Toronto-listed Gunnison Copper has announced the promotion of Robert Winton to COO, recognising his role in transforming the Johnson Camp mine from care and maintenance into the US's newest operating copper mine within just one year of breaking ground.

Winton, who joined Gunnison in August 2020 as senior VP operations and general manager, oversaw the restart of the Johnson Camp operation, leading it to first copper production and commercial sales earlier this year.

“Robert’s promotion is a well-deserved recognition of his exceptional leadership and operational expertise,” said Gunnison president and CEO Stephen Twyerould. “Under his direction, the team brought the Johnson Camp mine into production within a year of breaking ground — an extraordinary achievement that reflects his unwavering dedication to operational discipline, safety, and execution excellence. His leadership has been instrumental in embedding a culture of accountability, performance, and safety across our operations.”

In his new role, Winton will oversee all site operations, project development, and integration of upcoming work programmes, including continued collaboration with Nuton, a Rio Tinto venture. First copper production using Nuton’s advanced bioleaching technology is expected later this year.

“It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the Johnson Camp team deliver America’s newest source of copper cathode,” said Winton. “I’m proud of the disciplined foundation we have built and excited to lead Gunnison’s next phase of growth as we expand production and help secure America’s domestic copper supply.”

Winton brings more than 25 years of experience in mining operations, technical services, and project execution. Before joining Gunnison Copper, he held senior operational roles with several North American base metals producers, including Hudbay Minerals.

Gunnison Copper controls Arizona’s Cochise mining district – a cluster of 12 known deposits within an 8 km radius – and is advancing its flagship Gunnison copper project, which hosts 831.6-million tonnes of measured and indicated resources grading 0.31% copper. A preliminary economic assessment outlines an aftertax net present value, using an 8% discount, of $1.3-billion, an internal rate of return of 20.9%, and a payback period of 4.1 years.

In addition to the Gunnison project, the now-producing Johnson Camp asset, fully funded by Nuton, has a production capacity of up to 25-million pounds of copper cathode a year. The company also holds several nearby deposits with potential to serve as satellite feed sources to its regional infrastructure.