The U.S. Forest Service has finalized a long-contested land exchange with Resolution Copper, clearing a major hurdle for development of one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper deposits.
The decision follows a March 13 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which upheld a lower court’s denial of a preliminary injunction seeking to block the transfer.
Mandated by Congress in the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act, the exchange transfers 2,422 acres from the Tonto National Forest to Resolution Copper. The area had been protected from mining since 1955 under an order issued by President Dwight Eisenhower. The deposit lies beneath Oak Flat, a site considered sacred by the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other Native American groups.
Located about 60 miles east of Phoenix near Superior, Arizona, the project is expected to supply copper critical to electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, defense technologies and modern infrastructure. The record of decision also authorizes permits for related infrastructure, including a power line and pipeline.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the exchange “unlocks a major domestic source of copper” needed for energy, defense and grid modernization.
Resolution Copper says the project will create about 1,450 jobs, generate roughly $149 million in annual wages, and contribute $80 million to $120 million annually in state and local taxes, along with approximately $200 million per year in federal revenue.
