Overview
- The U.S. Forest Service issued a final Record of Decision on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, completing the federal NEPA review for South32’s Hermosa project under the FAST-41 fast‑track program.
- USDA said South32 must next submit financial assurances and a final Mine Plan of Operations before a planned final authorization on Sept. 4, 2026, keeping state permits and local approvals still required.
- Project cost estimates and schedule remain uncertain, with industry reports citing roughly $3.3 billion in capital needs while USDA materials list $2.16 billion, and South32 now targeting first production in the second half of fiscal 2028.
- Local residents and conservation groups say the approved plan leaves unresolved risks to groundwater, air quality and wildlife habitat including jaguar corridors, and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality continues its separate review.
- Officials and proponents frame Hermosa as a strategic domestic source of zinc, manganese and other minerals that could support battery, industrial and defense supply chains and create up to about 900 direct jobs.