Florence Copper in Arizona has begun commercial production, becoming the first new U.S. copper source since 2008 and the first commercial-scale in-situ copper recovery operation. The facility produced nearly 7 million pounds of copper from February through June 2026 and is expected to reach annual capacity of 85 million pounds, adding about 5% to U.S. refined copper production; the company says its output will stay in the United States. The project is expected to produce 1.5 billion pounds over 22 years, support more than 800 jobs and contribute an estimated $4 billion to Arizona’s economy. The company says its in-situ process uses substantially less water and energy than conventional open-pit mining and causes less surface disturbance, as U.S. and global copper demand is expected to rise.
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