Abatement work from historic mining activity enters next phase
An aerial view of the historic Magma Smelter Site.
Superior, Ariz. — (July 27, 2018) As part of the ongoing reclamation work at Resolution Copper’s West Plant site, activities to remove hazardous materials from smelter buildings, including asbestos, will begin Monday, Aug. 6. Resolution Copper submitted formal notification of its abatement plans to Pinal County Air Quality Control District last week. Work crews will be using mobile equipment, and trucks. These vehicles associated with abatement activities, which are scheduled to occur weekdays from Aug. 6 through Sept. 14, will use the site’s rear entrance in order to minimize disruption to downtown traffic.
The health and safety of workers and the community is the highest priority. In order to ensure that all work is done in the safest manner possible, abatement of hazardous materials from buildings slated for removal is an important step prior to demolition activities. In the notification provided to Pinal County, Resolution Copper identified the mechanisms for removing the materials containing asbestos from the smelter buildings, along with the specific measures the company will take to prevent emissions of asbestos into the air during the work.
“We are focused on completing this work in a way that protects the health of our workers and our neighbors in Superior,” said Dr. Casey McKeon, Resolution Copper Environmental Manager. “Our team will use standard abatement and removal techniques, including abating certain materials inside negative air enclosures and using wet abatement techniques. We’ll also conduct air monitoring of our workers and along the site perimeter throughout the abatement and demolition process as an additional safety measure.”
Resolution Copper has contracted Environmental Resources Management, a firm specializing in environmental, health, safety and sustainability services, to manage demolition activities at the smelter complex. For more information, visit www.erm.com.
Resolution Copper will continue posting project updates on our website at https://resolutioncopper.com/shape-whats-next/west-plant-reclamation/ and on social media.
For questions, concerns or comments about upcoming abatement activities at Resolution Copper’s West Plant site, please contact the company at community-complaint@resolutioncopper.com, or call (520) 689-3955.
About Resolution Copper
The Resolution Copper Project is operated by Resolution Copper Mining, which is a limited liability company owned 55 percent by Resolution Copper Company (a Rio Tinto PLC subsidiary) and 45 percent by BHP Copper Inc. (a BHP Billiton PLC subsidiary).