Hudbay’s plan for mining the Santa Ritas includes processing sulfuric acid from on-site ore to use in it’s copper leaching process. Excess acid will be trucked to the railhead in Sahaurita for national distribution. The process according to their March 31, 2023 press release will process 60,000 tons of sulfide ore a day increasing to 90,000 tons per day in phase 2. There is no mention of the amount of sulfuric acid that could be released during this process. Even small amounts when inhaled can cause serious lung damage. Airborne sulfuric acid can cause acid rain that blows in the wind. Every living thing in southern Arizona is at risk. Will this toxic substance land on the Toronto O’Odham nation or on Tucson? Will it poison our Sky Islands or our Saguaro National Parks? Must we allow this corrosive toxic substance to threaten our health and our unique environmental heritage?
Elaine Wolter
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Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
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