Halting Hudbay Inc

Written By John Murphy

by Dave Gamrarth

Friends,

 I attended a presentation by Save the Scenic Santa Ritas Association on November 12, 2022 regarding Canadian mining company Hudbay’s drive to establish major copper mines in the Santa Ritas.  Here’s what I learned.

 

In May 2022 the Federal court upheld the July 2019 court ruling that Hudbay could NOT dump waste and tailings on the Coronado National Forest from their original proposed project, a major open pit mine on the east side of the Santa Ritas.  Hudbay’s response?  Hudbay has revised their proposed mining project to massively expand it!  How?

  • In addition to the previously proposed eastside pit (now called “East Pit” instead of “Rosemont”), they are now proposing three additional pits: two new pits on the west side (“Peach/Elgin” and “West”) and a ridgeline pit (“Broadtop Butte”).

  • The depth of these pits ranges from 520 feet deep to 2,250 feet deep

  • The diameter of these pits ranges from 5,600 feet to 8,200 feet

  • Excavations would remove much of the northern ridgeline

  • This new project duration increases from 19 years to 44 years

  • Water usage for the new mines increase 475% from the initial proposal to 579,000 acre feet (an acre foot is equal to 325,581 gallons, thus total water usage is estimated at over 188 billion gallons)

    • This is equivalent to water used by a city of over 100,000 people over 44 years

    • The water will be coming from the Hudbay well-field in Sahuarita, I.E., Hudbay will be using water from the same aquifer that local residents use

    • Arizona mining laws provide no limitation on water usage by mining

    • Hudbay claims they will reduce water usage in two ways: replace used water with water from the Colorado River (but they have no guaranteed access to dwindling Colorado River water); and through a water recharge basin in Sahuarita, but since the flow of the water in our aquifer runs from south to north, adding water north of Green Valley and Quail Creek does not help these communities

  • Hudbay plans to establish a sulfuric acid refining operation in the Santa Ritas, and from it transport, over local roads, over 7.3 million tons of concentrated sulfuric acid

  • Hudbay is also trying to purchase more public lands to use for waste dumping

  • In addition to damaging our views and property values, the proposed project will result in water, air, noise and light pollution, increased traffic hazards, loss of land for recreation, and destruction of endangered species habitat as well as archeological sites.

 

Can this massive mining project be stopped?  Yes, but only through extensive community action. 

 

Needed Actions

  1. Email the Arizona Mining Inspector at publicinfo@asmi.az.gov or call them at 602-542-5971 to state your opposition to this project (feel free to use language from sample email below)

  2. Email the Arizona Land Office using their online form to urge them not to sell public land to Hudbay. Their online form a little tricky! You must type in your info for a new box to open that allows you to make your comment. (feel free to use language from sample below)

  3. Write letters to the editor of local papers (again, feel free to use language from sample below). Also, editor contact info is provided below.

  4. Thank Pima County and Tucson officials for opposing Hudbay’s mines (sample below). Contact info provided below.

 

FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO OTHERS THAT MAY BE INTERESTED!

 

Thanks, Dave

 

Sample email to Arizona Mining Inspector

I am strongly opposed to Canadian mining company Hudbay’s proposed “Copperworld” project to establish new mines in the Santa Rita mountains.  These mines will be a disaster for the local communities.  Extensive mining already exists in the area, yet mining only accounts for roughly 2% of the local economy.  Point:  jobs from this proposed project will be insignificant.  Water usage for these mines will be astronomical, which is entirely crazy given our scare water situation in Arizona and the Southwest.  Other existing mines at not at full operation, and their production could easily be increased to meet any increased demand of minerals.  Hudbay plans to sell minerals from Copperworld on the international market.  We don’t need to destroy Arizona’s beauty to supply China with minerals.  Pollution risks are many, including water, air, noise and light.  These mines will result in increased traffic hazards, loss of land for recreation, and destruction of endangered species habitat as well as archeological sites.  Please support the citizens of Arizona over a Canadian mining company’s profit goals.  Please oppose Hudbay’s Copperworld mining project in the Santa Rita mountains.  Thank you.

 

Sample email to the Arizona Land Office

Please oppose any purchase of land by Canadian mining company Hudbay for use in their proposed “Copperworld” project to establish new mines in the Santa Rita mountains.  These mines will be a disaster for the local communities.  Extensive mining already exists in the area, yet mining only accounts for roughly 2% of the local economy.  Point:  jobs from this proposed project will be insignificant.  Water usage for these mines will be astronomical, which is entirely crazy given our scare water situation in Arizona and the Southwest.  Other existing mines at not at full operation, and their production could easily be increased to meet any increased demand of minerals.  Hudbay plans to sell minerals from Copperworld on the international market.  We don’t need to destroy Arizona’s beauty to supply China with minerals.  Pollution risks are many, including water, air, noise and light.  These mines will result in increased traffic hazards, loss of land for recreation, and destruction of endangered species habitat as well as archeological sites.  Please support the citizens of Arizona over a Canadian mining company’s profit goals.  Please oppose Hudbay’s purchase of any land in or near the Santa Rita mountains.  Thank you.

 

Sample Letter to the Editor

Editor:

I am strongly opposed to Canadian mining company Hudbay’s proposed “Copperworld” project to establish new mines in the Santa Rita mountains.  These mines will be a disaster for the local communities.  Extensive mining already exists in the area, yet mining only accounts for roughly 2% of the local economy.  Point:  jobs from this proposed project will be insignificant.  Water usage for these mines will be astronomical, which is entirely crazy given our scare water situation in Arizona and the Southwest.  Other existing mines at not at full operation, and their production could easily be increased to meet any increased demand of minerals.  Hudbay plans to sell minerals from Copperworld on the international market.  We don’t need to destroy Arizona’s beauty to supply China with minerals.  Pollution risks are many, including water, air, noise and light.  These mines will result in increased traffic hazards, loss of land for recreation, and destruction of endangered species habitat as well as archeological sites.  Arizona state government should support the citizens of Arizona over a Canadian mining company’s profit goals.  Community members need to come together to oppose Hudbay’s Copperworld mining project in the Santa Rita mountains. 

 

Sample Thank You Emails to Local Officials

I strongly urge you to oppose Canadian mining company Hudbay’s proposed “Copperworld” project to establish new mines in the Santa Rita mountains.  These mines will be a disaster for the local communities.  Extensive mining already exists in the area, yet mining only accounts for roughly 2% of the local economy.  Point:  jobs from this proposed project will be insignificant.  Water usage for these mines will be astronomical, which is entirely crazy given our scare water situation in Arizona and the Southwest.  Other existing mines at not at full operation, and their production could easily be increased to meet any increased demand of minerals.  Hudbay plans to sell minerals from Copperworld on the international market.  We don’t need to destroy Arizona’s beauty to supply China with minerals.  Pollution risks are many, including water, air, noise and light.  These mines will result in increased traffic hazards, loss of land for recreation, and destruction of endangered species habitat as well as archeological sites.  Please support the citizens of Arizona over a Canadian mining company’s profit goals.  Please oppose Hudbay’s Copperworld mining project in the Santa Rita mountains.  Thank you for your support.

 

Newspaper Editor Contact Info

 

Local Officials Contact Info

 

 

 

John Murphy
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