SSSR Releases Rosemont Mine Risk Report

Report Highlights Hudbay's Dismal Track Record and Threats to Southern Arizona

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Feb 25, 2015, 03:53 ET

TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Save the Scenic Santa Ritas today released a detailed report highlighting the social, environmental and financial risks facing investors and southern Arizona from Hudbay Mineral Inc.'s proposed Rosemont mine. The report can be accessed here: http://scenicsantaritas.org/rosemontriskreport.

Toronto-based Hudbay Minerals acquired the rights to the proposed Rosemont mine in 2014 when it purchased Vancouver, B.C.-based Augusta Resource Corp. The risk report closely examines Hudbay's background and the regulatory and legal challenges still facing the company as it seeks the approvals needed to proceed with the Rosemont project. The report is based on a wide variety of publicly available, factual information including Hudbay's documents.

"When you look at Hudbay's track record, you will find a disturbing picture of pollution, public health concerns, and trampling on community and indigenous rights in Canada, Guatemala and Peru. Their record raises significant questions about the company's ethics," said Gayle Hartmann, President of Save the Scenic Santa Ritas. "It is particularly important that those individuals and groups that are being asked to support the Rosemont mine be aware of this information before they allow Hudbay to use their good names as a supporter of this terrible project."

Hudbay is seeking state and federal permits to construct the $1.5 billion, mile-wide, half-mile deep Rosemont open-pit copper mine. The mine is slated be built on the northeastern flank of the Santa Rita Mountains within the Coronado National Forest, 30 miles southeast of downtown Tucson, AZ. The proposed mine would have devastating impacts on Southern Arizona's water, air, wildlife, and economy, and there is unprecedented opposition to it.

Save the Scenic Santa Ritas is a non-profit organization working to protect the Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountains from environmental degradation caused by mining and mineral exploration.

SOURCE Save the Scenic Santa Ritas