Frequently Asked Questions

As of October 2025, South32 employs approximately 250 people directly at Hermosa, with about a thousand contractors on site for construction. According to an economic impact study conducted by Ernst & Young and funded by South32, the project is expected to create around 2,380 direct, indirect, and induced jobs across Santa Cruz County during a typical year of mining operations once it reaches full production in 2029.

Of these jobs, approximately 850-900 will be directly employed by South32. During the construction period from 2022 to 2027, the project is expected to create roughly 2,080 direct, indirect, and induced jobs.

At peak operations, average annual earnings for hourly workers, excluding benefits, will be $90,000, offering family-sustaining wages. Moreover, South32 has a commitment to ensure that at least 80% of its long-term workforce consists of people who live in Santa Cruz County today.

In an effort to make working at South32 more accessible, we’re building Centro, a remote operating center, in the heart of Nogales, miles away from the mine site. This will help in attracting a diverse workforce that otherwise may not have considered a career in mining. Employees will be able to operate the equipment remotely in an office-like setting.

Centro will house approximately 200 full-time employees across multiple shifts, operating 24/7. Workers will use advanced automation and digital systems to remotely monitor and manage underground and surface equipment at Hermosa. In addition to remote operations, Centro will serve as a base for professionals in engineering, geoscience, environmental science, finance, human resources, supply chain, and other technical and functional roles that support Hermosa.

Centro is now under construction at 1675 N Loma Mariposa Road and will be ready in 2027.

Life in Southern Arizona is vibrant and welcoming. With strong community spirit, family-friendly neighborhoods, affordable housing, and over 350 days of sunshine each year, you can enjoy outdoor adventures, local festivals, arts, and culture while building a fulfilling life. Southern Arizona, especially Santa Cruz County, offers an affordable lifestyle. The cost-of-living index is 81.6, well below the national average, and housing options range from historic downtown homes to new suburban builds.

Families have access to top-tier public, charter, and private schools, with 95% of K-12 students attending public schools in Santa Cruz County. Higher education options include the University of Arizona, a top public research university. South32 has also supported local STEM and access programs with over $2 million in donations since 2018.

At Hermosa, we’re not just creating jobs — we’re creating careers. Our goal is to hire 80% of our workforce from current Santa Cruz County residents, investing in training and partnerships that help local residents thrive. From apprenticeships and technical training to leadership development and advanced research, whatever path you choose, we’ll support you every step of the way to learn, grow, and succeed.

We make a global impact and strengthen the communities we’re part of. This means you can make great things happen. This is purpose-driven work for people who want to build something lasting — and create something different and new. Whoever you are and wherever you work, you’ll be supported to speak up, belong, and go home safe every day. We’re building a mine from the ground up — looking for builders and leaders ready to create what doesn’t exist yet.

Together we’re making a difference. By working with customers, partners, and communities, we build meaningful relationships and brighter futures together. From exploration to closure, we plan with the end in mind to leave a lasting, positive legacy.

Formed in 2015 and based in Australia, South32 produces minerals and metals critical to the world’s energy transition from operations across the Americas, Australia and Southern Africa. We are discovering and responsibly developing our next generation of mines. 

Today, our portfolio offers material growth in zinc, silver, copper as well as a deep pipeline of copper and zinc exploration opportunities. We aspire to leave a positive legacy and build meaningful relationships with our partners and communities to create brighter futures together.

The Energy Act of 2020 defines critical minerals as those that are essential to the economic or national security of the United States; have a supply chain that is vulnerable to disruption; and serve an essential function in the manufacturing of a product, the absence of which would have significant consequences for the economic or national security of the US.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) maintains a list of federally designated “critical minerals” that is required to update it every three years based on reliance, supply, demand, and other factors. The USGS most recently updated its critical minerals list in November 2025.

Hermosa is home to five federally designated critical minerals – zinc, manganese, copper, silver, and lead – needed to power the nation’s energy future. The United States is currently highly reliant on imports and overseas supply chains for these resources.

Because Hermosa is located on private lands, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) requires multiple permits for South32 to begin initial development: an Aquifer Protection Permit, an Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, and an Air Quality Permit, among others. All water-related ADEQ permit details can be found here and air-related ADEQ details can be found here.

In addition to required state permitting, federal environmental reviews and a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process are required for full project development. NEPA is a federal law passed in 1970 that established a broad national framework intended to ensure proper consideration of the environment by all government agencies before beginning any federal action that significantly affects the environment. Coordination of federal permitting will be done through the “FAST-41” program, after Hermosa was announced as the first mining project to be covered by FAST-41 in May 2023. The FAST-41 program is designed to make permitting transparent, predictable, and inclusive for all stakeholders.

Federal permitting happens in three phases: Hermosa’s Mine Plan of Operations was submitted and approved by December 2023; South32 Hermosa’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process – from notice of intent (NOI), public comment periods, and final EIS publishing – occurred over the course of 2024, 2025, and 2026. Federal authorization for full development is anticipated to occur mid-2026.

“FAST-41” refers to Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), or FAST-41, was signed into law by President Obama in December 2015 to create a more efficient and transparent federal permitting process for projects that have potential to supply the critical minerals needed for America’s future.

• FAST-41 projects do NOT bypass federal environmental review or cut any corners in the permitting process.
• FAST-41 projects are more transparent, allowing federal agencies and other stakeholders, including the public, to track project review and permitting in real time via the Permitting Dashboard website.
• Projects covered by FAST-41 are more predictable, with standardized, enforceable timelines and coordination on interagency reviews.
• FAST-41 does not supersede, amend, or modify any federal statute, including NEPA.
• FAST-41 is designed to be more inclusive, coordinating engagement between the project sponsor, the public, Native American Tribes, and other stakeholders and providing for issue resolution.

The FAST Act also created the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FPISC), an independent federal agency composed of 16 members, including 13 federal agencies responsible for environmental reviews and permitting for infrastructure projects. The Permitting Council facilitates deliberate, coordinated, and transparent federal environmental review and permitting for certain “covered” infrastructure projects.

To qualify for review under Title 41 of the FAST-41 program, infrastructure projects must meet certain, rigorous criteria to demonstrate how they will benefit the nation. Once a project is covered by FAST-41, it is placed on the Permitting Dashboard, allowing federal agencies, project sponsors, other stakeholders, and the public to track project reviews and permitting in real time.

The Community Protection and Benefits Agreement (CPBA) is a legally binding agreement between South32 and local governments that outlines commitments to protect the environment, support community well-being, and guide responsible project development. It defines how Hermosa benefits Santa Cruz County residents now and in the future.

The Santa Cruz County Advisory Panel is made up of local community members who provide guidance to South32 on how Hermosa affects the community. While the panel itself is composed of invited members, residents can stay informed, submit questions, and share feedback through the panel’s website.

Yes! South32 hosts public tours each month, weather permitting, from January to June and October to December. Tours offer a behind-the-scenes look at the project and its operations. Space is limited, so advance reservations are required.

For several years, South32 worked with the community and county to develop route options to minimize traffic impacts on the local community, while avoiding the Town of Patagonia. Back in 2021, South32 heard route selection concerns on the original Cross Creek area road alignment and revised their approach with plans to construct a temporary road and to do so with reduced earthwork, reduced speed limits, temporary bridges, and post-use restoration of that land for open conservation space.

The road alignment for South32’s preferred long-term route through Flux Canyon, which has been endorsed by the federal government as the preferred transportation route, would be within county right of way and will require federal permitting. Road upgrades and maintenance will be fully funded by South32. This route further removes mine traffic from population centers and was designed in direct response to community feedback.

Additionally, South32 requires its employees and its contractors to use employee shuttles and park-and-ride services to dramatically limit the number of personal vehicles traveling to and from the project site and lessen overall traffic in the community.

Manganese is a naturally occurring metal found in many types of rock, soil, and even food. The risk of community exposure from Hermosa, like all the metals we mine, is and will remain very low. Like many naturally occurring substances, manganese can be harmful only at very high levels of exposure, which is not what people experience from modern, well-regulated mining.

Because Hermosa is being built from the ground up, we are using state-of-the-art technology, world-class science, and best practices to enhance safety for workers and the surrounding community. This includes establishing a baseline assessment of existing conditions so we can monitor and protect against changes over time.

Manganese ore at Hermosa will be handled using sealed systems, transported from underground directly to the processing facility, where it is converted into battery-grade material without exposure to open air. This approach is very different from older mining operations people may have read about elsewhere.

Most importantly, we live and work here too. We take any potential risk seriously, because our families, friends, and neighbors are counting on us to do things the right way.

We know water is a big concern here and across Arizona, and we take that responsibility seriously. Hermosa is designed to use water safely and responsibly and to use less water wherever possible. Investing in best-in-class technology is central to that approach. During operations, Hermosa will use 90% less water compared to similar mines in the region, significantly reducing demand on local water resources.

We’ve already built a state-of-the-art water treatment plant and closely monitor nearby community wells to ensure any water discharged from Hermosa meets strict state and federal standards. We are also committed to ongoing engagement with the Santa Cruz County community, and we’ve listened to local feedback to identify alternative ways to manage excess groundwater.

Our goal is to ensure that any water we return to the environment is higher quality than when we found it. In fact, our systems are designed to improve a water resource that is naturally poor in quality so it meets health and safety standards. We’re serious about doing the right thing on water, and we’ve made significant investments in proven technology to back up that commitment.

Antimony is a naturally occurring element found in groundwater and surface water throughout the Patagonia Mountains and the region, not just at Hermosa. What matters most is how much is present and whether it poses a risk.

At Hermosa, water is treated and monitored under strict state and federal permits. The antimony discharge limit (6.0 parts per billion) is set at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) drinking water standard, which is based on someone drinking two liters of that water every day for an entire lifetime. Hermosa’s monitoring shows that average antimony levels are well below this standard. In 2025, the average antimony concentration in treated discharge water was 3.2 ppb, and the average concentration in Harshaw Creek downstream of the site was 2.5 ppb. A single, short-term sample slightly above the limit does not reflect long-term exposure and does not indicate a health concern. Hermosa has already invested in a state-of-the-art water treatment plant, shut down wells with higher natural antimony levels when needed, and added additional treatment capacity to further reduce concentrations.

Our goal is to ensure that any water released back into the environment meets health and safety standards and is often better quality than when we found it. We take water protection seriously and will continue transparent monitoring, reporting, and community engagement to ensure local water resources remain protected.

No. Protecting air quality is a core part of how Hermosa is being designed and operated. Because the project is being built from the ground up as a modern underground mine, we can incorporate advanced dust-control systems from the start.

Dust is managed underground using natural moisture and water, and above ground through high-efficiency dust collectors and wet suppression at every ore transfer point. Air quality was modeled by an independent third party across the life of the mine, and the results — reviewed and approved by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality — showed no exceedances of air quality standards and no adverse impacts.

In addition, Hermosa will be continuously monitored. Required off-site monitoring will be paired with three community EPA-approved air monitors  to establish baseline air quality before operations begin. These monitors measure dust, analyze metals, and track weather conditions.

Together, strong design, independent review, and ongoing monitoring ensure air quality remains protective of community health and the environment.