Shareholder and environmental attorney Stuart Kimball shares his insights with Az Business Magazine on how Arizona’s mining industry is being reshaped by advanced technologies that prioritize safety, efficiency, and environmental stewardship.
"Mining Tech Reimagined"
Authored by Erin Thorburn, Writer at Az Business Magazine | January/February 2026
Innovation is the name of the new mining game. The pickaxe of old has been replaced by automation, AI and other advanced technologies. Alongside evolving tools, new and more efficient approaches are ushering mining practices into a new era.
One can only imagine what coal miners working in precarious mine shafts in the early 1900s would think if they could witness drones and self-driving trucks operating at today’s mining sites.
“Mining is rapidly becoming more technology-driven and the industry is evolving to reflect that,” says Tyson Nansel, principal adviser of communications, corporate affairs and copper group for Resolution Copper.
Technology reshaping the mining industry
The World Economic Forum reports several notable statistics that highlight how advanced technology is benefiting both the mining industry and the environment:
Companies that have introduced AI in exploration have reported a 20% to 30% reduction in the time and costs associated with mineral discovery.
- Autonomous systems have the potential to increase productivity by 15%.
- Modern flotation systems can improve recovery rates by 10% to 20% in the
refining process. - Mining businesses that invest in renewable energy, such as solar and wind
power, can reduce costs by up to 30%. - Advanced recycling methods are recovering valuable minerals from waste
materials, with the global market for mining waste recycling expected to
reach $70 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 6.5%.
Arizona innovations leading the way
A major technology win for an Arizona mine, Florence Copper, is its in-situ copper recovery (ISCR).
As the first greenfield ISCR operation in the world, the project dissolves copper minerals underground and pumps the copper-rich solution to the surface for processing into pure copper cathode sheets,” explains Sophie Dessart, manager of communications and public affairs for Florence Copper. “This eliminates the need for large-scale excavation, open pits, waste rock piles and other activities traditionally associated with mining.”
Dessart says ISCR is forecast to produce 75% fewer carbon emissions, use 65% less energy and consume 78% less water per pound of copper compared to traditional open-pit mining.
Reducing impact while increasing efficiency
At Resolution Copper, innovation is also shaping how mining occurs beneath the surface.
“You won’t see an open pit at our Resolution Copper mine,” Nansel says.
“We use the block cave mining technique, which results in a slow, progressive sinking of the ground above the deposit, called subsidence.”
Resolution Copper monitors and manages subsidence during and after mining operations to minimize potential impacts and preserve natural features such as Apache Leap.
The company has also invested millions of dollars to secure banked water and must dewater, or remove water deep within the bedrock, to operate safely. Since 2009, that water has been treated on-site and redistributed to an irrigation district for alfalfa growers.
Since that time, Resolution Copper has provided approximately 7 billion gallons of water to farmers, allowing that same volume of water to remain in the ground for future use.
“Innovations that reduce a project’s environmental footprint while increasing efficiency will have a significant impact,” Dessart adds.
Addressing perception and public understanding
Despite advancements in technology-driven mining, industry experts note that challenges remain.
“One challenge is ensuring the public understands how innovative technologies integrate into operations and enhance safety, efficiency and environmental performance,” Dessart says. “Misinformation can create barriers, so companies must invest in education and outreach to explain the role of automation and digital systems in modern mining.”
Stuart Kimball, a shareholder at Gallagher & Kennedy, has observed that many Arizona mining associations begin meetings with a safety share to emphasize the importance of employee and public safety. He says,
The mining industry has always adopted and often funded research into, advanced
technologies to ensure compliance with regulations and protect public health and
the environment.
Kimball adds that worker health and safety remain a top priority. “Mining companies consistently focus on safety measures and take pride in their safety successes,” he says.
Building the next generation workforce
Another obstacle to advancing mining innovation is the need for a skilled workforce capable of operating and maintaining increasingly complex systems.
“Mining companies must partner with educational institutions to identify needed skills and support training programs,” Dessart says. “These relationships help ensure local talent is prepared for evolving roles and create opportunities for employees to develop long-term, high-tech careers within the industry.”
As Arizona’s mining workforce ages, demand is growing for technical, digital and skilled-trade roles that support modern, highly automated operations, particularly at block cave mines such as Resolution Copper.
According to Nansel, those roles include electricians, mechanics, underground equipment operators, geologists, environmental scientists, data analysts, automation technicians and safety
professionals.
As mining continues to evolve, technology is no longer a supporting player but a central force shaping the industry’s future. From environmental stewardship to workforce development, innovation is redefining what modern mining looks like in Arizona and setting a standard for operations worldwide.
See page 118 of the January/February 2026 Az Business magazine.
Click here to read the article published by AZBigMedia.
About OUR ATTORNEY
Stuart Kimball counsels clients on the risks and liabilities associated with environmental permitting and enforcement matters at the federal, state, county, and local levels. In addition to advising on regulatory compliance, Stuart delivers significant experience lobbying for clients through the state, county, and local statutory and regulatory processes. He also provides proven results in resolving federal and state Superfund claims involving soil and groundwater contamination.
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