Rio Tinto Secures Arizona Land for Resolution Copper Project

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Rio Tinto has secured control of key land in Arizona required to advance the Resolution Copper project, marking a major step forward for what is expected to become one of the largest copper mines in the United States. The development follows a long-standing legal battle, with U.S. courts repeatedly rejecting efforts by the San Carlos Apache tribe to block the land transfer.

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The agreement involved a land swap with the U.S. Forest Service, under which Rio Tinto exchanged 5,400 acres for access to 2,400 acres containing an estimated 40 billion pounds of copper. The deposit is considered strategically important as the U.S. seeks to strengthen domestic supply of critical minerals used in electric vehicles, energy infrastructure, and electronics.

Rio Tinto plans to launch a $500 million drilling campaign to further assess the resource before determining a production timeline. The project, backed by partner BHP, has already seen over $2 billion in investment.

Despite continued opposition from Native American groups over the cultural significance of the Oak Flat site, the project is expected to generate significant economic benefits, including job creation and increased domestic copper production capacity.