Gunnison Copper Starts SX-EW Plant in Arizona, Sales Expected September

Gunnison Copper Corp has commenced operations at its solvent extraction (SX) and electrowinning (EW) plant at the Johnson Camp Mine in southeast Arizona, with first copper sales expected in September 2025. The project, funded by Nuton LLC—a Rio Tinto venture—remains on schedule with key infrastructure such as the leach pad, on-pad crushing circuit, and a new LNG system at the EW plant fully commissioned and operational. This start-up marks a significant milestone toward achieving Gunnison’s targeted production of up to 25 million pounds of finished copper cathode annually, emphasizing a 'Made-in-America' copper initiative. The company is also focusing on its flagship Gunnison Copper Project, which carries a strong preliminary economic assessment including a net present value of approximately $1.3 billion and an internal rate of return of around 20.9%. Additionally, Gunnison is conducting ore sorting trials to enhance recovery by separating acid-consuming rock without copper, potentially increasing project value. Nuton’s technology, which offers a more environmentally friendly method of copper extraction, aligns with the company’s ESG goals and supports the ongoing development of deposits within the Southern Arizona Copper Belt.