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State Board Blocks Construction Of Planned Florence Copper Mine

A state board has blocked construction of a controversial copper mine planned for central Arizona, at least the way it is planned.

Curis Resources wants to pump an acid solution into the ground beneath Florence to dissolve the copper compounds. It would then pump the mixture back to the surface, strip out the copper, and reuse the acid. But, the Arizona Water Quality Appeals Board has found flaws in the permit Curis was given to start the operation by the Department of Environmental Quality.

An administrative law judge says the permit allows pollutants from the mine to spread too far, but Rita Maguire, of Curis says that hurdle could be overcome.

“The judge felt as though that there wasn't enough documentation to support how the pollution management area had been drafted and approved by DEQ. So we'll go back to DEQ and submit additional information," Maguire said.

But attorney Larry Crown who represents mine opponents says it’s not that simple.

“There were fundamental flaws and errors in the application and in the permit terms as issued. And so, time will tell. This permit, as issued, has been rejected. And it's not a simple matter to just go back and say there's some minor things to fix," Crown said.

He says the plan needs a major overhaul. But any changes made by the company and DEQ would be subject to another round of public hearings and appeals.