Electrification, copper demand is expected to grow by 50% by 2040, resulting in a supply deficit of 10 million metric tons unless significant adjustments are made (S&P Global, 2026). While new sources of copper are needed, developing new mines is a lengthy process, averaging 29 years from discovery to production in the United States (S&P Global, 2024). Located in Arizona’s historic copper corridor in the Town of Florence, Florence Copper represents an opportunity to help address growing copper demand with a sustainable, environmentally responsible source of copper production. In contrast to conventional mining operations, Florence Copper employs in-situ copper recovery (ISCR), a process that allows for the production of copper without open pit or underground excavation, large-scale blasting, tailings storage facilities, and other traditional mining activity. Florence Copper’s use of ISCR brings significant benefits, including low production cost, limited land disturbance, and water and energy conservation. Ultimately, this presentation will explore Florence Copper’s path to commercial operations, the benefits of the ISCR process, the project’s socioeconomic impact, and the role of the project in redefining the meaning of sustainable copper production. 2. HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT OF FLORENCE COPPER The Florence Copper project has a rich history. The copper deposit was discovered in 1969 by a geologist from American Smelting & Refining Co. (ASARCO), who was doing exploration in the area and saw evidence of copper mineralization on a nearby mountain. In the 1970s, Continental Oil Company looked at mining the property using traditional mining methods but quickly discovered that the hydrogeologic conditions of the deposit did not lend themselves well to traditional mining methods, and this method of development did not move forward. In the 1990s, there was exploration of the potential of using ISCR to mine the deposit. BHP Copper acquired the site in the late 1990s and performed a successful pilot test of ISCR, with 67 injection, production, and monitoring wells. While the effectiveness and environmental responsibility of the ISCR process was demonstrated by this pilot test, BHP Copper deferred further development and sold the land to a real estate developer, Merrill Ranch Investments LLC, after the price of copper declined in the early 2000s. During the Great Recession and housing market crash, Curis Resources (Curis) acquired the Florence Copper property in the wake of Merrill Ranch Investments’ financial insolvency. Curis then began advancing the development of an ISCR project once again. In 2014, the company was acquired by Vancouver-based copper mining company Taseko Mines Limited (Taseko), the current parent company of Florence Copper. Under Taseko’s leadership, Florence Copper developed in two phases, with phase one being a successful Production Test Facility (PTF). Beginning in 2019, the PTF produced over one million pounds of copper using ISCR, proving once again the safety, effectiveness, and environmental responsibility of the ISCR process. In Fall 2023, Florence Copper received its final major federal permit to expand into commercial operations, which initiated its commercial construction program. In Fall 2025, the construction program was finalized, and commercial wellfield operations commenced. The first copper cathode harvest from Florence Copper’s commercial facilities was announced at the beginning of March 2026, marking the first new copper production from a greenfield facility in the U.S. since 2008.
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