Arizona — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service has finalized a land exchange in southeast Arizona, advancing the long-delayed Resolution Copper project following a recent federal court decision.
The March 16 record of decision clears the way for development of an underground copper mine near Superior, about 60 miles east of Phoenix. The move follows a March 13 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which allowed the transfer to proceed after finding no legal basis to block it under federal environmental review requirements.
The Resolution Copper Project targets one of the largest known undeveloped copper deposits in the world, located thousands of feet beneath the former Magma Mine site. Estimates suggest the deposit contains more than 1.6 billion tonnes of ore with an average copper grade of about 1.5%. If fully developed, the mine could produce roughly 40 billion pounds of copper over a projected 40-year lifespan.
At full capacity, the project could account for up to a quarter of U.S. copper production, positioning it as a major contributor to domestic mineral supply chains, per analysis from Discovery Alerts. Copper is a critical material used in power transmission, renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, and telecommunications infrastructure.
Federal officials have emphasized the project’s economic and strategic benefits. According to government estimates, the mine could create approximately 1,500 jobs, generate $149 million in annual wages, and deliver between $80 million and $120 million in state and local tax revenue, along with about $200 million annually for the federal government.
The land exchange itself was mandated by Congress through the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act, requiring the transfer of approximately 2,400 acres of federal land in exchange for more than 5,000 acres of private land owned by the project’s developers. The Forest Service stated the decision complies with environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act and includes authorization for supporting infrastructure such as pipelines and powerlines.
Despite federal approval, the project remains controversial. Since its proposal in 2004 by a joint venture between mining companies BHP and Rio Tinto, Resolution Copper has faced years of regulatory delays, including multiple environmental reviews and shifting federal priorities.
A central point of opposition is Oak Flat, a site of cultural and religious importance to the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other Indigenous groups. The proposed block cave mining method would eventually cause the ground above the ore body to collapse, creating a crater roughly 1,000 feet deep and up to two miles wide—permanently altering the landscape.
Indigenous leaders and environmental organizations argue the project would destroy sacred sites, archaeological resources, and traditional food sources tied to the area. These concerns have led to repeated legal challenges, contributing to the project’s prolonged timeline.
With the latest court ruling and federal decision, the Resolution Copper project moves forward into its next phase, though legal, environmental, and cultural debates surrounding the mine are expected to continue.
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