Rosemont’s Entitlement

The Rosemont Copper PR/astroturf machine is once again trying to portray poor little Rosemont as a victim.

It’s most recent effort revolves around claims Rosemont and its investors are being victimized by “delay tactics” that are preventing the company from digging its massive open pit copper mine southeast of Tucson.  They’ve even created a Facebook campaign asking people to apply pressure on policymakers to make decisions or take actions favorable to Rosemont.

But Rosemont’s victim act is as self-serving as it is inaccurate.

Even a cursory look at other recent Arizona open-pit copper mining proposals show that it can take nearly a decade or more to conduct the necessary studies and obtain the necessary approvals before mining begins.

And for good reason. Mining is a dangerous and dirty business that, if not conducted with appropriate safeguards for our air, water and wildlife, could jeopardize the health and safety of both the workers and people living in nearby communities.

Here are two recent examples:

• The Dos Pobres mine near Safford, and it took over 9 years from the time the draft Environmental Impact Statements (DEIS) was released until mining commenced.
•  The Carlota Copper mine near Globe is on the Tonto National Forest near Globe, and it took almost 14 years from the release of its DEIS until it produced copper.

How long has it been since Rosemont’s DEIS was released?  Approximately seven months!!! Seven months and Rosemont is complaining that it is taking too long.  Apparently, Rosemont is ok with cutting corners and putting neighboring communities at risk.

More importantly, there are significant and substantial threats to Southern Arizona residents and businesses if the Rosemont Mine goes forward. And that is why so many Arizonans are insisting that Rosemont not be allowed to start mining operations without a complete and thorough review of the threats it poses to our quality of life, environment and economy.  The Arizona Game and Fish Department said it best:

We believe that the project will render the northern portion of the Santa Rita Mountains virtually worthless as wildlife habitat and as a functioning ecosystem, and thus also worthless for wildlife recreation.

So, no, Rosemont Copper is not a victim. They are a newly-created company that has never operated a mine before and whose foreign investors want to dig a giant hole in the Coronado National Forest and dump billions of tons of toxic mine wastes in its canyons, valleys, and streams and leave it there forever.