State advances Copper World’s bid to purchase 160 acres to expand tailings dump

Sept. 11, 2025

The Arizona State Land Department’s Board of Appeals today approved Copper World’s application to purchase 160 acres of State Trust Land that would allow the company to dump mining waste immediately south of Corona de Tucson.

The board approved the application 3-0 without discussion or providing opportunity to the public to comment.  The Board’s approval is necessary before the Department can schedule the land for public auction.  

This is the second time the Board has approved Copper World’s application to purchase the land. The Board approved an application in July 2023, but the Department did not schedule the land for auction before the appraisal for the property expired. State law requires the land to be auctioned within 240 days of the appraisal’s effective date.

For this application, the Department contracted with a private appraisal firm that determined the 160 acres is worth $993,000 with an effective date of Aug. 14. Therefore, the public auction would have to take place by May 19, 2026 and $993,000 would be the minimum bid.

Arizona State Land Commissioner Robyn Sahid, who was appointed by Governor Katie Hobbs, will make the final determination on whether to put the land up for auction.

SSSR Board President Thomas Nelson sent a letter to the Department and the Board on Sept. 10 requesting the Department to withdraw Copper World’s application to purchase the land.

SSSR also issued a press release alerting the media about Board’s then pending action. SSSR posted information on social media and issued an Action Alert to supporters to send letters to the Department and the Board requesting the land sale application be withdrawn.

The Tohono O’Odham Nation also sent a letter opposing the land sale.

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