Categories: Mining Stocks
Topics: Copper Stocks

Gunnison Copper (TSX: GCU)(OTC: GCUMF) Senior VP Operations Robert Winton on Johnson Camp Production, Strategic Partnerships & Unlocking District-Scale Copper Potential in Arizona

 

Gerardo Del Real: This is Gerardo Del Real with Resource Stock Digest. Joining me today on a milestone day is the SVP of Operations for Gunnison Copper (TSX: GCU)(OTC: GCUMF) — Mr. Robert Winton. Robert, how are you?

Robert Winton: I'm doing quite well, Gerardo. How are you this fine September morning?

Gerardo Del Real: I am well. September has started with a bang. We have record-high gold prices, silver is surging, and copper is looking really robust. And not to be outdone, Gunnison Copper now has production as one of its milestone taglines. Congratulations. Your timing couldn’t be better. 

We chatted a bit off-air — this is a big milestone for you and the team. Congrats to you all.

Robert Winton: It is an incredible milestone. To be the next great American producer of finished copper is a very proud moment for the entire team. Our partners at Newton, the Rio Tinto venture, and all of our stakeholders and community supporters — it’s been unbelievable how far we’ve come in such a short period of time. 

Pulling those beautiful copper cathodes out of the plant last week and getting them ready for shipment was quite a sight to behold.

Gerardo Del Real: Now listen, I want to touch on health and safety protocols because that’s often underrated and doesn’t get many headlines. You’ve executed exceptionally well on that front, and I want to get into it next. 

But first, let’s talk about the journey to production at Johnson. It’s never an easy task, and it’s never a one-person job. So again, congrats. Can you shed a little light on the process and what it took to reach this moment?

Robert Winton: Absolutely. In Q2 of last year, we signed our agreement with Newton to bring the Johnson Camp Mine back into production. That came with two main phases to accomplish — all in just over a year’s time.

The first was building a brand-new, 8 million sq ft heap leach pad. That’s now complete, operating, and producing copper. The second, and probably more challenging from a health and safety perspective, was bringing a shuttered open-pit mine back into production.

With our contract partners, along with Gunnison’s mining and safety departments, we’ve done exactly that. We got rolling in October of last year, really hit the ground running in January, and now we’re pulling ore out of the pit. It’s looking quite good. 

We’ll have some excellent video and photos up on the website in the next couple of days so your viewers and listeners can see how we’ve turned an old abandoned pit into a source of Made-in-America copper.

Gerardo Del Real: Let’s circle back to that health and safety record, which is nothing short of spectacular. Can you speak to that a bit?

Robert Winton: Yes, those are great words to use. I never want to jinx things but we’re coming up on 12 years without a lost-time accident at site. That’s really a testament to the entire organization. 

We’ve brought roughly 200 people onto site through various contractors and subcontractors. Getting everyone properly oriented and having them work safely in tough conditions — including the extreme Arizona summer heat — is no small feat. To get through this ramp-up without any incident… I couldn’t be more proud of the entire organization and everyone who comes to work each day.

Gerardo Del Real: Now, I want to talk a bit about your strategic partnerships. With this administration being as supportive as it has under the America First banner, how do those partnerships tie in? I have to believe the groups you’ve aligned with lend a lot of credibility. And having a production profile certainly doesn’t hurt, right?

Robert Winton: That is very true. And yes, those partnerships are extensive. The federal government has supported us through the 48C grant — we were the only copper producer in Arizona to receive it. It’s a Department of Energy tax credit and a testament to our project. 

It also speaks to Newton, our partners who are funding this, and their demonstration of sulfide leaching technology. Their new bacteria leaching, which we’ll be rolling out over the next year and a half, is going to be groundbreaking for the entire copper industry.

We also have strong support at the state level. The state has been behind us as we bring on apprentices and work to maintain excellent relationships with permit providers. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, in particular, has been a great partner as we brought this mine back into production. They’ve really supported what we’re trying to do here in southeast Arizona.

Gerardo Del Real: You know what I’m going to ask next. It’s great to congratulate you on the safety record, partnerships, and government support — but what comes next? We’re clearly in a copper bull market that I believe will continue for many years. How do you plan to take advantage of that in terms of ramp-up and growth?

Robert Winton: The near-term focus is ramping up production to 25 million pounds per year — about 2.1 million pounds of copper each month. We expect to reach that by late Q1 or early Q2 next year as we integrate Newton’s technology into our portfolio.

But the real excitement lies in advancing the Gunnison Copper Project, our namesake and the core value of the company. We’ll be releasing new technical reports in Q1 of next year that highlight the improvements we’ve made to the project. It’s a large open-pit operation with a current NPV of $1.3 billion, and at $4 copper it has the potential to generate $350 million annually.

Over the past several months, we’ve been working on high-value improvements — not just the capital structure but also project economics through initiatives like limestone aggregate and ore-sorting technology. We’ll be presenting those results to the market early in Q1 2026, which will really define what the next great American copper producer looks like.

Gerardo Del Real: Let’s talk catalysts. You have strong tailwinds. Outside of the ramp-up and growth, what should investors be watching for?

Robert Winton: For us, it’s about getting the story out. We’re not just another junior mining company showing off drill core — we’re producing Made-in-America copper cathodes that are entering the domestic supply chain. That’s a powerful message.

We’ll be increasing our outreach through new media outlets and with people like yourself who help connect us to the investment community. On top of that, it’s about delivering: delivering the ramp-up, delivering on the improvements to the Gunnison PEA, securing permits for the big project, and ultimately bringing in a strategic partner to fund long-term growth. 

The vision is to transform this district into a multi-decade mining camp here in southeast Arizona.

Gerardo Del Real: Well, you’ve got bipartisan support, a copper bull market, the right assets, and strong partnerships. I have to believe the phones are ringing. I look forward to helping tell this story well beyond 2025 and into 2026. I think it’s only going to get more exciting. 

Congrats on production, the safety record, and the upcoming catalysts, which are just as compelling.

Robert Winton: Thank you so much for the opportunity to share our story and the excitement of what Gunnison Copper is bringing to the market.

Gerardo Del Real: Good stuff. Looking forward to those videos on the website. Thanks again, Robert.

Robert Winton: Thanks so much, Gerardo. Have a great day.

Click here to see more from Gunnison Copper
 

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