PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Cactus Mine (formerly the Sacaton Mine) is located in Arizona at the convergence of three major geologic zones in western Pinal County, just west of Casa Grande. It was discovered in 1961 by American Smelting and Refining Co. (ASARCO) which mined the site from 1972 to 1984. During its previous operation, the mine extracted 38 million tons, with 400 million pounds of copper, 759,000 ounces of silver, and 27,000 ounces of gold from the West open pit orebody.
In 1982, construction began on the production shaft to a depth of 1,800 ft and a headframe to the southwest of the pit to access the higher-grade ore via underground mining methods; however, development was suspended due to market conditions and in 1984.
In 2009, the site was placed into the care of an environmental trust that was tasked with the care, stabilization, and reclamation of the site. This work was done under the supervision of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
In July 2020, the company now called Arizona Sonoran Copper (ASCU) completed the purchase of the site from the trust, taking custody of the property. As a result, ASCU will be starting its work with a remediated former mine site, with an environmental baseline study completed which has been approved by the ADEQ.
A detailed environmental plan will be drafted up as the company progresses and conducts additional studies on the property.
In 2009, the site was placed into the care of an environmental trust that was tasked with the care, stabilization, and reclamation of the site. During that time extensive environmental characterization and cleanup work was completed under the supervision of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the US Environmental Protection Agency. In order to inform the remediation process, environmental studies, groundwater characterization, stormwater evaluation, geochemical, geotechnical and vegetation assessments and impacted soil investigation studies were completed.
In all, $20 million was invested to reclaim the property and historic buildings/structures, including the tailings facility (covered and revegetated), mine buildings and mine infrastructure (demolished) and complete certain environmental analyses to ensure it’s work is complete.
In July 2020, the Company completed the purchase of the site from the trust, taking custody of the property. As a result, ASCU will be starting its work with a remediated former mine site, with an environmental baseline study completed which has been approved by the ADEQ.
A detailed environmental plan will be drafted up as the company progresses and conducts additional studies on the property. For example, rather than cover and revegetate the stockpile, ASCU has a unique opportunity to potentially move the unlined stockpile to a new fully lined and environmentally friendlier location and process the mineralized material along the way. Moving the stockpile would significantly reduce the current footprint 5,000 feet wide by 5,000 ft long by 100 ft high stockpile. In addition, it would allow future operations to be further contained on the current mine footprint.
JOBS
ASCU is committed to hiring and retaining talent from the region. This work will continue and evolve over the life of our project and we will continue to look for ways that we can benefit regional educational resources from kindergarten through advanced degrees.
Please check back for open positions.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Our team is dedicated to advancing the property while working with the local community openly and transparently. If you have any questions about activities or would like more information, please reach out to us.
Call us: (520) 858-0600
Email us: community@cactusmine.com
OUR CORE VALUES
To us, this is a journey of renewal. We are committed to mining sustainably as we revitalize a previously abandoned site. During this we will contribute to local economic development in our new home in Pinal County, and power a renewable energy future.
CORE VALUE: RESPONSIBLE OPERATIONS AND CAREFUL STEWARDSHIP OF THE ENVIRONMENT
We operate in an environmentally responsible manner, investing in low carbon and water-efficient technologies.
WATER
In the desert Southwest, every drop of water counts. During the process of revitalizing this previously mined site, careful and efficient stewardship of water is at our core. In keeping with this, we will look for creative and adaptive ways to better our site as a zero-discharge facility. This means that wastewater will be treated and used again and again in the process.
ENVIRONMENT
We care about the community and the issues that are important to the region. We are committed to fully understanding the impact of our potential operations and how to address our role within the community. We will look to be careful stewards of water and minimizing dust while bringing jobs and economic activity to the community. The revitalization of this previously abandoned mine will allows us the opportunity to mine with the following objectives:
- Reduced carbon footprint
- Proactive air quality management
- Concurrent reclamation
- Restoration of habitat
- Management of waste
- Planning for responsible closure
Our team is dedicated to operating a responsible and respectable mine site. We look to meet all applicable requirements under the Clean Water Act (CWA), Clean Air Act (CAA) and all other applicable federal rules and regulations.
CORE VALUE: A RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE
The future of the US’s role in shifting to green technology is dependent on the production and supply of copper. The copper we will produce is a critical component in producing renewable energy, electric vehicles, and much more. With Pinal County as a future hub for electric car and truck manufacturing, solar facilities and more, we are proud to know that we can be an important contributor to the production of the copper needed to drive the future of the new and green economy. For more on this, check out this infographic created by the team at Visual Capitalist
CORE VALUE: PART OF THE COMMUNITY
We are committed to being part of the community. This goes beyond supporting local economic development and maintaining open dialog with all stakeholders. You will see this in our respect of local culture and traditions, sourcing locally, hiring locally, and in our support of programs that improve the quality of life in the region.
Did we mention hiring locally? Click Here!
Our commitment to the region is to partner, identify, and work with community service organizations that positively impact the quality of life in the region. Our employees and contractors have devoted countless hours to volunteerism in local communities across the globe and here in Arizona. We are interested in hearing more about broad-based community volunteer efforts that contribute to projects such as community events, parks and recreation teams, volunteer fire departments, and more.
We welcome groups seeking financial support, in-kind, and/ or participation by our team members to contact us through our community hotline. If your organization is seeking support, please contact our communities team at (520) 858-0600 or community@cactusmine.com. We would be happy to visit with you about your group, its impact on the region, and our ability to support your mission.
CORE VALUE: LOCAL PURCHASING
It is critical to our mission that we purchase locally whenever possible. We have worked to identify as many opportunities to purchase in Pinal County as possible. If you run or work at a local business and are interested in doing business with us, we welcome you to contact us at: (520) 858-0600 or community@cactusmine.com
CORE VALUE: BEYOND HEALTH AND SAFETY – BUILDING AND MAINTAINING A POSITIVE WORK CULTURE
We provide meaningful work opportunities and prioritize worker wellbeing and safety. At the core of this, our commitment to:
- A diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace
- Competitive pay and benefits
- Work-life balance
- Respect for human rights
- An ethical work environment
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Our team is dedicated to advancing the property while working with the local community openly and transparently. If you have any questions about activities or would like more information, please reach out to us.
Call us: (520) 858-0600
Email us: community@cactusmine.com