Commanding copper: a resource near superior, Ariz., is estimated to produce 110,000 tons of ore per day and could create approximately 5,800 local jobs

The historic Pioneer Mining District in Arizona is home to what may be North America's--and the world's--largest copper resource ever found. Resolution Copper, a joint venture between Rio Tinto and BHP, is at the helm of the project, which is expected to produce 110,000 tons of ore per day.

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The project is in the early stages of pre-feasibility work. Resolution Copper CEO David Salisbury says production was hinted at in 1998, and the two companies negotiated a buy-in in 2001, forming Resolution Copper in 2004. "From 1998 to 2004, we were doing ongoing exploration activities," he explains. "Since then, we've been in active development and are now doing the design work of building a mine and building a future production capacity."

"One of the things we've undertaken early on is to rehabilitate a historic mining site," Salisbury says. "When we came in, it was left untouched and unclaimed, so we're reclaiming and cleaning it up before we even start production and construction."

Over the next several years, Resolution Copper will focus on dewatering the former Magma mine and sinking an exploratory shaft 7,000 feet below the surface, "as well as preparing numerous studies to evaluate technical, legal and environmental issues and to prepare our mining plan," the joint venture says. The mine is planned to go into production in 2020 and will have a mine life of four to five decades, Salisbury says.

Working with the Experts

The project's depth and location is prompting Resolution Copper toteam up with universities and scientists to minimize risk, improve efficiency and relieve heat--which will reach about 170 degrees. "We reached out to look at new innovations to find more efficient ways to do our work and to create less impact. We're working closely with local universities in finding new technologies that will allow us to be more efficient and, at the same time, create opportunities that help strengthen their position to advance these new technologies," Salisbury says.

For instance, Resolution Copper teamed up with Arizona State University to improve shotcrete, which is a method to spray concrete on rock faces.

"It's a way of protecting open rock faces [as we're sinking shafts] so we can work in that area safely," Salisbury explains. "We're improving it so it can be used in a more efficient manner. This makes itsafer for workers and allows work to progress faster. This method gains its strength quicker, and we developed a technology that doesn't require a worker to stand there with a hose to spray it down, eliminating the need for human exposure."

Local Focus

The new development will be an economic boon -creating approximately 5,800 jobs in the mine and in Superior, Ariz.--and Resolution Copper is working to create relationships with the community. "In this area, there are a lot of open-pit mines, but no active underground mines, so our work force is something we'll have to develop," Salisbury states. "We're working now with local education institutions and primary, secondary and vocational institutions. We're starting today to build a work force and to get an education that would support the work force to hire locally, so we benefit people in this area. This includes scholarships, internships and support for building capacity in area schools."

Superior was a community of about 8,000 until the Magma mine closed in 1996, and the population since has dropped to 3,000. "Most people have to commute out of town to find a job, so there's a desperate need for employment," Salisbury says. "There's strong support for the mine, statewide and locally."

* COMPANY PROFILE

Resolution Copper

www.resolutioncopper.com

Location: Superior, Ariz.

Employees: Up to 5,800 direct, indirect and induced jobs

David Salisbury, CEO: "We're working closely with local universities in finding new technologies that will allow us to be more efficient."