By Tony Davis | Arizona Daily Star
Rosemont Mine opponents claim in an appeal that Arizona’s environmental agency approved an air quality permit for an outdated mine plan and overlooked the likelihood of air quality violations.
The appeal, filed by the opposition group Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, points out that Rosemont Copper changed production plans last summer after it had filed an application in 2011 for the air quality permit.
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality said it stands behind its Jan. 31 permit approval.
Rosemont Copper said in a written statement: “We expect the appeals will be heard in due course, evaluated appropriately, and judged and rejected as without merit.”
Save the Scenic Santa Ritas’ appeal says the state should have reviewed the air quality impacts of the mine’s changed plans, which eliminated heap leaching of copper and increased copper sulfide production. The changes boosted total, planned copper production by about 25 percent.
