Save the Scenic Santa Ritas

Fighting to protect the Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountains from the devastating impacts of mining.

LENS ON THE LAND

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On the morning of May 11, two groups of concerned southern Arizonans flew around the Rosemont – Copper Work mess.

EcoFlight’s Executive Director Jan Pargiter coordinated the flights with Center for Biological Diversity, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, the Chairman of the Tohono O’Odham nation and three journalists.

The heavy equipment like bulldozers and backhoes were not active on the mountain.

Vast areas of destruction were everywhere. A series of ephemeral streams have been blocked by dirt and rock.

It was a disturbing sight.

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Images captured by Jeff Herr

HUDBAY’S NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO ALL OUR BACKYARDS 

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Cathy McGrath Special to the Arizona Daily Star Apr 9, 2023

A recent op-ed in the Arizona Daily Star highlights the damage that Hudbay would do to all of us in southern Arizona. Cathy McGrath, the author of the op-ed who lives near state land that Hudbay would like to buy for a dump site, expresses her serious concerns. 

For instance: Hudbay projects that Copper World will use 13,154 acre-feet of water each year over the 44-year life of the project. This is the amount used annually by 103,000 people or more than 41,000 homes.

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Federal Memo May Bolster Hudbay’s Position on Rosemont Mine Site

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By Tony Davis, Feb 26, Arizona Daily Star

Assistant Army Secretary Michael Connor wrote an August 2022 memo withdrawing a decision that had overruled an earlier decision freeing the Rosemont site’s washes from federal Clean Water Act protection. Connor’s latest decision appears to restore a 2021 Army Corps of Engineers decision that the washes at the Rosemont site aren’t covered by the Clean Water Act. Despite that, late Friday an Army Corps of Engineers spokeswoman referred in an email to a possibility of enforcement action against Hudbay’s plans to grade washes inside an area of the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson that’s covered by a now-suspended Clean Water Act permit for the Rosemont Mine.

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Hudbay Fights Order to Stop Grading at Mine Site Near Tucson

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Tony Davis | Feb. 12, 2023 | Updated March 9, 2023

Hudbay Minerals Inc. is contesting a federal agency’s order to stop grading and land-clearing on a portion of its Copper World project, while it’s under a law enforcement investigation by a second federal agency over its work at the entire site in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson. The twin agency actions — one by the U.S. Army Corps of engineers, the other by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — raise questions about how long Hudbay can legally keep grading at the 4,500-acre, privately owned Copper World site on the west slope of the Santa Ritas.

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Hudbay, Forest Service won’t appeal ruling blocking Rosemont Mine

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By Tony Davis, Dec 12, 2022 Updated Dec 15, 2022

Artist rendering of Rosemont pit and tailings

https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/hudbay-forest-service-wont-appeal-ruling-blocking-rosemont-mine/article_e2ed87b0-7669-11ed-8879-d700ff320425.html

Hudbay Minerals and the U.S. Forest Service won’t appeal a federal appeals court ruling blocking construction of the Rosemont Mine, ending a major legal case but not closing the controversy over the mine itself.

The mining company and the federal agency let pass a Nov. 22 legal deadline for appealing the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling from May 2022 without acting. Their inaction ceded the hard-fought battle to mine opponents, which include three tribes and four environmental and conservation groups. Those opponents filed suit in 2017 to stop mine construction, shortly after the Forest Service approved it.

The decision of Hudbay and the Forest Service not to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court means Hudbay can’t bury nearly 2 billion tons of mine waste rock and tailings on Coronado National Forest land. Hudbay has not, however, ruled out trying to find a legal path later to allow that.

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COPPER MINE TOXINS

In this video Dr. Hart describes how copper mines fail to prevent toxins concentrated in tailing piles and ponds from polluting our air and water. WATCH NOW video by John Grahame

Copper Mines and Aquifers

Dr. Stanley Hart describes the impact of copper mining on underground aquifers, both how much groundwater is used and where it ends up. WATCH NOW video by John Grahame

Why Mine the Santa Ritas? – Dr. Stanley Hart

Dr. Stanley R. Hart, Scientist Emeritus at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, talks with a group from Save the Scenic Santa Ritas about the factors that are causing HudBay Corporation to pursue development of a large open pit mine (“Copper World”) in the Santa Rita Mountains near Sahuarita in southern Arizona. WATCH NOW video by John Grahame

Geology of the Santa Ritas — Dr. Stanley Hart

Dr. Stanley R. Hart talks with a group from Save the Scenic Santa Ritas about the geology of this Sky Island mountain range near Sahuarita in southern Arizona. Dr. Hart is Scientist Emeritus at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. WATCH NOW video by John Grahame

Rosemont/ Copper World Mine Complex News

More Posts from this Category

Update on Lake Mead and Lake Powell water levels

Watch the April video update about Lake Mead, new water restrictions in Las Vegas, and news from Lake Powell.
WATCH NOW

Copper World Flyover January 6, 2023 by David Steele

Another shocking sight of the incredible destruction happening on our beautiful Santa Ritas.WATCH VIDEO NOW

Russ McSpadden’s recent fly-over showing mine activity

In Nov 2022 Russ captured recent bulldozing in the Santa Rita Mountains. His video starts over the Rosemont mine project on the east side and then swings over the Copper World project on the west side. WATCH VIDEO NOW

Explore the proposed Rosemont and Copper World projects virtually

Check out Pima County’s updated map of the proposed mine site. Click on any spot on the map for ownership/status information. Mapping details are based on Hudbay’s PEA dated May 1.

Proposed Rosemont/ Copper World Mine Complex

Image compilation of the area

LENS ON THE LAND

Sign the Petition

Please ask Commissioner Arizona State Land Department Ms. Robyn Sahid to deny request by Rosemont Copper Company for the department to sell at auction two noncontiguous parcels of State Trust land totaling 200 acres.

SIGN HERE

Recommended Reading List

Browse HERE over 30 titles of carefully selected books in various categories including: copper, water, mining, wilderness, exploration, and more. Your purchase supports the efforts of the SSSR

January 2023 Powerpoint Presentation

Click here to download (PDF)

Litigation Update

There have been two recent judicial rulings on the Rosemont Copper Company projects — one favorable and one unfavorable.

The latest on Hudbay’s Copper World project in the Santa Rita Mountains

Click here to download (PDF)

Where is the Rosemont/Copper World Mine Complex?

Click here for directions

HELP US PROTECT THE SANTA RITAS