U.S. Hermosa Completes FAST-41 Permitting in September, Invests $3.3 Billion
en.Wedoany.com Reported - The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) signed South32 Hermosa's final Mine Plan of Operations (MPO) at the Hermosa project site in southern Arizona on September 2. This permit is the last federal authorization required for Hermosa's development on U.S. Forest Service land and marks the final step in the project's FAST-41 federal permitting process. Hermosa thus becomes the first mining project within the FAST-41 process to complete all federal permitting.
The USFS had previously issued the project's final Record of Decision (ROD) on July 7. Together, the ROD and MPO constitute the federal approval framework, allowing South32 to utilize Forest Service land—beyond its own parcels—to construct and operate auxiliary infrastructure required for the overall Hermosa development, including the main access road, a secondary dry-stack tailings storage facility, and other supporting operations. South32 stated that preliminary earthwork and surveying will commence in the coming weeks to support exploration drilling and geotechnical investigations, marking the first on-site activities following federal approval.
The Hermosa project, located in southern Arizona, represents a total investment of $3.3 billion and can produce up to five federally designated critical minerals, including zinc, silver, and manganese. Construction on the company's own land is approximately half complete; underground zinc mining is scheduled to begin by the end of 2027, with the processing plant expected to produce its first zinc concentrate in the first half of 2028. The approved operating plan incorporates more than 135 environmental protection, conservation, and mitigation and monitoring measures.
Pat Risner, President of South32 Hermosa, stated that as the first mining project included in FAST-41, Hermosa's permitting experience demonstrates that enhanced coordination and accountability mechanisms can bring greater certainty and efficiency to the federal permitting process while maintaining rigorous standards for community and stakeholder expectations. The Permitting Council provided resources and support for the project to advance the cross-agency process on schedule; the review process included extensive public engagement and tribal consultation, enhancing predictability and transparency. Emily Domenech, Executive Director of the Permitting Council, said that this approach to permitting—advancing on a clear timeline, maintaining public transparency, and conducting interagency coordination—is exactly what FAST-41 was designed to achieve.
Once operational, Hermosa will become the largest investment project in southern Arizona, providing up to 900 jobs at peak operations while strengthening the domestic supply of critical minerals needed for energy infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and national security. Representatives from the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (the Permitting Council), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the USFS, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also attended the signing ceremony; remarks at the event acknowledged the collaboration among federal agencies, South32, and local stakeholders throughout Hermosa's federal review process.
