We are designing the Hermosa project with state-of-the-art technology to be safe and sustainable. This includes extensive use of automation technology, with part of our operations running remotely in Santa Cruz County.
But what do you call an office building in Southern Arizona that’s home to sophisticated computers and advanced technology where employees remotely monitor and operate some equipment at Hermosa?
HELP US DECIDE!
Vote below on what you think our remote operating center should be called. The final location and winning name will be announced this year.
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WANT TO LEARN MORE?
Read our fact sheet (available in English and Spanish) on Hermosa’s remote operating center or check out the most frequently asked questions below.
Q: What is a remote operating center?
A: It is essentially a command center, where employees remotely monitor and operate mining equipment. For the Hermosa project, our employees will remotely monitor mining equipment located at our proposed mine site in the Patagonia Mountains.
Q: Where will the remote operating center be located?
A: While the exact location has not yet been decided or announced, the remote operating center will be located along I-19 in Santa Cruz County. It will be a commercial building that will require fewer than five acres to accommodate employees and the technology they need in a comfortable, office-like setting.
Q: How will South32 choose the remote operating center location?
A: Any plans to construct our future remote operating center in the Santa Cruz County corridor are being developed with the county-driven planning goals in mind. We are regularly seeking feedback from Santa Cruz County residents.
Q: What are the benefits of locating the remote operating center in Santa Cruz County?
A: There are numerous benefits that include:
- Creating good-paying jobs for Santa Cruz County residents, including those without prior mining experience or who have historically been excluded from the industry.
- Creating opportunities to train the local workforce in new technical fields.
- Increasing the county’s tax revenue to help fund public schools and services and increase opportunities for local business.
- Reducing commuter traffic to and from our mine site in the Patagonia Mountains.
Q: Is the center going to be the same location as the manganese facility?
A: The remote operating center location is not tied to the battery-grade manganese facility location that is being separately contemplated by South32.
Q: When will the remote operating center open?
A: Construction will take approximately 18 months. We do not yet have an exact opening date but plan to complete construction in late 2026.
Q: How many people will the remote operating center employ?
A: The building is currently being designed to accommodate more than 100 full-time employees.