Kelly, Sinema Announce Project Accelerating Clean Copper Mining in Arizona Funded by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Bipartisan infrastructure law led by Sinema and shaped by Kelly provides funds for project supporting the responsible extraction of 25 million pounds of copper

Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema announced a project to accelerate clean copper mining—a critical mineral essential to America’s national security—in Eastern Arizona with support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law led by Sinema and shaped by Kelly.  

The project will generate clean energy and deploy a battery energy storage system at two active copper mines in Graham and Greenlee Counties, helping reduce harmful emissions while supporting the annual extraction of 25 million pounds of copper previously considered unrecoverable.  

“This project will deploy innovative solutions to safely and responsibly expand Arizona’s role as the top state for copper production in the country, which supports our economic growth and powers the transition to renewable energy,” said Kelly. “Our legislation continues to create Arizona jobs and support our leadership in creating the technologies of the future.”  

“I wrote the bipartisan infrastructure law to fund Arizona projects that can drive our economy forward. I’m glad to see my law in action boosting the production of copper, strengthening our national security, advancing our clean energy economy, and creating more than 100 Arizona jobs,” said Sinema, co-author and lead negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law.   

The project, funded as a part of the Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Demonstration Program, will increase energy resilience and reliability, reduce emissions from mining activities by decreasing reliance on onsite backup generators, and prioritize workforce development by demonstrating a commitment to local economic opportunity organizations and community investments.  

Kelly and Sinema secured historic funding for critical mineral and clean energy supply chains research in their bipartisan infrastructure law, including $3 billion for Battery Material Processing Grants; $3 billion for Battery Manufacturing and Recycling Grants; $320 million into the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative; $167 million to establish a USGS Energy and Minerals Research Facility; $140 million to establish a Rare Earth Elements Demonstration Facility; $750 million for an Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program; and $100 million for Critical Minerals Mining and Recycling Research.  

Sinema led bipartisan Senate negotiations with Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio that included Kelly and senators from both parties.   

The bipartisan infrastructure law was supported by groups including The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, The National Association of Manufacturers, The AFL-CIO, The National Retail Federation, The Bipartisan Policy Center, North America’s Building Trades Unions, the Outdoor Industry Association, The American Hotel and Lodging Association, The National Education Association, as well as hundreds of mayors across all 50 states.