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{{Short description|Open-pit copper mine in Graham County, Arizona}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
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The '''Safford Mine''' is an [[open-pit mine|open-pit copper mine]] located in [[Graham County, Arizona]], {{convert|8|mi|km|spell=in}} north of the city of [[Safford, Arizona|Safford]]. The mine is owned and operated by [[Freeport-McMoRan|Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold]].

Construction on the Safford mine began in mid-2006. Production began December 26, 2007, with full production starting in 2008.<ref>[http://www.fcx.com/envir/pdf/health-safety/safford/safford_mine.pdf "Safford Mine Tops 5 Million Pounds of Copper in First Month"]{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} – [[Freeport-McMoRan|Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold]]</ref> It is the first new large-scale copper mining project in Arizona in more than 30 years.<ref name=RenziR-2005-09-20>[http://www.house.gov/list/press/az01_renzi/RenziSaffordLandExchange.html "Renzi Pleased to See Safford Land Exchange Completed"] – Congressman [[Rick Renzi]] (AZ – 1) – U.S. House of Representatives (c/o House.gov) – September 20, 2005</ref> In September 2005, as part of the deal, Phelps Dodge (which was subsequently purchased by Freeport-McMoran) transferred {{convert|3867|acre|km2}} of "environmentally sensitive" land to the [[Bureau of Land Management]] (BLM) and purchased from the BLM {{convert|16297|acre|km2}} located next to the site of the mine.<ref name=RenziR-2005-09-20 /><ref>Stockton, Lindsey. [http://www.eacourier.com/articles/2005/09/28/local_news/news02.prt "Officials glad land exchange is complete"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710162209/http://www.eacourier.com/articles/2005/09/28/local_news/news02.prt |date=2011-07-10 }} – ''Eastern Arizona Courier'' – September 28, 2005</ref>

The mine composes two [[porphyry copper]] deposits (the San Juan and Dos Pobres copper ore bodies) that have leachable oxide and secondary sulfide mineralization. Freeport-McMoran estimates that it will remove 205 to 240 million pounds of copper from the deposits annually between 2008 and 2011.<ref>[http://www.fcx.com/operations/USA_Safford.htm Safford Mine] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730172424/http://fcx.com/operations/USA_Safford.htm |date=2013-07-30 }} – [[Freeport-McMoRan]]</ref>

In 2016, copper production at Safford was 230 million pounds. In 2017, copper production was 150 million pounds, and approximately 830 people were employed there.<ref>[http://www.freeportinarizona.com/our-company/az-operations/safford/ Safford Mine] at Freeport-McMoRan. Accessed 6/23/2018.</ref>

==Geography and facilities==
The area where the mine is located is at an average elevation of {{convert|4186|ft|m}}.

The mine is served by a branch of the [[Arizona Eastern Railway]].

==See also==
* [[Copper mining in Arizona]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.freeportinarizona.com/our-company/az-operations/safford/ Safford Mine information] – [[Freeport-McMoRan|Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold]]

{{coord|32.9472|-109.6509|region:US-AZ_type:landmark|display=title}}
{{Portal bar|Arizona|Geography|Minerals}}
{{Freeport-McMoRan}}

[[Category:Copper mines in Arizona]]
[[Category:Phelps Dodge]]
[[Category:Geography of Graham County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Surface mines in the United States]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Graham County, Arizona]]
[[Category:2007 establishments in Arizona]]
[[Category:Freeport-McMoRan mines]]

Safford mine - Revision history

imported>Panamitsu: add {{Use American English}} template per MOS:TIES