As we head into the final days of summer, Florence Copper is nearing a major milestone: the completion of construction on our commercial copper production facility. This new phase of development builds on the success of our Production Test Facility, which successfully produced over one million pounds of copper using our innovative and proven in-situ copper recovery (ISCR) process.
As of the end of June, construction was more than 90% complete, and we remain on schedule to begin producing copper cathode before the end of the year. Over 900,000 project hours have been completed without a single reportable injury or incident, an achievement we’re extremely proud of and one that reflects the strong safety culture upheld by every Florence Copper team member and contractor on site.
Approximately 330 construction and support personnel continue to advance work across our site on Hunt Highway. Recent progress includes the successful completion of all injection and recovery well drilling planned for the initial construction phase. These wells are the foundation of the ISCR process and are now in place ahead of commissioning. Meanwhile, construction of the solvent extraction/electrowinning (SX/EW) plant is almost complete (see above for a photo inside the plant construction). Once operational, this facility will plate pure copper cathode sheets right here in Florence, AZ.
Since January 2023, Florence Copper’s direct workforce has grown rapidly from 35 employees to more than 100 today. We’re proud that a majority of our new hires are local Pinal County residents. As the project advances into commercial operations, we anticipate hiring 70+ additional employees this year. These opportunities span a wide range of roles, including skilled technicians, maintenance staff, metallurgists and lab personnel, supervisors and team leads, security positions, and administrative support. Interested in applying? View our open positions here.
Florence Copper is proud to be the next major copper producer in the U.S. When fully operational, we are expected to become the third-largest copper cathode producer in the country, contributing to a more secure domestic supply of this critical mineral at a time when the U.S. continues to rely heavily on imports.
Florence Copper is grateful for the continued support of our neighbors and community partners as we move closer to commercial production. We look forward to sharing more exciting updates and milestones in the months ahead. Thank you for being part of the Florence Copper journey.
