Two weeks ago, four intrepid adventurers traveled nearly 7,000 feet deep into the earth during their visit to Resolution Copper, a mining project located in Superior, Arizona. The Arizona Junior Fellows, a project of the Arizona Chamber Foundation, were joined by representatives from the Arizona Mining Association and led by employees of Rio Tinto, the parent company of Resolution Copper, as they explored the mine.
Arizona leads the nation in copper production, making up of U.S domestic production in 2021. The Copper Project has the potential to supply nearly 25% of U.S. copper demand and is expected to become the largest copper mine in North America when it initiates operations. The project is located 60 miles east of Phoenix, near the town of Superior. It鈥檚 a joint venture owned by and BHP, two of the world鈥檚 largest mining companies. The mine is estimated to as much as 40 billion pounds of copper over 40 years.
Mila Besich, the mayor of Superior, has been a supporter of the mine鈥檚 opening. 鈥淚f the Resolution Copper project comes to fruition, it will employ some of the most technologically-advanced and modern mining techniques ever,鈥 she , emphasizing the project鈥檚 innovative design. 鈥淚t will have passed the most thorough and exhaustive environmental permitting ever and it will boast new jobs focused on robotics and other innovations that will make this the most sophisticated, advanced and environmentally-sensitive mine in the United States.鈥
In June, 2013 the Resolution copper mine a Mine Plan of Operations to the U.S. Forest Service, the federal agency in charge of the approval process. The Mine Plan of Operations document outlines how Resolution intends to design, construct, operate, and eventually close the mine. Resolution believes that it has considered and taken into account the environmental impacts that copper extraction may bring to that area such as water, air, and biology in and around the project and how the company plans to protect these valuable resources.
The approval took longer than expected from the federal agency under the Biden administration. In January 2021 the U.S. Department of Agriculture directed the Forest Service to rescind the final Executive Information System to allow the agency for further review.
Generating approximately $61 billion in economic value and 3,700 direct and indirect jobs, Resolution is an economic juggernaut. Arizona business leaders consider the project a great source of growth and have opposed USDA鈥檚 decision to rescin the final EIS.
鈥淚 am extremely disappointed in the Administration鈥檚 decision to cease progress on Arizona鈥檚 Resolution Copper project, which is set to grow jobs and is estimated to create a direct and indirect economic impact of more than $1 billion to Arizona鈥檚 economy every year,鈥 Governor Doug Ducey .
About the Fellows
The Arizona Junior Fellows is a program of the Arizona Chamber Foundation, launched with the intent of mentoring and fostering a new generation of young, pro-enterprise leaders who understand both the larger societal implications of civic education, and the tactical and practical skills needed to navigate the public and private sectors with moral strength, human excellence, and civic virtue.
Its mission is 鈥渢o build and promote the next generation of civically minded, pro-enterprise Arizona leaders through hands-on, applied experience in public affairs, policy research, event planning, project-building, and business operations.鈥
The program鈥檚 founder and adviser is Hon. Eileen Klein, former treasurer for Arizona and president emerita of the Arizona Board of Regents. Its inaugural program director is Joe Pitts, a student at Arizona State University, who continues to hold the title.
鈥淭he Fellowship has several major components,鈥 Pitts said. 鈥淭he Fellows hear from speakers in industry and politics every week through our weekly speaker series. They write for 探花精选 to improve their writing and researching abilities. They help out Chamber staff on everything from legislative work to communications. And, they participate in site tours and facility visits, like we did at Resolution Copper.鈥
The Arizona Junior Fellows is the only statewide program dedicated to developing next-generation, civically-minded, pro-enterprise leaders through applied experience in public affairs, business writing, communications, research and analysis, and organizational management. Its existence beneath the Arizona Chamber Foundation gives Fellows the advantage of directly working with some of the state鈥檚 top businesses and their leadership, as well as top public officials.
The program operates from an interdisciplinary perspective, understanding that civics, business, public sector leadership, and the future of our state are all mutually reinforcing parts of the same common good. Junior Fellows come from a variety of backgrounds with diverse interests, with graduates pursuing careers in law, public policy, electioneering, executive business leadership, and other related fields.
In addition to its direct collaboration with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Fellowship has cultivated a partnership with Arizona State University鈥檚 School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership (ASU SCETL). This connection allows Fellows a window into higher education and its management, culminating in the planning of panel discussions on-campus in partnership with ASU SCETL.
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