Florence Copper officials maintain in-situ operation safe
by Kaly Nasiff | Cronkite News
Arizona’s economy has been built historically on the five C’s: cotton, citrus, cattle, climate and copper.
The state’s mining industry — Arizona makes up 65 percent of copper production in the United States — employs about 11,000 people and generates thousands of jobs in connected industries.
But the industry has been battling permitting issues and environmental concerns, especially in Florence, where residents have been working for eight years to block a copper mine.
