Horne: 18 in copper theft ring indicted

State Assistant Attorney General Mike Jette discusses the copper thefts. Mine workers are accused of selling the copper to recyclers at a fraction of the price. The recyclers would then resell it to Chinese importers, investigators say.

Horne: 18 in copper theft ring indicted

Eighteen people are facing charges in a multimillion-dollar copper theft ring involving Asarco employees, state law-enforcement officials said Tuesday.

Arizona Asarco employees implicated in copper theft ring

Eighteen people are charged in a multi-million dollar copper theft ring involving Asarco employees.

Big firms finding it hard to fill skilled jobs at Arizona mines

As part of training in 2011, UA student Mark Iobst helped guide a drill bit by communicating with the operator (not pictured) of a single-boom jumbo drive drill.

Star 200: Southern Arizona's big companies finding it hard to fill skilled jobs at Arizona mines

A second straight year of dropping copper prices has done little to slake Southern Arizona's two biggest mining employers' thirst for new workers.

Dust storm put Pima County over EPA air-quality limit

High winds that sent huge dust clouds swirling last week caused Pima County to exceed federal air-quality standards for the first time in nearly four years, county officials said.

Emissions rose 22 percent in 2011, EPA report details

Mining companies are trying to manage the problems with tailings, such as these at the Asarco mine near Green Valley. Among the procedures Asarco is using to control dust is spraying additives onto tailings to create a crust that's less likely to blow off.

Toxic releases by Arizona mines increasing

Activity at Arizona's mines is surging, and so is the release of toxic materials.

Mining concern to pay $60K fine for Marana spill

An Asarco mining operation has agreed to pay a $60,000 fine and take preventive steps valued at $50,000 to resolve water-quality violations caused by a June 2010 pipeline spill at the Silver Bell Copper Mine near Marana, state regulators said Tuesday.

Asarco unit to pay $110K to settle mine spill charges

An Asarco mining operation has agreed to pay a $60,000 fine and take preventive steps valued at $50,000 to resolve water quality violations caused by a June 2010 pipeline spill at the Silver Bell Copper Mine near Marana, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality announced today.

Asarco's Hayden plant cited over safety

Tucson-based Asarco LLC has received 51 citations for health and safety violations at its Hayden copper concentrator operation, the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced Thursday.

Rio Nuevo hires finance chief

The Rio Nuevo District has someone to keep track of its finances.

Asarco cited for safety violations at Hayden plant

Asarco LLC has received 51 citations for health and safety violations at its Hayden copper concentrator operation, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced today.

Mission Mine adding trucks, jobs

A diesel-electric power shovel loads a new Komatsu haul truck at Asarco LLC's Mission Mine in Sahuarita. Five more Komatsus are due to arrive this year, and the fleet of trucks will eventually total 14.

Mission Mine adding trucks, jobs

Asarco has taken delivery of the first of 14 massive haul trucks ordered as part of an expansion of the Mission mining operation in Sahuarita, which will add nearly 50 jobs.

Falling copper prices taking toll on stocks

With copper prices dropping this year following a boom, copper company stock prices are taking a hit.

Stock prices declining for copper companies

With copper prices dropping this year following a boom, copper company stock prices are taking a hit.

Asarco mining giant notching 100 years of operation in AZ

An employee at Asarco's smelter in Hayden works to process copper concentrates. The smelter has operated since 1912, the company's first operation in Arizona, some 70 miles northeast of Tucson.

Asarco mining giant notching 100 years of operation in AZ

An operator aide at the south mill of the Mission Mine walks by the ball mill that grinds small rocks that will eventually be the size of table salt. The mine is composed of five open-pit properties south of Tucson.

Asarco mining giant notching 100 years of operation in AZ

Dump trucks and huge shovels remove material from the Mission Pit at the Mission Complex. To the right are holes where explosives will remove that portion of the floor later in the day.