The Rosemont Mine

Rosemont Copper, a subsidiary of the Canadian Mining company Agusta Resource Group, is planning a large open pit mine in the Santa Rita Mountains just south of Tucson. Originally the mine was opposed almost unanimously within the Tucson region, by both democrats and republicans, but was endorsed by Jan Brewer (unsurprisingly).  However, recently, many of the local chamber of commerces (most recently the Hispanic Chamber) have came out publicly endorsing the mine project.

The project will likely last about 20 years, and at its peak will one of be the biggest open pit mines in the state. The mine itself will be located on private land which Rosemont has already purchased, but the tailings will have to be dumped somewhere, consisting of the surrounding National forest lands in the Santa Rita Mountains. Rosemont states that they will hire about 400 people into full time jobs paying about $60,000 a year as their main justification for the project. Additionally, they point out the many uses of the copper they will mine as their main justification.

It is true that copper is necessary for our modern society to exist as it is. Almost every electronic we use contains copper. In the future, more and more copper will be necessary, and ultimately it must be mined somewhere where there is an ore deposit. However, copper is not so high in demand, nor is it so scarce that we must destroy every mountain range that might have an ounce of copper. It takes mining a ton of rock to produce an ounce of copper.  We as a society can easily get the copper we need from some other location in the world that is less important environmentally to preserve. Additionally, the copper could be obtained in a less destructive manner than a large open pit mine that will destroy the environment, say for example by a much less visible underground mine (which also would have a smaller environmental footprint).

They claim the new jobs will have a residual effect of creating an additional 2000 jobs as an indirect result of the mine, claiming this will therefore improve the economy. As this may be true, in a relative sense, their effect is very minimal. The will still fall short of being one of the top employers in Pima County, and their economic benefits will likely help very few people compared to the amount of damage they will cause to the local environment. As an example, Target is a bigger employer in Tucson than Rosemont will be, including the indirect jobs.

The main problem with open pit mining is that it destroys the environment. These massive mines easily stretch for miles, and produce tons of processed tailings, which must be dumped somewhere, usually on land adjacent to the mine itself. Besides being a major eyesore that can be seen miles away, these mines often have the effect of destroying the land and wildlife that was there before the mine was built. Additionally, the mines can produce poisonous chemicals, and must be monitored for contamination. Worse yet, after mining is complete, the mines are usually abandoned as is, without being re-filled, and set to allow nature to attempt to re-claim them, usually by creating a lake through water storage. This doesn't always work, and when it does, it can easily take 100 years.

Rosemont said they will protect the environment and try to preserve the natural contours of the mountain to help save the environment, but that is not too likely. The US Forest Service draft Environmental Impact Statement states that the mine will have the following adverse environmental effects:

• Increases in soil erosion  and reduced soil productivity from ground disturbance
• Reduced groundwater availability in nearby wells
• Increase in dust and airborne chemicals as a direct result of mining and reclamation

Above is an example of another open pit mine, where the mining company promised to protect the environment. This is not what I consider preserving the local environment; in fact it is just the opposite, as it clearly is destroyed. These open pit mines stretch for miles and destroy entire mountain ranges. Some are even the size of large cities. While the mine will be built on private land, the tailings will be dumped in the surrounding Coronado National Forest, and the mine will likely destroy the Santa Rita Mountains. At its peak, the eyesore of a mine will be visible from both highway 83 and in Sahuarita and Green Valley from I-19.

Economic effects include requirements for infrastructure changes on highway 83, which will require taxpayer money. Property values in the area will decrease as a former community asset is turned into an eyesore. Southern Pima County tourism will decrease as a result of the destruction of the Santa Ritas as they will become inaccessible to hikers and outdoor recreation. Additionally, many cultural and historical sites sacred to local Native American tribes will be destroyed.  Furthermore, natural resources gathered by Tohono O'odham families for their livelihood will be destroyed if the mine is built.

Santa Rita Mountains

In spite of the near unanimous local opposition, their effort is unlikely to succeed, as the laws are written in their favor. Under the 1872 Mining law, the US Forest Service is legally unable to stop the project without an act of congress, in spite of their environmental concerns, and legally they must approve the project. This is one law which congress should change.

So at this point here is what can be done to stop the project:

• Join Save The Scenic Santa Ritas by signing their petition and staying updated.
• Volunteer or donate to Save The Scenic Santa Ritas
• Write your congressperson telling them to reform the Mining laws and oppose the project
• Buy a T-shirt or bumper sticker
• Spread the word
• Bring the issue up at political forums and town hall meetings
• Get educated on who in politics and business supports and oppose the mine, and vote for leaders who will oppose the mine.

Mining is a necessity for our modern society to function. However, most new mines are not as controversial as this one. Equally important is preserving our natural treasures, and a balance must be reached. Every minor ore deposit does not warrant a massive highly destructive mine, especially one with such adverse effects. The benefits of this mine will be mainly for Agusta and their investors, and mostly will have little effect on the greater Tucson community itself. On the other hand, the negative effects of this mine far supersede any minor benefits Tucson will receive, and will effect the entire Tucson region. With any luck, this mining project that will destroy the environment hopefully will be defeated.