December 10, 2024, Mendoza, Argentina – Knight Piésold Argentina has successfully supported McEwen Copper Inc. (McEwen Copper) in obtaining the Environmental Impact Declaration (EID), granted by the Government of San Juan, for the Los Azules Project. The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared by Knight Piésold was instrumental in securing this crucial approval, a significant milestone that paves the way for the development of one of Argentina’s most important copper deposits.

McEwen Copper, a subsidiary of McEwen Mining Inc., is developing the Los Azules Project, a large-scale, high-grade open pit copper project located approximately 80 km west-northwest of the town of Calingasta in the province of San Juan. An updated Preliminary Economic Assessment was completed in 2023, forecasting that the Los Azules Project will produce an average of 322 million pounds of copper cathodes annually over a 27-year mine life.

The EIR, finalized in April 2023, represents a collaborative effort involving more than 20 professionals from Knight Piésold’s environmental team and various specialist consultants. This comprehensive report required over seven months to complete. Following its submission, Knight Piésold successfully conducted two public consultation sessions to discuss the EIR with stakeholders.

The Government of San Juan granted the EID to McEwen Copper after a rigorous evaluation lasting over a year by the Interdisciplinary Mining Environmental Evaluation Commission (CIEAM, Comisión Interdisciplinaria de Evaluación Ambiental Minera), which integrates 14 national and provincial agencies.

“We have been providing engineering and environmental support to McEwen Copper since 2018, from leach pad and open pit slope designs to environmental studies,” said María Paula Martinez, Environmental Manager at Knight Piésold Argentina. “This milestone reflects the strength of our partnership with McEwen Copper in working together to achieve successful project outcomes.”

This achievement not only underscores Knight Piésold's commitment to excellence and professionalism in environmental management but also demonstrates the company’s ability to meet stringent regulatory standards. Furthermore, it solidifies Knight Piésold’s position as a leader in environmental consulting in San Juan and across the country.