Document 3rB9N7VXknm51ELV1E4KJBJJ

From: "Cameron, Scott J" <scott_cameron@ios.doi.gov> To: "Williams, Colin F" <colin@usgs.gov>, "KSweeney@nma.org" <KSweeney@nma.org>, "jprosser@nma.org" <jprosser@nma.org> Cc: "Ryker, Sarah J" <sryker@usgs.gov>, "Kirschling, Teresa L" <tkirschling@usgs.gov>, "Russell, Kendra L" <klrussell@usgs.gov> Subject: Re: Follow-up information on mine permitting timelines Date: Sun, 02 Mar 2025 22:41:48 -0000 Importance: Normal Inline-Images: image.png Thanks, Scott Scott J. Cameron Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Interior Get Outlook for iOS From: Williams, Colin F <colin@usgs.gov> Sent: Sunday, March 2, 2025 4:46:57 PM To: KSweeney@nma.org <KSweeney@nma.org>; jprosser@nma.org <jprosser@nma.org> Cc: Ryker, Sarah J <sryker@usgs.gov>; Kirschling, Teresa L <tkirschling@usgs.gov>; Russell, Kendra L <klrussell@usgs.gov>; Cameron, Scott J <scott_cameron@ios.doi.gov> Subject: Follow-up information on mine permitting timelines Katie and Justin, Thank you for the informative and productive discussion last Wednesday. It was great meeting you and talking through some of the issues faced by the mining sector. As promised, I'm including a figure below with the information USGS compiled in two publications that addressed mine development timelines. As you know, we don't have permitting responsibilities, but for these two publications - the results of the USGS global copper resource assessment and a survey of rare earth element deposits in the United States - the authors wanted to include information on development timelines in order to better inform resource strategies. The table from the REE report is the more relevant as it has information on the time involved in permitting, the time from completion of permitting to production, and whether litigation was involved for all the mine projects for which the authors could find information in the period 1998 to 2010. Two of the mines, Eagle and Arizona 1, were not yet in production at the time of publication, but I have added that information in red. The bottom line is that in 1998-2010 time period it took approximately 8 years to permit (longest being 17 years) and between 2 and 3 years to start production after permitting (longest being 5 years). I should note that the table includes Federal and State permitting for both new mines and restarting production at existing mine sites. The shortest permitting timelines are associated with the existing mine sites. As I noted above, tracking permitting is not a normal USGS function but was relevant to these two publications. I expect there is information available which could fill in the gaps in the S&P Global study (a topic for a different time!) and in the 15 years since 2010. Sierra Club v. Dept of Interior - 3:25-cv-05375-PHK 0001089 SC_EVERSPLIT0013936 Please feel free to reach out on any other topics related to our USGS mission. cheers, Colin ****************************************************************** Colin F. Williams, PhD Program Coordinator Mineral Resources Program US Geological Survey Building 19 350 N. Akron Rd. P.O. Box 158 Moffett Field, CA 94035 colin@usgs.gov Tel: 650-439-2881 Cell: 650-888-3755 ******************************************************************* USGS INFORMATION ON MINE PERMITTING TIMELINES Safford Carlotta Robinson Cerro Verde Sulfide Cerro Verde Tie Maria Cerro Corona Galen Chapi Monywa Milpilles Piedras Verdes Phu Kham age Bijou r. Grasberg Mirador Radom. TorMe Fortuna El Abra Los Pelambres Rosario Andacollo Cu Escondida Norte El Cheesy Cerro Colorado Lomas Bayas Quebrada Blanca 2aldivar Gaby Esperanza Spence Escondida Ufina Huckleberry Minot Mt Polley Kemess New Afton Balcooma North Parkes Alumbrera GLOBAL PORPHYRY COPPER MINES: TIME FROM DISCOVERYTO START-UP Table 12. Time required to obtain permits, construct, and commission recently opened metal mines in the United States. IN, A, not yet achieved, production not yet begun or commercial operations not achieved; PGE, platinum group elements. Yes, long permitting and development delays because oflitigation by government agencies and nongovernmental organizations] Mine Commodity Alta Mesa, Arizona I, Ashdown, Buckhom, Carlota, Eagle, "texas Arizona Nevada Washington Arizona Michigan U U Mo Au Au Cu Ni Cu Co PGE Permitting began 1999 mid-2007 2/2004 1992 2/1992 4/2004 Permitting completed 2004 2009 11/2006 9/2006 6/2007 1/2010 Production began Commercial operations began 10/2005 1/2006 NYA(11/2009) NYA 12/2006 NYA 10/2008 11/2008 12/2008 1/2009 NYA (9/2014) NYA Litigation reported Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. East Boulder, Montana PGE Kensington, Alaska Au Leeville, Nevada Au Lisbon Valley, Utah Cu Pend Oreille, Washington Zn Phoenix, Nevada Au 1995 3/1988 7/1997 2/1996 1992 1/1999 1998 6/2005 8/2002 7/2004 9/2000 1/2004 6/2001 1/2002 9/2010 NYA Yes. 10/2006 4th quarter 2006 1st quarter 2006 NYA Yes. 1/2004 8/2004 10/2006 401quarter 2006 Pogo, Alaska Au 12/1997 4/2004 2/2006 4/2007 Rock Creek, Alaska Au 2003 8/2006 9/2008 NYA Yes. Rossi (Storm), Nevada Au 1990 3Q/2006 3/2007 12/2007 Safford, Arizona Cu 4/1998 7/2006 4th quarter 2007 2nd half2008 Yes. Turquoise Ridge, Nevada Au 9/1995 5/2003 2004 NYA 10 20 30 40 50 Time lapse from discovery to mine startup. in years 60 US MINES PERMITTED BETWEEN 1998 AND 2010 MI United States Pe. MI Burma EXPLANATION MI Mexico Ecuador Laos IN Chile MI Indonesia MIE Canada - Australia IME Argentina PERMITTING AVG = 8 YRS;TIME TO PRODUCTION AFTER PERMITTING = 3 YRS Long, K.R., Van Gosen, B.S., Foley, N.K., and Cordier, Daniel, 2010, The principal rare earth elements deposits of the United Hammarstrom, J.M., bentek, M.L., Parks, H.L., Dicken, C.L., and the U.S. Geological Survey Global Copper States--A summary of domestic deposits and a global perspective: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific USGS Mineral Resource Assessment Team, 2019, Assessment of undiscovered copper resources of the world, 2015: Investigations Report 2010-5220, 96 p. http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2010/5220/. IL U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5160, 619 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20185160. Sierra Club v. Dept of Interior - 3:25-cv-05375-PHK 0001090 SC_EVERSPLIT0013937