ADEQ Announces Draft Water Quality Permit for Resolution Copper Mine in Superior

PHOENIX - Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Director Steve Owens has announced that ADEQ has issued a draft surface water quality permit for the Resolution Copper mine in Superior in Pinal County. The proposed permit sets standards for the discharges of treated mine water, stormwater and water from impoundments at the facility. The standards will protect surface water quality in Queen Creek and other local waterways and the wildlife those waterways support. The permit requires Resolution Copper to conduct seasonal water quality monitoring in Queen Creek to ensure compliance with the standards set in the permit. "The draft permit will protect water quality along Queen Creek, while enabling Resolution Copper to continue to move forward with the process of opening the mine and creating much-needed jobs in the Superior area," Director Owens said. If developed, the Resolution Copper Company mine will operate as an underground copper mine. There will be no open pits and limited waste rock piles. Exploration conducted by Resolution in 2001-2003 indicates a large copper orebody more than 7,000 feet below surface. The draft permit is subject to public review and comment before it can be finalized. The public comment period for the proposed permit began on May 31 and will last through June 30. Anyone wishing to provide written comments on the draft permit can mail them to: Director, Water Quality Division, ADEQ, 1110 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007. Mailed comments must be received by June 30, 2006. After the public comment period closes, ADEQ will review and respond to all comments and, if needed, make any changes to the permit based on public input. Owens added that his office has worked hard to expedite permits in rural areas, to help support economic growth, while protecting air and water quality. The facility, formerly operated by BHP Copper, Inc., has been shut down since 1998. In May 2004, the Resolution Copper Company purchased the Superior site. Resolution Copper Company is a Limited Liability Company comprised of Rio Tinto Mining Company and BHP Mining Company.