Franciscan Friars & The Gibson Mine Reclamation

The Franciscan Friars of California will host a Community Open House for the general public on August 10th, to provide interested residents with an update on the reclamation work getting underway at the Gibson Mine, a small, historic copper mine located 7 miles southwest of Miami.

Mining operations at the Gibson began in the early 1900s, & continued sporadically until 1992, leaving behind remnant tailings & ore and associated processing facilities. The property is owned by the Franciscan Friars of California, a charitable, religious order dedicated to serving the poor. The Friars received the land as a donation in 1972.

The project is designed to close & reclaim the historical mining facilities, & improve the water quality in nearby waterways. The work is being conducted with oversight of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, & the U.S. Forest Service.

To fund the project, which is expected to cost in excess of $1.5 million, the Friars have been awarded 2 competitive matching grants by ADEQ, totaling over $700,000, & have also received generous donations of funds & services from a number of other supporters, including Carlota Copper Co., BHP Copper Inc., Dalmolin Excavating, Brown & Caldwell & Bryan Cave LLP.

Starting in mid August, some 120,000 tons of mine material will be transported approx., 10 miles from the site, across highway 60, to the BHP Pinto Valley operations. Utilizing 10-wheeler, 20-ton trucks, it is anticipated the material transfer will take 4 months to complete.

The open house will provide an informal presentation of the plan for the reclamation activities & an opportunity for discussion & feedback. The Friars have made arrangements for the museum to be open to the public for the duration of the Open House.