In a guest opinion in today’s Green Valley News, Augusta CEO Gil Glaussen attempts to walk back his statements to investors about the other potential mining opportunities in Santa Rita Mountains. Again, Mr. Claussen appears to be telling us a different story than he is telling investors. Unlike his misrepresentations of the views of mine opponents in his guest opinion piece, our original posting on this topic directly used his words, not ours.
We understand that the current Mine Plan of Operations doesn’t include these other properties on the western side of the Santa Rita. However, there is absolutely no bar to Augusta submitting an amended or new Mine Plan of Operations in the future that would target these properties. Indeed, while the same legal requirements would apply to development on the west side, if the Rosemont mine goes forward, it could make it easier to argue that since substantial excavation has been done, what’s a little more?
If Augusta Resource is allowed to proceed with the Rosemont Mine and permanently destroy the eastern side of the mountains, it’s a slippery slope down to the west side.
Don’t buy Augusta Rosemont’s spin.
