First FAST-41 Covered Mining Project Completes Federal Permitting

WASHINGTON (September 2, 2026) – Today, the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) announces the completion of federal permitting for the first mining project to receive FAST-41 coverage. The $3.3 billion South32 Hermosa Critical Minerals project is a zinc and manganese mining and processing operation located 55 miles south of Tucson, Arizona. Once operational, the project will be the largest investment in southern Arizona history.

“As the first ever FAST-41 mining project, the Hermosa Critical Minerals project set the standard for what the modern federal permitting process should look like: clear timelines, real transparency, and comprehensive interagency coordination,” said Emily Domenech, Permitting Council Executive Director. “That is exactly what FAST-41 was designed to do. President Trump has made restoring American mining and ending our dependence on foreign adversaries for critical minerals a priority. I want to thank the U.S. Forest Service and South32 for their partnership and commitment to completing the federal permitting process for this historic project.”

“USDA and the Forest Service are committed to permitting projects on businesses’ timelines, not government’s,” said USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Alexander Vaden. “Projects such as the Hermosa project advance our national security objectives by making our country less reliant on others for critical minerals. I am thankful that the FAST-41 process exists for projects of this significance and even happier that this is the third project USDA has commissioned under the Permitting Council’s jurisdiction in just the past seven days.”

"South32 Hermosa’s experience as the first covered mining project in FAST-41 shows that strong coordination and accountability can bring greater certainty and efficiency to the federal permitting process while maintaining the rigorous standards communities and stakeholders expect,” said Pat Risner, President of South32 Hermosa. "The Permitting Council provided the resources and support needed to progress this complex interagency process on schedule. That shared commitment and collective will supported a thorough review, including extensive public engagement and Tribal consultation, while providing greater predictability and transparency. It’s a model for how rigorous permitting can work better and more efficiently for everyone involved."

South32 Hermosa is located in a historic mining area in southern Arizona’s Patagonia Mountains. The project will produce up to five federally designated critical minerals, including zinc, silver and manganese. Hermosa is home to one of the world’s largest undeveloped zinc resources, a critical mineral used for various purposes including galvanizing steel, an essential ingredient for infrastructure development. 

The Hermosa site was designed with advanced technology aimed at improving safety and environmental impacts. Project sponsors also expect the project to play a significant role in workforce development for the local area, with plans to provide approximately 900 direct, family supporting jobs in the local area, with average earnings projected at twice the size of local averages.  

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service led federal permitting for this project. To learn more about the South32 Hermosa Critical Minerals project, visit the Permitting Council website.