Summary

Deposit type

• Porphyry

Summary:

The Safford mine includes three copper deposits that have oxide mineralization overlaying primary copper sulfide mineralization. The predominant oxide copper minerals are chrysocolla and copper-bearing iron oxides with the predominant copper sulfide material being chalcopyrite.

Mining Methods

• Truck & Shovel / Loader

Summary:

Safford mine is an open-pit copper mining complex that has been in operation since 2007.

In recent years (as of 2025), Lone Star has been the only Safford deposit actively being mined. In early 2026, limited mining production resumed in the San Juan deposit.

The available mining fleet consists of haul trucks loaded by electric shovels, which are capable of moving an average of 435,000 metric tons of material per day.

The highest bench elevation is 1,783 meters above sea level and the ultimate pit bottom is expected to have an elevation of 716 meters above sea level.

Operations Update (as of Q4 2025)
Construction and commissioning of fine ore stockpile facility are complete (adding 65,000- ton surge capacity), improving operational resilience.

Lone Star Stockpile
Phase two of the Lone Star leach stockpile was completed in spring 2025, supporting production plans.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Processing

• Sulfuric acid (reagent)
• Crush-and-stack plant
• Acid plant
• Heap leach
• Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning

Summary:

Safford is a leach operation that consists of a SX/EW facility with a capacity of approximately 320 million pounds of copper cathode per year from a 104,300 metric-ton-per-day crushing facility and a ROM leaching operation. The crushed ore is delivered to a leach pad by a series of overland and portable conveyors. A sulfur burner plant is also in operation at Safford, providing a cost-effective source of sulfuric acid used in SX/EW operations.

Sulfuric acid is used in the SX/EW process and is produced as a by-product of the smelting process at smelters and from sulfur burners at the Safford mine.

Operations Update (As of Q2 2025)
- Lone Star Phase II Leach Pad - completed and commissioned in late April 2025.
- Construction activities on Phase 2A will commence in the second half of 2025. This will increase the available footprint for ROM leaching stockpiles on the existing Safford leach pad, increasing overall production capacity for the site.

Production Milestone
As of Q4 2025, Safford achieved 'Tank House Max,' fully utilizing electrowinning rectifier capacity for maximum copper output, setting record daily and monthly production levels over summer 2025.

Acid Supply Strategy
As of Q4 2025, a new acid transload facility is under study to improve logistics and reduce costs, leveraging rail access. Construction could begin mid-2026, pending regulatory approvals.

Water Supply

Summary:

Safford operations water supply comes from groundwater wells in two distinct aquifers – the Fracture Zone aquifer and the Lower Basin Fill aquifer. Both of these aquifers are distinct and isolated from the Shallow Alluvial Aquifer which is adjacent to the Gila River.

Safford recycles approximately 93% of the water used each year on average. Examples of internal recycling within the processing facilities include: Use of in-pit dewatering for dust control on haul roads. Closing unneeded roadways, reducing or eliminating water usage for dust prevention.

Commodity Production

Operational metrics

Personnel

Job Title	Name	Profile	Ref. Date
Environmental Manager	Mike Windsor		Feb 18, 2026
Mine General Manager	Vicki Seppala		Feb 18, 2026
Project Manager	Brian Payne		Feb 18, 2026
Supply Chain Director	James Seballos		Feb 18, 2026
Supply Chain Manager	Steven Sedillos		Feb 18, 2026
Supply Chain Superintendent	Fernando Díaz González		Feb 18, 2026