OREANDA-NEWS. The Resolution Copper Project accomplished a key milestone completing construction of 28 foot diameter shaft 10 to final depth of 6,943 feet (2116.2m). The company has used this project to gather geotechnical information needed to design a mine that is expected to produce 25 percent of the nation's copper demand. Construction of the shaft began in 2008.

“The completion of this 1.3 mile deep vertical shaft is truly unprecedented in America,” said Tom Goodell, General Manager of Shaft Development for the Resolution project. “The safe completion of the project represents a great engineering achievement, and I am particularly proud of the team-made up mostly of miners from this area-who made it happen.”

Cementation, a contract company with expertise in safe underground mine development, supported the project, using a largely local workforce.

Mike Nadon, senior executive with Cementation said, “Cementation is extremely proud of our site team who showed total commitment to the goals throughout the project. Their hard work, perseverance, and commitment to safety has put them in a class of their own.”

The completion of shaft sinking is a key milestone in developing what could be one of the world's leading copper mines.

“Resolution Copper is one of the most attractive, undeveloped copper deposits in the world. It will bring jobs and meaningful economic and community benefits to the entire region,” said project director Andrew Taplin. “We have invested more than USD 1 billion to date in the project and most of that investment has been used to sink the exploratory shaft to full depth. Now, we are focused on working with regulators and the community to finalize our plan of operation and earn the permits we need to responsibly and safely develop and operate a world class copper mine.”

Project Quick Facts

1.52 million man hours to complete

475,000 tons of rock excavated

50,000 cubic yards of concrete

13 miles of pipe