The U.S. Forest Service signed South32 Hermosa’s Final Mine Plan of Operation on Wednesday at a ceremony at the mine’s base of operations in the Patagonia Mountains, authorizing South 32 to conduct operations on Forest Service land.
The milestone follows the U.S. Forest Service’s issuance of its Final Record of Decision on July 7, which reflected the selected alternative identified by the USFS in its review process. Together, the two actions establish the federal framework under which South32 can develop and operate ancillary infrastructure on U.S. Forest Service land needed for Hermosa’s full development beyond its privately held land, including the Primary Access Road, secondary dry-stack tailings storage facility, and other supporting operations.
Hermosa is an advanced mining project capable of producing up to five federally designated critical minerals, including zinc, silver and manganese. Construction is halfway complete on private land, with zinc mining underground expected in late 2027 and first zinc product from the processing plant in the first half of 2028. It is the first mining project added to, covered under, and completed in the federal FAST-41 permitting program, a fast-tracking process that expedites projects deemed essential for national interests.
The ceremony was attended by U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Stephen Alexander Vaden, other federal and local officials and busloads of South32 employees.
“I am thankful to our team, government partners as well as our lead agency, the Forest Service, who showed collective will and steadfast commitment to completing the permitting process with rigor and on time,” said Pat Risner, South32 Hermosa President. “Having our Mine Plan of Operations signed means we can begin developing the infrastructure needed to complete Hermosa and deliver on our vision for a different kind of mine designed around advanced technology, sustainability, and lasting value for Southern Arizona communities.”