Water, not copper, our most vital resource

Letter to the editor | Arizona Daily Star | March 15, 2012

Re: the March 3 column "We're Rosemont, and we have a mile-wide crater to sell you."

David Fitzsimmons called it a satire, but it was right on target.

Southern Arizonans know that our most important resource is water, not copper. We also know that our real treasures are the Sonoran Desert and our Sky Island Mountains.

Fortunately for us, with each passing day, it is more unlikely that we will have to witness the destruction of the northern Santa Ritas. The Environmental Protection Agency has called the Draft Environmental Impact Statement one of the worst it has ever seen. Potential violations of the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act are among the worst offenses.

The proposed mine would likely cause permanent damage to the water quantity and quality in Cienega Creek and Davidson Canyon and also give us dirty air. No amount of cash lavished on local good causes by Rosemont will eliminate these devastating impacts.

So, let's not despair. The Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act are the law of the land for a reason: to protect us from disasters such as this proposed open-pit copper mine.

Gayle Hartmann

President, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, Tucson

Rosemont Mine satire proves informative

Letter to the editor | Arizona Daily Star | March 12, 2012

Re: the March 3 column "We're Rosemont, and we have a mile-wide crater to sell to you."

Many thanks to the Star and to David Fitzsimmons for his excellent satire on the proposed Rosemont Mine. It is critical that people wake up and fully comprehend how destructive this project would be to the Arizona environment we so cherish and rely on.

Patricia Harlow

Retired secretary, Tucson

Jobs can't make up for ruined beauty

Arizona Daily Star Letter to the Editor | July 20, 2011

What are people thinking? Are they just succumbing to the money Rosemont Mine has poured into our community to buy our support? Or, enjoying the view of our mines to the south, thinking that "look" would be great in the Santa Ritas, too?

Two managers at McDonald's tell me that the average McDonald's employs the equivalent of 50 workers doing eight-hour shifts.

Wouldn't you rather have eight new McDonald's than a scar that will never heal on our beautiful mountains? OK, miners earn more; so 16, 24 … ?

Why are we considering selling our future for 400 jobs? Especially when those jobs will cripple a portion of our tourism industry and deplete and pollute our precious water!

Michael Gordy

Retired TUSD teacher, Tucson

Rosemont Mine endangers grandkids

Arizona Daily Star Letter to the Editor | July 14, 2011

There is an endangered species that has not been considered in any of the deliberations regarding the establishment of the Rosemont Mine.

That endangered species is the grandchildren of the present residents of Southeastern Arizona.

For the want of relatively few and very likely, short-duration jobs, we the people and our governmental agencies seem to consider our grandchildren a small sacrifice for short-term economic gains.

Why are they endangered? To name just one: water - its quality and its availability. Without adequate amounts of quality water, the economic infrastructure of Southeastern Arizona dries up.

Less water means higher water bills. Poor water quality is a health hazard. Quality of life declines. Families move on; businesses and jobs leave.

Allowing the Rosemont Mine is a major step in that unfortunate direction.

Promises by Rosemont are empty. With a change of corporate ownership or bankruptcy - all such promises no longer apply.

If they are still around, our grandkids will have to foot the bill to clean up the mess - if even possible - that we allowed to be created.

Dennis Winsten

Consultant, Tucson

Don't spoil Santa Ritas

Arizona Daily Star Letter to the Editor | July 12, 2011

If anyone wants to know what the beautiful Santa Rita Mountains will look like if the Rosemont Mine is opened, all they have to do is drive south along I-19 and look west. In the Sahuarita-Green Valley area, they will see miles of mine tailings piled hundreds of feet high.

Pump millions of gallons of precious water, ruin the surroundings, displace animals for what? Four hundred temporary (20-year) jobs, with the profits going to the Canadian company, Augusta Resource Corp., that owns them. Certainly not worth desecrating our American landscape.

John E. Lutzel

Retired, Marana

http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_74f48785-78d9-5f8e-aa92-8a1d0d3d863a.html#ixzz1S1vcY3EX

Save the Santa Ritas

Arizona Daily Star Letter to the Editor | July 8, 2011

Re: the July 1 article " 'Irretrievable loss' at mine site."

Hopefully people of Tucson and the surrounding areas will take a long, hard look at the devastation that the Rosemont Copper Mine will create in the beautiful Santa Rita Mountains. Please weigh this devastation against the small economic gain this mine will create.

Once this mountain is destroyed, it will never return to what it is now in spite of all the wonderful plans Rosemont Copper wants us to believe in their expensive media campaign.

Get involved and save this part of Southern Arizona for future generations as they take the beautiful drive on Highway 83 to Sonoita and Patagonia. If you have never taken this drive, please do so soon.

Thank you for publishing those pictures on your front page.

Grace Wystrach

Sonoita rancher

http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_23350210-9a3c-5135-b7c9-751be093339f.html#ixzz1S1waSHOF

Mining pollutes, destroys scenery

Arizona Daily Star Letter to the Editor | July 7, 2011

Re: the July 1 article " 'Irretrievable loss' at mine site."

Kudos to Tony Davis for bringing this issue front and center. The scenic impact would be devastating to the entire area, not to mention significant loss of groundwater, dust, air and noise pollution and a negative impact of tourism.

Rosemont spokesmen seem to have quick solutions to complex issues like revegetation of tailings and dust, while experienced mining companies continue to wrestle with these same issues with very limited success.

Just take a look at the hideous tailings in Green Valley, particularly on a windy day.

Mine truck traffic would have a profound impact on Arizona 83. But rail cars loaded with ore bound for Mexico would have a profound impact on Green Valley as they make their way south to the border.

Enough is enough! It is essential that the beauty and tranquillity of this area be left intact for current and future generations to enjoy!

David Babson

Retired, Green Valley

 http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_af789d30-9a2b-53ef-b953-2c8f06deb050.html#ixzz1S1wqApIX

Forest Service study suggests glum future

Arizona Daily Star Letter to the Editor | July 3, 2011

Re: the July 1 article "Forest Service foresees huge scenic impact over Rosemont's projected life."

Thanks to the Star and the Forest Service for showing us graphically what the Rosemont mine would look like.

It's sad that we, as a people, come to this myopic view. Is this the 19th century? Beaten down by the abuses of the recession, are we reduced to this diminished vision for Tucson's future? Another dusty former mining town?

And have we asked the mountains and valleys, here since before people set foot in the area, have we asked them what they want? What they are worth? Do they ask to be pounded into piles of dust? What of the plants and animals, part of a miracle much greater than the smelting of metals can ever be? What do they say?

Is there no better vision of the future to compete with this? Can we even imagine a beautiful future for all of us?

Roger Barthelson

Research biologist, Tucson

http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_43c7d656-acb8-5c89-a275-05c3bab55c49.html#ixzz1S1xuW1zz

Rosemont's minuses outweigh its pluses

Letter sent to the Arizona Daily Star, January 7, 2011

Re: the Dec. 30 letter to the editor "Rosemont is a plus for Tucson's economy."

Another reader seems to be rubber-stamping the Rosemont Project based on jobs.

If Rosemont were only providing jobs, no one would disapprove. Documented facts demonstrate otherwise.

This mine project will have devastating negative effects on thousands of homeowners in southeastern Arizona for a lifetime.

The Star has had continuous articles of the serious water issues facing our state. That alone should be enough to have people open their eyes to the far greater negative impacts Rosemont will cost Arizona.

Does anyone really believe that thousands should be sacrificed to save a few jobs? As copper prices rise, other mines are reopening, adding jobs and that sought-after tax revenue.

There's no copper shortage, so why cause more destruction? After recent revelations about the Forest Service's handling of mine meetings, let's hope they haven't dusted off their rubber stamp.

We don't have to destroy Arizona to make it prosper.

Jerilyn Gentile

Retired, Vail

Compromise is not a solution to proposed Rosemont Mine

Published on Saturday, September 25, 2010, Inside Tucson Business

TO: The Editor

FROM: Leslie Kramer, former President, Sonoita Chamber of Commerce

Nancy McCoy, former president, Patagonia Area Business Association

RE: “Rosemont Mine fight is all about ranting and not about problem solving,” Hugh Holub opinion, Sept. 6 issue

As members of the business community of Sonoita, Patagonia, and Elgin, we understand

of course, that the Rosemont Copper Company owns land in the Santa Rita Mountains. They own 900+ acres and if they were planning to limit their open pit mine to that property, they would have every right to do so. However, their proposal is to use nearly 4,000 acres of public land in the Coronado National Forest on which they want to dump waste piles that would be upwards of 30 stories high and would spread over several square miles. The piles would essentially fill the valley and destroy it forever.

The Rosemont Valley is a popular place. On virtually every weekend it is visited by campers, picnickers, hikers, bicyclists and ATV riders. It is much used, in season, by hunters. It is also the location of about 100 prehistoric sites. If the Rosemont copper project is allowed to proceed, this valley and its natural and cultural landscape will literally be buried under thousands of tons of waste rock.

We also want to point out that the economies of Sonoita, Elgin and Patagonia are based on ranching, wineries and a variety of businesses relating to recreation and tourism such as restaurants, B&B’s and specialty shops. The only way to reach our area from Tucson and Phoenix is to drive down Arizona Highway 83, a beautiful, two-lane state scenic route. We are very concerned about the many negative impacts this proposed mine would have: air pollution, traffic congestion and safety, depressed real estate values and a just plain ugly view – to name a few.

As to water use, of course there are other water users in the Upper Santa Cruz Valley. There are communities like Green Valley and Sahuarita, agricultural users and existing mines on the west side. However, Rosemont would be a NEW user. The company wants to pump groundwater from an already depleted water table. Unfortunately, it has the right to do so because mining is the only enterprise exempt from state law regulating groundwater withdrawals. Yes, a permit is required, but it is a “non-discretionary” permit. This means that the state does not have the right to say “no.” So, in the future, if Rosemont’s proposed “dry tailings” method does not work, it will be able to drill more and deeper wells, lowering the water table even farther.

With respect to the issue of Central Arizona Project (CAP) water, it is certainly true that much better use should be made of Rosemont’s current allocation. Rosemont dumps their CAP allocation north of Marana, a practice that has no benefit for the greater Tucson area. What is the availability of CAP water as drought continues and demand for CAP water increases? Many CAP users – municipalities, for example – have a higher priority than Rosemont. There is simply no guarantee that the Green Valley area will ever be adequately compensated for the removal of 6000 – 8000 acre feet per year of valuable ground water. That is enough water to supply the residential needs of 32,000 people. This kind of pumping is a huge risk that must be borne by both present and future residential, agricultural and commercial users.

As to the tailings piles being visible from Green Valley: They will not be visible. However, Gil Clausen, president of Rosemont’s parent company, noted in World Mining Stocks (September 2007) that “although developing Rosemont was clearly the company’s primary focus, the three other properties (on the Santa Rita ridgeline and on the west slope of the mountains) offered future opportunities for exploration.” Thus, if Rosemont is approved for the east side of the Santa Ritas, it is certainly possible that the mining operation could be expanded over the ridge to the west. If that occurs, massive tailings would indeed be visible from Green Valley.

Finally, although compromise and negotiation are frequently productive ways to resolve difficult issues, they are not the solution in this case. Mr. Holub’s assertion that Rosemont should buy some other environmentally sensitive land and donate it to Pima County does nothing to offset the negative impacts of this proposed mine. Nor does this proposed solution do anything for all that will be affected by the proposed mine in Santa Cruz County.

It is important to remember that the proposed Rosemont mine is very unpopular. It is opposed by virtually every jurisdiction in this part of the state including Pima and Santa Cruz Counties, the City of Tucson, the Tohono O’odham Nation, numerous legislators and Congresswoman Gabriel Giffords and Congressman Raul Grijalva. Thousands of individuals have signed petitions opposing the mine.

The solution to this problem is not some kind of “negotiated” settlement. Rosemont Copper must not be allowed to mine in the Santa Rita Mountains. The future of our community, our economy, our clean air, and our water depends on this decision.

Copyright © 2010 Inside Tucson Business

The Truth About Copper

Submitted by Marshall Magruder, June 28^th, 2010 to the Arizona Daily Star

Dear Editor,

You article, “Rosemont stressing copper’s greenness” included a Rosemont Copper flier “How Rosemont Fits into the Green Economy.”  There are some corrections to Rosemont Copper’s position that need to be made.  

Rosemont says: “New transmission lines for renewable energy will require millions of tons of copper.” Transmission lines today use NO COPPER. Aluminum is used because it is lighter—requiring fewer poles, stronger because steel-reinforced, and cheaper. Aluminum, not copper, is most commonly used in powerlines to customers and in their homes and buildings.

Rosemont Copper’s line about “millions of tons of copper” is also a gross overstatement. According to the Copper Development Association, the total 2009 US copper production was 1,299,000 tons, much less than the “millions of tons.” Any new mine would not produce anywhere near “millions of tons,” nor is that much needed.

Further, the statement about solar photovoltaic panels, such as the girl in the ad is holding, is also misleading. Silicon is the primary resource in photovoltaic panels. The frames are aluminum.  Very little copper is used.

Turbines in coal, gas, and nuclear power plants are made of steel, not copper. The electric generators usually have copper wire around iron or steel magnetic material. This is true for any power source.

Let’s avoid false and erroneous statements. Rosemont Copper should retract their misleading, to say the least, statements.

Please see the Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers to verify that transmission; distribution and feeder lines and solar panels do NOT use copper.