(July 22, 2022) Freeport-McMoRan is demonstrating it manages its Tohono mine – under care and maintenance for more than a decade – in an environmentally responsible manner by obtaining independent certification that it meets the rigorous requirements of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
ISO 14001 is a set of environmental standards, procedures and reporting measures companies use to demonstrate they are adhering to the industry’s best practices. Freeport has long committed to maintaining ISO 14001 certification for its operating sites, but Tohono is the first Discontinued Operations facility to receive the certification.
The decision to seek certification was made during ongoing discussions with the Tohono O’odham Nation about the possibility of reopening the Arizona mine in the future, said Ray Romero, Manager-Resource Management.
The company already was managing environmental impacts from historic mining operations, but tribal officials suggested that obtaining the ISO certification could “send a loud message” that Freeport would continue to abide by its high standards in a possible future transition from inactive to active operations.
Time and money well spent
“The Nation was extremely pleased that we obtained the certification,” Romero said. Formal certification was received in April after independent audits by an outside company to verify compliance with ISO standards.
Freeport never actively operated the mine on the Tohono O’odham Nation but assumed responsibility for its management in 2007 when the company acquired Phelps Dodge. The mine operated from the 1970s until 1997, when the open pit was placed in care and maintenance. Freeport periodically processed copper from Tohono’s existing leach pad until 2009, but the site has not produced copper since then.
It is a challenging site, Romero said. The tailings pile and leach pads were built before many of the current environmental regulations were in place; groundwater impacts that are being addressed through remedial action with oversight from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 were associated with former evaporation ponds that have been removed and remediated. Environmental protection always has been the foremost concern for tribal officials in conversations about the company’s plans for the site.
There have been discussions since 2011 about the prospects of reopening the pit to mining, Romero said. The negotiations with the Nation are focused on lease extensions to keep future options open. As part of those conversations, Nation officials have sought assurances that any future operations would be done in an environmentally responsible manner.
Record of environmental stewardship
Company representatives explained Freeport’s record of environmental stewardship and adherence to independent mining standards from organizations such as the International Council on Mining and Metals. Also touted was the company’s voluntary compliance with the ISO’s health and safety standards for all sites, including discontinued operations. That led to the suggestion from Nation officials that the company obtain ISO 14001 environmental certification for the Tohono site, Romero said.
While Freeport already had rigorous environmental protections in place, obtaining independent certification was seen as an important signal to the Nation and the local community, said Ondrea Barber, Lead Native American Affairs Specialist.
“Having an external certification using a widely accepted environmental management system was looked upon favorably,” Barber said. “The environmental impact is something that the local community and the Nation as a whole were really concerned with and wanted to be sure was taken care of appropriately. This just added another layer of confidence.”