The Resolution Copper Mine in Arizona would be operating by now in most countries, but is still years away from getting all the permits it needs to begin mining in the U.S., a company official testified.

Early in my career at Rio Tinto, I was fortunate to spend time in Arizona working to turn around our foundry business in Tempe and Chandler. At that time, the state’s economy was anchored by the famous “Five C’s” - from copper to cattle.

WASHINGTON – The small town of Superior has pinned its livelihood to copper, silver and gold mines for more than a century, but never has it had a prospect like this.

As it prepares for a huge copper mine set to open near Superior in 2021, Resolution Copper Co. is urging state lawmakers to allow miners who work underground to be scheduled for shifts of up to 12 hours.

The hearing officially concerned the Department of Interior’s proposed 2013 budget, but most lawmakers instead took turns Wednesday drilling Secretary Ken Salazar on issues from around the country, including one in southeast Arizona.

The House approved a federal land swap Wednesday that would clear the way for creation of North America's largest copper mine in Arizona, despite opposition from the Obama administration and complaints that the proposed mine operator had partnered with Iran and faces allegations of human rights violations.

A plan to clear the way for North America's largest copper mine by swapping federal forest land for private acreage in Arizona has House Republicans at odds with the Obama administration.

As the Florence Town Council contemplates whether to approve a controversial copper mine, the shadow of the Governor’s Office is looming over Town Hall.

Your May 31 article on the mine near Superior “Gosar seeks broad support for Resolution Copper land-swap bill” fails to mention the hopelessly inadequate public review process allowed in the proposed legislation.

In the “mutual benefits agreement” signed in 2008 and renewed recently, Superior pledged its support for federal legislation that would make a huge copper mine possible by exchanging protected land in the Tonto National Forest for parcels of comparable value elsewhere in the state. Any official communication opposing the plan to the governor or a member of Arizona’s congressional delegation would void the deal, and the town agreed to provide letters of support to those same officials.

But in promoting its plans Resolution Copper Mining LLC, the company that would set up the new mine, has created similar agreements with groups whose opposition could be detrimental.