공지 • Apr 09
Copper Fox Metals Inc. and Desert Fox Mineral Mountain Co. Provides Update on Permitting Process
Copper Fox Metals Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Desert Fox Mineral Mountain Co. (Desert Fox), provide an update on the permitting process to complete a drilling program on its 100% owned Mineral Mountain porphyry copper property (2,692.4 ha) located within the Mineral Mountain mining district, Arizona. The Mineral Mountain mining district is located within a northeast trending porphyry copper belt approximately 25 kilometers ("km") southwest from Rio Tinto and BHP's giant Resolution porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit and approximately 20 km northeast of Taseko's Florence porphyry copper deposit. In early 2024, Copper Fox submitted a Plan of Operations (PoO) to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to conduct a drilling program at four locations on its Mineral Mountain porphyry copper project. The PoO was accepted by the BLM, Tucson Field Office. Prior to deciding on if or when the drilling permit would be granted, the BLM requires, pursuant to the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), that Copper Fox prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) followed by a 30-day Solicitation of Public Comment period. SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA), an Arizona based firm specializing in environmental, regulatory, and natural and cultural resources management services, was retained by Copper Fox to complete the EA and provide support, if required, during the Solicitation of Public comment period. Highlights. The EA pursuant to NEPA has been published by the BLM. The 30-day Solicitation the 30-day Solicitationof Public Comment period commenced on April 7, 2025. Field work on Arizona State Mining Exploration Permit 08-122622, located numerous occurrences of interpreted Laramide age quartz veinlet and fracture hosted copper mineralization. While completion of the EA is encouraging, it is too early to speculate on the outcome of the Solicitation of Public Comment processes and if a drilling permit to commence the planned drilling program would be granted by the BLM. A reconnaissance exploration program in the SE portion of the Mineral Mountain project located Laramide age vein and fracture-controlled mineralization of sufficient merit to warrant further investigation and suggests the potential for an additional Laramide age porphyry copper target within this portion of the Mineral Mountain project. This EAs and associated Biological Evaluation (BE) were prepared to address the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended and specifically addressed the species covered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, as well as addressing an Ecological Overview and collected data on the Vegetation, Wildlife, and Soil types. The project-specific official Information for Planning and Consultation (IPaC) includes species that are currently listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA, as well as non-essential experimental population and candidate species. Based on the survey, no acuna cactus were observed in the species-specific survey area, and SWCA conclusions of the BE are: a) the proposed drilling program " may affect but is not likely to adversely affect the acuna cactus and its designated critical habitat through the removal of 0.180 acres of potential seed bank at drill pads 1-4, including disturbance of 0.135 acres of PBFs of its critical habitat at drill pads 1-3., b) the cumulative effects related to future mining proposals in the project area and ongoing development in the species' range may affect individual acuna cactus., c) other activities, including livestock grazing, off-highway vehicle use, dispersed recreation, and cross-border activities, could impact acuna cactus; and. d) incremental effects on acuna cactus from the proposed drilling program are anticipated to be insignificant because no acuna cactus are present in the planned disturbance area. Reconnaissance Program. Arizona Mineral Exploration Permits require annual expenditure to maintain the permits in good standing. The minimum expenditure can be made either on work on the ground or cash. Copper Fox conducted a two-day reconnaissance style mapping, sampling and prospecting program to investigate several east-west trending, large Tertiary age granodiorite dikes located within the permit. The sampling for petrographic studies, whole rock and trace element geochemistry and trace element geochemistry and geochemistry and geochemistry and the sampling for petrographic studies.