The U.S. Forest Service announced on Mar. 17 a Record of Decision approving a land exchange with Resolution Copper Mining, LLC, as mandated by the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act and the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act.
The decision is significant because it advances a major copper mining project that supporters say will help secure domestic mineral supply chains and reduce reliance on foreign sources. The move comes at a time when demand for minerals like copper is expected to increase in the United States.
House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman said, “Twelve years later, in a win for our mineral and national security, the Resolution Copper land exchange is complete. At a time when domestic mineral demand is expected to skyrocket, this critical project will secure the United States’ copper supply chains and reduce our, as well as that of our allies’, dependence on foreign adversaries for our mineral needs.”
U.S. Representative Paul Gosar also commented on the development: “The Ninth Circuit has reaffirmed what Congress already decided: the Resolution Copper land exchange must move forward. This project was authorized by Congress over a decade ago, and the courts have now rejected another attempt to block it. Developing the Resolution Copper mine will strengthen America’s domestic supply of critical minerals, support thousands of good-paying jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign adversaries for copper needed in everything from national defense to modern infrastructure. After years of delays and lawsuits, it’s time to move forward.”
The completion of this land exchange marks an important step toward developing new sources of copper within the country.
