Florence Copper Production Test Facility Construction Update

Throughout July, the Florence Copper site has been busy with construction activity of the Production Test Facility (PTF). As construction nears completion, the $25 million project that began in September 2017 remains on-time and on-budget.

The well-field, including four injection wells, nine recovery wells, and other monitoring wells for the in-situ copper recovery process, are now all in place, as seen in the photo below.

In addition, construction of the PTF Solvent Extraction and Electrowinning Process Plant (SX/EW) where the copper cathode will be produced is about 90% complete.

In just over a month, crews will begin testing the wells and pumps. The project’s first copper cathode is anticipated to come off the line before the end of 2018.

The test facility, which is designed to prove the integrity of the in-situ copper recovery process, is the correct and responsible first-step approach. Once the test facility has proven itself and has met satisfactory performance criteria, then the entire project investment of $200 million can be committed and construction, operation, and production of the full-scale commercial operation can proceed.

As always, we will continue to provide project updates as we progress.