Gunnison Copper Submits Mined Land Reclamation Plan Permit Amendment and Outlines Path to Fully Permitted Gunnison Project by Mid-2028

Gunnison Copper Corp. has submitted an amendment to its Mined Land Reclamation Plan (MLRP) for its flagship Gunnison Project in Arizona. The company outlined a permitting timeline that anticipates MLRP approval by the end of 2026. An Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) amendment is scheduled for submission in the first quarter of 2027, with approval targeted for the first quarter of 2028. Additionally, an Air Quality Permit (AQP) amendment will be submitted in mid-2027, aiming for approval by mid-2028.

Regarding infrastructure, a Letter of Intent for the Interstate 10 (I-10) relocation is set to be submitted to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) in the third quarter of 2026, with approval of the Design Concept Report targeted for the end of 2027. Gunnison is conducting a feasibility study on an accelerated timeline to support a potential Final Investment Decision (FID) by mid-2028. The company cited its prior success in permitting the Johnson Camp Mine restart in under 12 months as a key differentiator.

Economic data from the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) dated March 2026 remains unchanged, showing a pre-tax NPV8% of $2 billion, an internal rate of return (IRR) of 23%, and a payback period of 3.9 years. The resource base stands at 846 million tons at 0.33% copper for the Main Pit and 76 million tons at 0.49% copper for Strong & Harris.

Gunnison Copper Corp. (GCU) issued a routine permitting update that confirms management’s previously stated timeline for the Gunnison Project. The announcement did not introduce new financial metrics, reserve expansions, or strategic shifts.

The market has already priced in the permitting timeline, as evidenced by the stock trading in a tight $0.38–$0.46 range since July 2026. Concurrently, the company announced a decision to walk back the 48C tax credit monetization. This move removes a non-dilutive cash catalyst but does not alter the core development thesis.

Overall, the update is in line with expectations and lacks the catalyst density required to re-rate the stock.

Gunnison Copper Corp. is a developing copper producer focused on the Cochise Mining District in Arizona. Its flagship asset is the 100%-owned Gunnison Copper Project, an open-pit, heap-leach, SX/EW operation targeting an average production of 174M lbs/year. The company also operates the Johnson Camp Mine (JCM), which is currently in production and fully funded by Nuton LLC, a Rio Tinto venture. The JCM has a capacity of up to 25M lbs of copper cathode annually, utilizing Nuton's bioleaching technology. Gunnison Copper is positioning itself as a domestic, low-carbon copper supplier, leveraging strategic partnerships with AWS and Rio Tinto.