University of Arizona researchers have begun work on a test at the Rosemont Copper Mine site to evaluate reclamation techniques that would allow disturbed lands to be turned into thriving ecosystems.

The seven-year $377,000 study is being funded through a grant from Rosemont Copper, which has proposed opening a mine in the Santa Rita Mountains, about 30 miles southeast of Tucson. The test plots are located on land that is privately owned by Rosemont Copper.

A team headed by Jeffrey Fehmi, assistant professor in the School of Natural Resources and Environment, have evaluated 29 different native species from the Rosemont site and compiled them into four seed mixes. The seed mixes were tested in UA greenhouses using three types of soil from the proposed mine site, with different soil amendments and fertilizer combinations, and watered to simulate low, average and high rainfall years. The field testing is being done to verify the greenhouse results under real-world conditions. 

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In preparation for the field testing, the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society assisted in the removal of 640 cacti from the Rosemont property. The society will use revenues generated from the sale of those plants to fund education and conservation programs in Southern Arizona.

The goal of the research is to help Rosemont Copper in its reclamation efforts and create a best-practices approach for restoring sites to aesthetic, ecological function and productive use.