Florence Crane Operators: Study for Certification Without Leaving Town

First new U.S. copper in years, built just outside town

Taseko Mines' Florence Copper operation, off Hunt Highway, recovers copper without an open pit. A dilute acid solution is pumped through injection wells into bedrock hundreds of feet down, and copper-bearing solution comes back up through recovery wells to a solvent extraction and electrowinning (SX/EW) plant. That plant reached substantial completion in September 2025, built in under two years, and the first copper cathodes were harvested in late February 2026. Taseko describes it as the first new copper production from a U.S. greenfield project since 2008, with design capacity of 85 million pounds a year over a planned 22-year life.

Building an SX/EW plant means setting tanks, settlers, piping racks, transformers and rectifiers, and the steel structure of a tankhouse. Running one means continuing maintenance lifts and periodic equipment swaps. Wellfield expansion adds drilling and pipe work for years to come. All of it needs certified operators and riggers who understand the hazards of working around process chemicals and energized equipment.

Public sector and corrections work

Florence is home to the Arizona State Prison Complex–Eyman, and county government offices fill much of downtown. Correctional facilities and public buildings undergo regular HVAC replacements, generator installs and roof work, often done by contractors who must clear security procedures before a crane even rolls through the gate. Those jobs reward crews that plan thoroughly, since there is little room to improvise inside a secure perimeter.

What the Gila River valley does to a lift plan

• Soft ground near farm fields and washes. Irrigated soil and sandy wash beds can lose bearing capacity fast; mats and cribbing earn their keep.
• Summer heat. Highs above 105°F are routine from June into September. Schedule critical picks for the morning and rotate people off exposed ground.
• Monsoon gusts. Outflow winds from storms over the mountains to the east can arrive before the rain does. Know your machine's wind limits from the manufacturer's manual and set the load down early.

Matching a certification to Florence work

For plant construction and mine-area work, mobile crane operator is the main credential, backed by Rigger Level II for anyone building lift plans or calculating sling loads on heavy process equipment. Signal person certification helps anyone directing blind picks inside tankhouses or behind buildings. Utility and pole crews around the county may want digger derrick operator prep as well.

Arizona has no state crane license, and federal OSHA Subpart CC rules apply here through ADOSH. Our requirements guide explains operator certification, employer evaluation and rigger qualification. Mine sites add their own MSHA training on top, provided by the operator.