en.Wedoany.com Reported - The U.S. Forest Service plans to approve on Tuesday South32 Ltd.'s proposed $2 billion zinc-manganese mine project in Arizona, which is expected to reach full production by 2029.

The U.S. Forest Service, under the Department of Agriculture, plans to issue a record of decision approving the Hermosa project near the Mexican border. This project is the first mining project to receive expedited processing from the Department of Agriculture, after being designated as a fast-track review project by the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, and has been granted expedited permitting by the Trump administration.

The Department of Agriculture stated that this critical minerals project holds one of the world's largest undeveloped zinc deposits and contains other key minerals needed for steel and high-capacity battery production. The expedited approval aligns with the Trump administration's second-term goal of strengthening U.S. supply chains and reducing reliance on China for critical minerals essential to manufacturing consumer goods and advanced energy technologies.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement that the Hermosa critical minerals project demonstrates how increasing domestic production can reduce dependence on vulnerable foreign sources and power modern industries, advanced technologies, and critical infrastructure.

Located in the Patagonia Mountains, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) southeast of Tucson, Arizona, the mine received approval two months ahead of the deadline under federal environmental laws, following its fast-track review. The project was initially nominated for expedited review during former President Joe Biden's tenure.

South32 aims to prioritize supplying copper from the mine to domestic and regional smelters. Currently, China dominates global zinc smelting capacity, and the United States heavily relies on imported processed metals.