Midtier mining company Taseko Mines’ Florence Copper operation in Arizona, in the US, has harvested the first copper cathodes from its recently completed commercial production facility.

In late February, Taseko announced the startup of Florence Copper’s electrowinning plant and the start of copper production.

In the last week of February, the first copper cathodes were harvested, representing the first new copper production from a greenfield facility in the US since 2008.

Once Florence Copper achieves its nameplate capacity of 85-million pounds a year of London Metal Exchange (LME) Grade A copper metal, Taseko says it will become the third-largest copper cathode producer in the US.

The operation is expected to produce at least 1.5-billion pounds of copper over the next 22 years.

“The production of first copper in Arizona represents a landmark achievement for the Florence Copper team and a major milestone for Taseko, as we continue our journey to become a leading North American copper producer,” says Taseko president and CEO Stuart McDonald.

The company notes that Florence Copper is the first greenfield site globally to employ in-situ copper recovery (ISCR), a unique and low-cost method of producing copper metal which delivers compelling environmental advantages over conventional mining.

With copper production in the US essentially flat in recent years, and global copper demand continuing to rise, Taseko says Florence Copper represents an important step forward for the US’s critical minerals strategy.

“Producing LME Grade A copper cathode for America’s manufacturing sector, including automotive, semiconductor, defence/aerospace and AI data centres, will meaningfully strengthen US manufacturing and supply chain security,” says McDonald.

He explains that all of the copper metal produced at Florence will remain in the US to help address the country’s growing reliance on copper imports at a time of burgeoning global demand.

“The journey to first production at Florence Copper – from envisioning a standalone ISCR operation, to undertaking the extensive testwork and permitting, and ultimately completing construction on time and on budget – is a testament to the resourcefulness, purpose and commitment of the entire Taseko team.

“We are proud to be making copper in the United States, and we look forward to continuing to grow our business as a leading North America-focused copper producer.”