South32 (ASX:S32) has cleared a major permitting milestone for its Hermosa Project in Arizona, US, after receiving federal approval to build key infrastructure on public land.
The US Forest Service this week issued its Record of Decision (ROD), allowing the company to construct a primary access road, a secondary dry-stack tailings facility, and a power connection.
The decision completes the federal environmental review process for one of the US’s most advanced critical minerals projects.
The approval follows several years of environmental assessment, Tribal consultation, and community engagement to support the project’s expansion beyond privately owned land.
“From the beginning, we designed Hermosa to be a different kind of mine, and the federal review process helped make it even better,” Hermosa President Pat Risner says.
“Years of agency review, Tribal consultation, and community engagement strengthened environmental protections, informed project refinements, and shaped a project that can transform the local economy.”
Located in the Patagonia Mountains of Santa Cruz County, Hermosa is the only advanced mine development in the US capable of producing both federally designated critical minerals manganese and zinc.
The project was also the first selected for the FAST-41 program, which aims to streamline permitting for major infrastructure projects.
South32 says the review process included more than 120 days of public consultation, involvement from six federal and state agencies, and engagement with 12 Tribes with historical ties to the region.
In response to stakeholder feedback, the company redesigned parts of the project, including relocating the tailings facility to avoid sensitive plant species and modifying the access road to reduce traffic through the nearby town of Patagonia.
“In total, we committed to more than 135 conservation, mitigation, and monitoring measures, many of which will become federally enforceable,” Risner says.
South32 says the project will have a surface footprint of about 300 hectares and use about 90% less water than comparable mines in the region.
The company is targeting commissioning in early 2028, with first commercial production expected later that year.
Write to Jackson Chen at Mining.com.au
Images: South32
