FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PATAGONIA, Ariz. – The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) signed South32 Hermosa’s Final Mine Plan of Operation (MPO) during a ceremony at the projectsite in Southern Arizona, authorizing South32 to conduct operations on U.S. Forest Service land.
The milestone follows the U.S. Forest Service’s issuance of the Final Record of Decision (ROD) on July 7th whichreflects the selected alternative identified by the USFS in its review process.The selected alternative has the smallest disturbance footprint and minimizes effect on environmental resources.
Together, these actions establish the federal framework under which South32 can develop and operate ancillary infrastructure on U.S. Forest Service land needed for Hermosa’s full development beyond itsprivately held land, including the Primary Access Road, secondary dry-stacktailings storage facility, and other supporting operations.
Hermosa is an advanced mining project in Southern Arizona capable of producing up to five federally designated critical minerals, including zinc, silver and manganese. Construction is already half-way complete on private land with zinc mining underground expected in late 2027 and first zinc product from the processing plant in the first half of 2028. It was the first mining project added to, covered under, and completed in the federal FAST-41 permitting program, a process reserved for infrastructure projects that must meet certain, rigorous criteria to demonstrate how they will benefit the nation.
South32 plans to begin initial earthworks activities and surveys to support exploration drilling and geotechnical investigations in the coming weeks, representing the first physical activity enabled by the federal approval.
“This is the moment when years of planning, environmental study, consultation and permitting turn into action,” said Pat Risner, South32 Hermosa President. “I am thankful to our team, government partners as well as our lead agency, the Forest Service, who showed collective will and steadfast commitment to completing the permitting process with rigor and on time. Having our Mine Plan of Operations signed means we can begin developing the infrastructure needed to complete Hermosa and deliver on our vision for a different kind of mine designed around advanced technology, sustainability, and lasting value for Southern Arizona communities.”
“USDA and the Forest Service are committed to permitting projects on businesses’ timelines, not government’s,” said USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Alexander Vaden. “Projects such as the Hermosa project advance our national security objectives by making our country less reliant on others for critical minerals. I am thankful that the FAST-41 process exists for projects of this significance and even happier that this is the third project USDA has commissioned under the Permitting Council’s jurisdiction in just the past seven days.”
“As the first ever FAST-41 mining project, the Hermosa Critical Minerals project set the standard for what the modern federal permitting process should look like: clear timelines, real transparency, and comprehensive interagency coordination,” said Emily Domenech, Permitting Council Executive Director. “That is exactly what FAST-41 was designed to do. President Trump has made restoring American mining and ending our dependence on foreign adversaries for critical minerals a priority. I want to thank the U.S. Forest Service andSouth32 for their partnership and commitment to completing the federal permitting process for this historic project.”
Senior federal officials joined South32 employees and local stakeholders at Hermosa Wednesday to recognize the milestone, including representatives from the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The ceremony included remarks recognizing the collaboration among federal agencies, South32 and local stakeholders that helped move Hermosa through the rigorous federal review process. The formal federal review built on years of baseline environmental studies, technical analysis, Tribal engagement and community consultation conducted before the federal permitting process began.
In total, more than 135 environmental protection, conservation, and mitigation and monitoring measures have been incorporated into the approved project, which are federally enforceable through the Final ROD, Final MPO and associated management plans. Once operational, the project is expected to create up to 900good-paying jobs during peak operations while strengthening domestic supplies of minerals essential to energy infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and national security.
Read our federal process fact sheet here and additional stakeholder support messages here.
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About South32 Hermosa
Located in a historic mining district in the Patagonia Mountains of Southern Arizona, South32 Hermosa is currently the only advanced mine development project in the United States that could produce up to five federally designated critical minerals — including zinc and manganese — both of which are essential minerals for powering the nation’s energy future. Learn more at www.south32hermosa.com.
Hermosa is a polymetallic development comprised of a zinc-lead-silver sulfide deposit, a battery-grade manganese deposit and an extensive, highly prospective land package with the potential for further polymetallic and copper mineralization.
Media relations
Lina Betancourt
+1 514-210-1822
Lina.Betancourt@south32.net
