"This area is considered the premier copper mining area in the U.S."
Really?? I'm not an expert on copper mines, but below is a Wikipedia link listing major former, current, and upcoming copper mines in the US.
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en.wikipedia.org]
Only one listing is for a copper mine in California, note that is now a Superfund site. Seems like a stretch that one would be able to open a new copper mine given a relatively nearby copper mine Superfund site. And a new copper smelter in Northern California would never get a permit.
"Iron Mountain Shasta County, California; Operated 1860s to 1963; now a superfund site"