
Leslie Hook and Pilita Clark of the Financial Times report that Rio Tinto is hopeful that under the new U.S. administration, its long-delayed Resolution copper mine in Superior, Arizona, will finally receive approval. The mine, a joint venture with BHP, could become North America’s largest copper producer and meet 25% of US needs. The project’s approval is seen as part of a broader push to speed up U.S. mining projects. They write:
Rio Tinto is betting Donald Trump will finally give the green light to its giant copper mine in Arizona after a 12-year permitting battle, as part of a wave of domestic projects expected to be approved by the new US administration.
“I do think that we have really good chances now to progress that project,” said Jakob Stausholm, chief executive of the London-listed miner, in an interview with the Financial Times, which will be broadcast on Wednesday. “We have made a lot of progress.” […]
The project, which is 55 per cent owned by Rio Tinto and 45 per cent owned by Australian-based BHP, is a deep underground mine that would produce as much as 1bn pounds of copper a year, meeting 25 per cent of US needs. […]
While many of Trump’s mining appointments have yet to be announced, his nomination for secretary of the interior, Doug Burgum, has a pro-industry record, supporting oil and gas development in his previous role as governor of North Dakota. […]
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