Augusta Resources Close to Selecting EPC/M Contractor for Rosemont Copper Project

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Rosemont Copper Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Augusta Resources Corporation (AMEX: AZC) (Denver, Colorado), is in the middle of a week's worth of public comment hearings on the development of an environmental impact statement (EIS) for its Rosemont copper mining project in Arizona. A draft EIS is expected about this time next year. The project is receiving a high level of scrutiny from local and national environmental organizations because of its location on the east slope of the Santa Rita Mountains in the Coronado National Forest.

Rosemont Copper is expected to select a firm to provide engineering, procurement and construction management (EPC/M) services for the project by the end of the month. The company is evaluating bids from two companies: M3 Engineering & Technology Corporation (Tucson, Arizona) and Kvaerner Engineering (Tucson, Arizona). M3 Engineering prepared a feasibility study for the project last year.

In addition, the company is evaluating financing options for the $724 million project, which will produce copper, molybdenum and silver.

The project would involve the construction of a 75,000-ton-per-day copper sulfide ore mine, a concentrator, heap leach facilities (for oxide ore processing), and a solvent extraction and electrowinning tankhouse.

Industrial Info first reported on this project in 1996 when it was owned by Asarco. Augusta Resource acquired the project in 2005. The Rosemont property is located 20 miles east of Asarco's Mission copper complex.

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