Photo via Arizona Sonoran Copper Company
(Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Arizona Sonoran Copper Company.)
By Pinal Post
At A Glance
- What: Casa Grande authorized negotiations for an effluent purchase agreement with the Cactus Mine (formerly Sacaton Mine)
- Volume: Up to 1,300 acre-feet per year of treated wastewater
- Infrastructure: Mining company would build and maintain delivery infrastructure at its own expense
- Why it matters: Approximately 1,350 acre-feet of effluent went uncredited in 2024; direct delivery ensures productive reuse
- Mine timeline: Feasibility studies in 2026, construction decision late 2026, first copper production targeted for 2029
- Next steps: Final agreement must return to council for approval; broader effluent strategy expected by early March
Casa Grande City Council authorized negotiations for an effluent purchase agreement with the Cactus Mine—the former Sacaton Mine—on January 5, 2026. The decision allows City Manager Larry Rains to negotiate a deal for up to 1,300 acre-feet per year of treated wastewater. This Casa Grande effluent allocation would supply the reopening copper mine while putting currently uncredited water to productive use.
Arizona Sonoran Copper Company owns the project through its subsidiary Cactus 110, LLC. Longtime residents may remember the site as the Sacaton Mine.
