Governor Katie Hobbs Visits MILESHIGH Project as Arizona Geothermal Development Gains Momentum

Morenci, AZ - Today, Governor Katie Hobbs traveled to Morenci in Greenlee County to meet with representatives of Zanskar and Freeport-McMoRan and discuss their MILESHIGH Project. Governor Hobbs is focused on removing barriers to advancing Arizona's geothermal development and is driven to set a path forward with geothermal as a part of the state's energy and economic future.

MILESHIGH is the largest geothermal exploration campaign at a mine site ever performed, and if successful, will become the largest direct-use geothermal project in the United States. Total project investment is approximately $170 million, including an $80 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

"The cutting edge in geothermal development is happening right here in Arizona with the MILESHIGH Project. Our state has abundant geothermal resources and I am committed to investing in Arizona becoming a geothermal leader," said Governor Katie Hobbs. "We're ready to bring more geothermal projects to our state to help deliver affordable and reliable power for Arizonans."

Arizona's favorable geology has attracted direct-use projects like MILESHIGH, which will utilize geothermal heat to increase the extraction of copper from rock, improving the efficiency of mining operations while reducing energy use. Governor Hobbs is partnering directly with industry and rolling out key geothermal development initiatives to attract geothermal electricity projects to the state for the first time.

"For decades, Arizona's underground hotspots remained underutilized beneath our feet," said Joel Edwards, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Zanskar. "Thanks to modern technology, engaged local partners like Freeport, and the state's renewed commitment to resource characterization, we are now finding and are ready to utilize these hidden treasures, helping to make Arizona a national leader in geothermal energy using next-generation technologies."

"The Freeport-Zanskar partnership at Morenci has the potential to achieve global-leading scale in industrial geothermal heat use," said Patrick Walsh, Chief Operations Officer of Zanskar. "It is exactly the kind of innovation that can strengthen Arizona's economy while advancing the future of industrial energy."

"Our geothermal project demonstrates how Arizona can leverage its natural resources and existing infrastructure to advance innovative energy solutions that support reliable, sustainable and long-term economic development," said Francis McAllister, Freeport Vice President Energy, Land and Water. "By exploring the direct use of geothermal heat to improve copper recovery at Morenci, we're applying Arizona based resources and innovation to strengthen the state's copper industry and its role in supplying critical materials."

This visit is part of Governor Hobbs' focus on advancing Arizona's geothermal development to build the future of energy in Arizona. Previous actions include: