Joseph KavetskyMining industry experts are bullish on the industry’s future in Arizona. That was the sentiment at a recent Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Arizona Manufacturers Council luncheon on the topic.
On a panel moderated by leading Arizona mining advocate Adam Hawkins, who runs consulting firm Global External, leaders from three mining expeditions discussed their projects and their collective outlook.
Travis Snider, vice president of sustainability and external relations at Arizona Sonoran Copper; Angela Johnson, vice president of sustainability and corporate development at Faraday Copper; and Curtis Thomas, general manager of CSP, cultural heritage, and permitting at Resolution Copper spoke about their respective companies mining operations and the industry’s unique status in Arizona.
Hawkins highlighted the reliance that the United States has on China when it comes to critical minerals, which Snider echoed. The panelists saw operations in Arizona as a way to decrease this dependency.
“Out of the 50 critical minerals the U.S. needs, 30 of them are controlled by China,” Snider said. “It’s critical we onshore a more domestic supply.”
There was a consensus from the panel that tariffs will create uncertainty for the industry. “Tariffs are very challenging for this industry,” Hawkins said. “As I’m sure they are for other industries.” Equipment and materials needed for the operations will likely become more expensive in accordance with the import taxes, he said.
The panelists also agreed that the state and federal regulations on expeditions are reasonable, and actually beneficial. However, they all pointed toward delays as an issue. Snider highlighted the benefits of Arizona’s regulatory regime.
“Our state has time frames,” Snider said. “When we submit an application we know that we’ll get a thumbs down or thumbs up within a prescribed time frame.”
The industry leaders also spoke on their operations’ benefits to the broader Arizona economy.
On workforce, Curtis cited his operation in Superior and the city’s distance from Phoenix, where the most technical workers might be found. “We need to train those local folks,” said Curtis.
Johnson spoke about the necessity for specialist workers, like geologists. Snider said that while there has been increased automation in the industry, they still need people on the ground.
Ultimately, they suggested that a healthy mining industry would lead to more employment and open up downstream economic opportunities in the state.
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