several visuals that show the area our project will impact.
Congress needs to pass this now! This is too important!!!