Forest Service Approves Hermosa Critical Minerals Project in Southern Arizona

The U.S. Forest Service on July 7 concluded an environmental review for a zinc-silver project in southern Arizona, paving the way for the $2.16 billion mining and processing operation to produce critical minerals domestically for use in manufacturing, defense, and technology.
The project is expected to boost production of zinc and manganese needed for steel production and large-capacity batteries, while reducing China’s control over global critical mineral supplies.
South32’s Hermosa Critical Minerals Project near the southern U.S. border was approved under the agency’s effort to accelerate environmental reviews and authorizations under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015….