Gunnison Copper Corp. has submitted an application to amend the Mined Land Reclamation Plan for its flagship open-pit Gunnison Project in Cochise County, Arizona.

The application is one of three principal state permit amendments required to advance the project under its planned open-pit configuration. The others involve the Aquifer Protection Permit and the Air Quality Permit.

The company expects the Mined Land Reclamation Plan amendment to be approved before the end of 2026. Gunnison Copper then targets submission of the Aquifer Protection Permit amendment in the first quarter of 2027, with final approval anticipated by the first quarter of 2028. The Air Quality Permit amendment is expected to be submitted in mid-2027 and targeted for receipt in mid-2028.

In parallel, Gunnison Copper plans to submit a Letter of Intent to the Arizona Department of Transportation this quarter to formally commence the relocation of a portion of Interstate 10 crossing the project area. Approval of the associated Design Concept Report is targeted by the end of 2027.

These activities position the project for a potential Final Investment Decision by mid-2028, subject to a feasibility study on an accelerated timeline.

"Submission of the amended MLRP application is another important step toward fully permitting the Gunnison Project and positioning it for a potential Final Investment Decision by mid-2028, subject to completion of a feasibility study on an accelerated timeline," said Craig Hallworth, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gunnison Copper. "Permitting remains one of the most significant hurdles to bringing new mines into production in the United States, and we believe our proven permitting ability, as demonstrated by permitting the restart of the Johnson Camp Mine in under 12 months, is a key differentiator for Gunnison."

— Craig Hallworth, President and Chief Executive Officer

The company controls the Cochise Mining District in southern Arizona, containing 12 known deposits within an 8-kilometre economic radius anchored by the Gunnison Project. A preliminary economic assessment in March 2026 estimated an after-tax NPV8% of $2 billion, a 23% internal rate of return, and a 3.9-year payback period, improving upon a prior study showing a $1.3 billion NPV8%, a 20.9% IRR, and a 4.1-year payback.

In addition to its flagship asset, Gunnison Copper operates the Johnson Camp Mine, which is in production with an annual capacity of up to 25 million pounds of finished copper cathode under a fully funded agreement with Nuton LLC, a Rio Tinto venture.

Read the full announcement: Gunnison Copper Submits Mined Land Reclamation Plan Permit Amendment and Outlines Path to Fully Permitted Gunnison Project by Mid-2028