A Hudbay Minerals Inc. subsidiary plans to begin clearing and grading this month on the southern Arizona site for a planned new mine with five open pits.
Rosemont Copper’s planned work will take place on private land on the Santa Rita Mountains’ western slope south of Tucson, the Arizona Daily Star reported.
A Hudbay executive notified Pima County regional flood control officials recently that the company plans to start seeking environmental permits later this year from state agencies for construction of the Rosemont Copper World project.
Hudbay said it would strive to minimize environmental disturbances and comply with all government requirements.
The proposal for years has drawn fierce opposition from environmentalists who say it’ll destroy sensitive animal habitat and pollute water resources.