PATAGONIA, Ariz. — South32 today welcomed a ruling by the United States District Court for the District of Arizona denying a request for a preliminary injunction that would have paused previously approved work on federal land associated with the Hermosa project. The decision allowsSouth32 to continue work begun in September after the U.S. Forest Service approved the Mine Plan of Operations.
“Throughout this process, we’ve listened closely to the community and worked to develop solutions that address concerns about traffic, water management, and environmental protection,” said Pat Risner, South32 Hermosa President. “Today’s decision allows us to efficiently move forward with those commitments. We look forward to responsibly advancing Hermosa in a way that reflects the community’s priorities and delivers lasting economic benefits to the region.”
The ruling allows South32 to proceed with critical path activities important to key infrastructure projects addressing community concerns such as constructing the Primary Access Road (PAR) to reroute industrial vehicle traffic away from the Town of Patagonia, developing additional discharge points to distribute treated groundwater to promote broader aquifer recharge and reducing the volume of water flowing toward Patagonia, and having UniSource Energy Services construct an electric powerline significantly reducing emissions from natural gas generators and increasing reliability within Santa Cruz County.
These projects were incorporated into Hermosa’s Mine Plan of Operations (MPO) following extensive community engagement and environmental review.
Over the course of the multi-year review process, Hermosa underwent extensive federal environmental analysis and consultation including more than 120 days of formal public comment periods, coordination across six federal and state agencies and consultation with 12 Tribes with historic affiliation to the region.
South32 conducted extensive baseline environmental studies and community engagement for years before permit applications were formally submitted, allowing project alternatives, water management approaches, access road alignments and mitigation measures to be shaped by stakeholder input early in the process. Hermosa’s design, incorporating this infrastructure, improves the overall environmental impact of the project.
The U.S. Forest Service issued Hermosa’s Final Record of Decision (ROD) earlier this year, which completed the project’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process needed for the ancillary infrastructure development on National Forest System land.
In total, South32 committed to more than 135 conservation, mitigation and monitoring measures developed in coordination with federal agencies, Tribes and local stakeholders. Those commitments are federally enforceable components of the final MPO and Final ROD.
South32 has earned broad, bipartisan support regarding Hermosa since its purchase in 2018. You can learn more about its permitting process 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, silver and manganese — both of which are essential minerals for powering the nation’s energy future. Learn more atwww.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
