US Set to Approve South32’s US$2 Billion Hermosa Zinc-Manganese Project in Arizona

The US Forest Service is expected to approve South32’s Hermosa Critical Minerals Project in Arizona. The project, which has received fast-track permitting status from the US government, is set to become the first mining project approved under the Agriculture Department’s expedited review process.

Located near the US-Mexico border in southern Arizona, the Hermosa project represents an investment of approximately US$2 billion and hosts one of the world’s largest undeveloped zinc deposits, along with manganese and other critical minerals. US officials said the project will help strengthen domestic critical mineral supply chains and reduce reliance on foreign sources of processed metals. South32 expects Hermosa to reach full production by 2029, providing a significant new source of zinc supply for the US market.