Lack Of Acid Supply Amid Pandemic Shuts Down Arizona Copper Mine

[TexasTowelie]

COVID-19 and its impact on global economies has done what two World Wars, countless economic cycles, and less-regulated foreign competition has been unable to do for more than a century– bring copper mining to a halt in Cochise County.

In March, Excelsior Mining shut down its new, state-of-the-art Gunnison Copper Project facility in Dragoon, along with the nearby historic Johnson Camp Mine where copper was first pulled from the ground in the 1890s. And even though many businesses in Arizona are reopening under social-distancing and safety guidelines, Gunnison’s mining equipment remains dormant.

The problem, according to the company, is that COVID-19’s ripple effect has left Excelsior unable to secure a reliable mid-term supply of the acid critical to its in-situ mining process.

“Because of the pandemic, supply chains around the world have been disrupted and the supply chain that impacts us is the one that delivers sulphuric acid,” according to JJ Jennex, Vice President of Corporate Affairs. “For example, Grupo Mexico, which is a major acid supplier, is not currently supplying any acid to the USA.”

Read more: https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2020/06/19/lack-of-acid-supply-amid-pandemic-shuts-down-arizona-copper-mine/

[captain queeg]

1. Worked in the mining industry for awhile and we sold some equipment in AZ

Though most of our stuff went to Chile. I remember having bloody noses all the time in Chile which I attributed to the heap leech use of sulfuric acid, though in Chile the elevation was pretty high. I think over 14000 ft. The acid spay was a dilute solution but just spread by sprinklers much like lawn sprinklers. I guess it was better than the gold mines which used cyanide.

[Kali]

2. this is some new kind of scam

injecting it into the ground and recovering it as dissolved material. they built some plastic lined recovery ponds and drilled a bunch of wells over a small area and swear they know what they are doing.

at least the aquifer seems to be the Willcox Playa, which should itself be a closed system (though lots of farms draw from it).

[captain queeg]

4. I don't know how long they have been using this method

At least 30 years in Chile. Not sure about AZ. The Chilean ones had a triple containment but I still wouldn’t feel comfortable. At least down there the sites are remote and in the desert area.

[Kali]

3. hmmm, last time I drove by there was plenty of activity

but I didn't know they had started mining yet. thought they were still getting set up.

[captain queeg]

5. They could be proceeding with the mining and stacking but waiting to apply to acid