Arizona Sonoran receives dust permit for Cactus

Executive Summary

• Arizona Sonoran Copper Company has secured a dust permit from Pinal County for its Cactus Project, marking the first regulatory approval following the November 2025 prefeasibility study (PFS).
• The company is actively amending three key state-level permits (aquifer protection, industrial air, and mined land reclamation) to accommodate a significantly expanded production profile of 113,000 short tons of copper cathode annually over the first decade of a 22-year mine life.
• Full permitting is targeted for completion in 2026 ahead of the feasibility study, with a final investment decision (FID) expected as early as Q4 of this year, contingent on robust project economics and secured financing.

Key Details

• Permit Granted: Dust permit issued by the Pinal County Air Quality Division for the Cactus Project.
• Production Profile (PFS): 113,000 short tons of copper cathode annually over the first 10 years of a 22-year project life.
• Permit Amendments in Progress: Aquifer Protection Permit (APP), Industrial Air Permit, and Mined Land Reclamation Permit (MLRP) are being amended to include the Parks/Salyer mineral body as an additional open pit.
• Permitting Timeline: APP and Industrial Air permits expected mid-year; MLRP expected later this year; full permitting targeted for 2026 ahead of the Feasibility Study (FS).
• Final Investment Decision (FID): Expected as early as Q4 of this year, pending robust FS economics and secured project financing.
• Historical Context: Initial 2021 permitting envisioned 28,000 short tons per annum over an 18-year life; the conceptual production profile has since been simplified and substantially grown.
• Project Status: Brownfield copper exploration/development on privately held land with in-place infrastructure, highway/rail access, and on-site permitted water access.

Notable Quotes

• Travis Snider, Vice-President, Sustainability and External Relations: "The dust permit is the first permit to be received post-PFS, which outlined annual production of 113,000 short tons of copper cathode over the first 10 years of the 22-year project life. The team has also begun amending the aquifer protection permit (APP), industrial air permit and mined land reclamation permit (MLRP), which are all led by Arizona state regulators. We anticipate the APP and industrial air permits to be in hand mid-year, while the MLRP should be completed later this year in conjunction with an expected final investment decision."