Conservation group sues over Arizona mine expansion threatening endangered species

The Center for Biological Diversity filed suit against the Trump administration, alleging it violated the Endangered Species Act by approving expansion of a heavy metal mine operated by South32 Hermosa in Arizona's Patagonia Mountains. The expansion would extend operations across 52,438 acres, cutting directly through a critical migration corridor used by endangered jaguars and ocelots. The suit contends federal authorities failed to adequately assess the expansion's impact on imperiled wildlife.

The lawsuit targets federal approval granted through a collaborative process between the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. South32 Hermosa, an Australian mining company, sought to expand operations across more than 52,000 acres in southern Arizona's mountain range. According to the agencies' own environmental assessments, the project area represents the only viable crossing point for endangered big cats within a 120-mile stretch along the U.S.-Mexico border, making it irreplaceable for species migration and genetic diversity.

The plaintiffs argue that mitigation strategies proposed by federal agencies lack specificity and scientific support. They emphasize that once the mountain ecosystem is disrupted and underground water sources are depleted through mining operations, restoration becomes physically and economically impractical, rendering the habitat loss permanent.