McCain: Why I’ll vote for Resolution Copper – by John McCain (Arizona Republic – October 15, 2014)

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John McCain is Arizona’s senior senator.

Driving through Superior last week, I saw the boarded-up shops that line its Main Street. I spoke with residents of this small community, many of whom are struggling to find opportunities to better their lives and those of their families.

Just a few decades ago, this area, an hour east of Phoenix, was a busy mining community. But its economy bottomed out after the old Magma Copper Mine closed in 1995. Today, a quarter of its residents live below the poverty line. Their neighbors on the San Carlos Reservation are in worse shape, reportedly suffering from a 70 percent unemployment rate and a rampant drug-abuse problem.

Today, hope is on the horizon for this hard-hit community. Last month, Resolution Copper, a joint project of mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, finished sinking a tunnel more than a mile underground, within reach of one of the top five undeveloped copper ore deposits in North America. It was a critically important development for this major job creator in one of Arizona’s most economically depressed rural areas.

The Resolution Copper project has the potential to utterly transform these communities. At full capacity, the mine could create as many as 4,000 jobs and produce roughly 25 percent of our nation’s domestic copper supply. Arizona as a whole will likely benefit from tens of billions of dollars in increased economic activity over the lifespan of the mine.

Last week, I traveled 1,100 feet down into the mine to meet some of the remarkable men and women working on this state-of-the-art project.

They are eager to see the project move forward and look forward to the day when their friends, neighbors and family members can enjoy the benefits of the mine’s operation. They are excited by the potential to grow the workforce supporting the mine and, buoyed by its development, additional opportunities to buy or build a home in Superior, or open a small business, restaurant, or day care in town.

We also discussed how Resolution Copper has already invested more than $1 billion in its facility, with much of that going to Arizona contractors, and how important it is that Arizonans help build momentum and support for the mine.

For the rest of this article, click here: http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2014/10/15/resolution-copper-arizona-mccain/17325487/