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Economic Impact of the Copper World/Rosemont Mine Complex

In June 2024, an economic report was released by Power Consulting that analyzes the impact of Hudbay's Copper World Project on the Pima County Economy. This report is a project of Save the Scenic Santa Ritas.

A highlight of the findings are listed below and we have included links to downloadable copies of the Executive Summary and Full Report.

Aerial photo of exploration drilling for Copper World expansion on west side of the Santa Rita Mountains, 2022.

Photo credit: Center for Biological Diversity

Report Highlights

Power Consulting's economic analysis of the proposed Copper World mining project concludes that the project will provide negligible economic benefits to the regional and state economy while undermining vital economic sectors, depleting regional groundwater supplies, and obliterating an ecologically vibrant mountain range.
Hudbay plans to pump 6,000 to likely 13,000 acre-feet of groundwater per year, roughly enough to supply 20,000 to 40,000 households. This water will be extracted from the same aquifer used by nearby communities including Sahuarita, Quail Creek, and Green Valley, decreasing water available to farmers and residential housing, with concomitant impacts on the local economy.
Copper World would create mounds of tailings dust hundreds of feet high near schools and residences. Studies around the world show that such tailings often contain toxics like lead and arsenic and blow typically 20 to 30 miles in dry and windy conditions like those near Tucson.
House prices in Corona de Tucson, the community closest to the mine, could drop more than $100 million.
Even assuming Hudbay's own job projections are correct, the mining jobs would only add tenths of 1% to the local economy.
The mine would significantly harm economic sectors like tourism and outdoor recreation that are much more important to the local economy than mining.
Copper World is unlikely to be essential for U.S. copper needs because copper is not in short supply and is not considered a critical mineral by the United States Geological Survey.

Read the report

Below, find links to the Press Release from June 25, 2024, the full color executive summary, as well as the full report

Press Release

Executive Summary

Full Report

For questions:

Rob Peters, PhD, Executive Director, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, (970) 201-7642, robpeters@scenicsantaritas.org
Thomas Nelson, PhD, President, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, (707 529-2880), tnelson@scenicsantaritas.org

About the Authors:

Power Consulting, Inc.

920 Evans Avenue

Missoula, Montana 59801

Thomas Michael Power, Ph.D.

Donovan S. Power, M.S.

www.powereconconsulting.com

To interview the authors, please contact Rob Peters

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Contact us:

8987 E Tanque Verde #309-157

Tucson, AZ 85749

Phone: 520 246-3622

info@scenicsantaritas.org

Economic Impact of the Copper World/Rosemont Mine Complex

Report Highlights

Copper World would create mounds of tailings dust hundreds of feet high near schools and residences. Studies around the world show that such tailings often contain toxics like lead and arsenic and blow typically 20 to 30 miles in dry and windy conditions like those near Tucson.

House prices in Corona de Tucson, the community closest to the mine, could drop more than $100 million.

Even assuming Hudbay's own job projections are correct, the mining jobs would only add tenths of 1% to the local economy.

The mine would significantly harm economic sectors like tourism and outdoor recreation that are much more important to the local economy than mining.

Copper World is unlikely to be essential for U.S. copper needs because copper is not in short supply and is not considered a critical mineral by the United States Geological Survey.