PHOENIX (AP) — A company planning a copper mine in Florence asked a judge to throw out an ordinance that limits sulfuric-acid storage and would effectively shut down the project.
The Arizona Republic reports (https://bit.ly/SgvJr8) that Curis Resources Inc. asked a judge to block the town's ban on storage or use of large quantities of sulfuric acid, a key ingredient in the copper-recovery process.
Curis purchased property near Florence's center for the project and secured a lease on unincorporated state trust land surrounded by the municipality.
The Town Council opposed the project and adopted the ordinance after Curis announced plans to proceed with a mine on the unincorporated state property.
The lawsuit says Florence's ordinance was adopted solely to block the project.
Florence Mayor Tom Rankin says it wasn't directed solely against Curis.
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Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com