GILBERT — Congressmen Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar, and Eli Crane sent a letter calling on the Department of War to evaluate opportunities for copper mining, processing, refining, and recycling on the approximately 3.12 million acres of federally managed military land in Arizona.
The lawmakers are asking the department to identify areas where mineral development could be pursued without interfering with military operations, training, testing, or national defense readiness.
Arizona leads the nation in copper production, accounting for approximately 70 percent of all copper mined in the United States. With its vast mineral resources, skilled workforce, established infrastructure, and significant military presence, Arizona is uniquely positioned to strengthen America’s domestic mineral supply chain and meet the growing demands of national defense.
“Arizona has been blessed with an abundance of natural resources that are essential to America’s economic prosperity and national security,” said Congressman Biggs. “For too long, our country has allowed unnecessary barriers and an overreliance on foreign supply chains to undermine our ability to produce the critical materials our military needs. Arizona already leads in copper production, and we have a tremendous opportunity to build on that strength. We should be looking at every responsible avenue to expand domestic production, unleash American industry, and ensure our military has a reliable supply of the resources necessary to defend our citizens and freedoms.”
In their letter to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the three Arizona congressmen called on the Department of War to:
- Identify suitable defense lands in Arizona for copper and other critical mineral mining, processing, and refining without compromising military training, testing, or operational readiness.
- Review existing federal authorities, programs, partnerships, and investments that could accelerate domestic mineral production and processing, and identify any additional legislative action needed to remove obstacles.
- Provide a briefing within 90 days outlining potential mining and processing sites, available federal resources, and outstanding infrastructure or permitting requirements.
The lawmakers emphasized that expanding responsible mineral development in Arizona would reduce America’s dependence on foreign suppliers, strengthen the nation’s defense industrial base, and create new economic opportunities for American workers.
By leveraging Arizona’s abundant copper reserves and existing infrastructure, the United States can take meaningful steps toward securing a reliable domestic supply of critical minerals essential to military readiness, economic growth, and national security.
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