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Florence Copper Project: Case Study

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n November 2014, Taseko (a Canadian headquartered mining company) acquired Curis
Resources, the owner of the Florence Copper Project. This project is an advanced-stage in-situ copper recovery (ISCR) project in central Arizona. Florence Copper is located midway between
Phoenix and Tucson in the community of Florence. The property has been the focus of mineral exploration and development activities since the 1960s. The Florence Copper Project is a possibility only because of a rare copper deposit. This deposit is amidst Arizona’s Historic
Copper Corridor, a region that flourishes in copper mining history. This large copper ore-body lies 400 to 1,200 feet below the surface of private and state-owned land (In-situ).
The FCP’s extraction …show more content…

Florence Copper Mining Project has struggled with putting its operation in motion because of a rich history of controversy and public antagonism. Since the land was purchased in the 1960’s, it has not passed through the public eye without thorough judgement. Both the town of Florence and many other independent entities have critiqued the Florence Copper Project, specifically regarding their technology and the environment. The Florence
Copper Project must prove its abilities to abide and withhold the state and federal air, water, and worker safety standards or it will again, fail to reach production.
The opposition consists mainly of Florence community members as well as a handful of law firms and outsider entities. They view the company as a threat to the eco-system and the community. At the Florence court house the FCP often holds public hearings. This gives individuals the opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns about the project. At each hearing both sides of the argument are represented. The opposition often speaks on the topics of how the project may influence or harm the Florence air and water quality. The advocates of …show more content…

Modern day society could not function without the laborious production of copper.
The Florence Copper Project will provide precious metals and other natural resources to its community and the world so that they can enjoy both a basic living standard, as well as the ability to grow in technological innovation. It is without argument that project has an environmental footprint. With that being stated, it is vital that the industry diligently toils towards upholding their efficient and environmentally accommodating processes to retrieve these resources. It is also factual to state that mining is a necessity for modern civilization to function and prosper.
The most dominant worry concerning the Florence Copper project is damage to a large underground water system. Individuals are concerned that the sulfuric acid solution will be injected into the ground and leak into the water systems, making it impure and unsafe to drink.
The backers argue that In-situ copper recovery is an environmentally responsible way of extracting copper from the ground. A low-pH solution similar in strength to household vinegar

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