TUCSON, Ariz. - A major development in the Rosemont Mine legal battle. A federal judge threw out the forest service approvals to start construction in the Santa Rita Mountains.
That ruling means the nearly two billion dollar open-pit mining operation cannot move forward. Hudbay Minerals had planned to get to work immediately.
Environmental groups and three Native American tribes filed for a preliminary injunction. Judge James Soto concluded the forest service improperly evaluated Rosemont's right to surface mining and that led to a flawed analysis from the beginning.
The Center for Biological Diversity says this is a critical victory.
KGUN9 has reached out to Hudbay Minerals. They have not yet released a statement.
