Arizona plan to help $500M Florence copper mine gets axed

A proposal floated for the Arizona budget would have made it easier for a $500 million Canadian copper mining project to get off the ground in Florence, allowing the project to bypass local opposition. The proposal would have allowed Vancouver-based Curis Resources to transfer or swap 1,300 acres of land it wants to mine in Pinal County with the state of Arizona. That land would have then come under control of the state, which would have transferred mining rights back to Curis via the State Land Department. The idea didn’t make it into the state budget after groups representing cities and local governments voiced strong opposition. It came up during last-minute budget negotiations at the Republican-controlled Arizona Legislature. The plan would have made it easier for Curis to get around opposition to its underground mining operation from the town of Florence and real estate developers with interests near the project. It would also have given the state agency -- and not the town of Florence -- zoning authority over the Florence Copper Project proposed by Curis. The mining company acquired the Pinal County land from BHP Copper in 2010. Another 160 acres adjacent to the parcel is on State Trust Land. The undeveloped land has been eyed for copper development for decades.

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