Gunnison Copper Corp (TSX:GCU, OTCQB:GCUMF) has begun mineral processing at its fully permitted Johnson Camp Mine (JCM) in southeast Arizona, with first copper sales expected in September.
The milestone comes about a year after construction of the site’s leach pad began, the company said.
Initial stacking and acid curing of mineralized material is underway, with first copper cathode production from conventional leach technology scheduled for the third quarter.
Output using Nuton technology is expected by year-end.
Robert Winton, Gunnison’s senior vice president of operations, called the news “a major milestone.”
“We are just months away from producing finished copper in Arizona, when copper is trading at an all-time high price and when there is an increased need for Made in America solutions to our energy and national security,” Winton told shareholders.
The company said Phase-2 and Phase-3 leach pads have been completed along with related conveyor infrastructure, while construction of the overflow pond and pipelines to the solvent extraction and electrowinning (SX/EW) plant has also been finalized.
More than 100 employees and contractors are currently on site, according to the company, which noted it has maintained an 11-year record without a lost time accident at JCM.
Gunnison is working with partners including Nuton, M3, Rango, and Schmueser on the development of the project.