Arizona Sonoran and Nuton LLC, a Rio Tinto Venture, have mutually agreed to the early termination of the Option to Joint Venture (OTJV) on the Cactus copper project in Arizona, as well as the termination of Nuton’s investor rights agreement with the company, effective immediately.
“We appreciate Rio Tinto’s endorsement of the Cactus project through Nuton’s initial investment and shareholding, together with the constructive joint work under the OTJV to study the potential of deploying Nuton technology at the Cactus project. It has been a productive relationship, and we look forward to continuing engagement and dialogue with a valued shareholder in Nuton-Rio Tinto,” said Arizona Sonoran Copper President and CEO George Ogilvie.
“We look forward to continuing the successful advancement of our standalone Cactus project. We anticipate the feasibility study and final permit amendments later this year, and a final investment decision is contemplated as early as 4Q 2026.”
The Cactus project, located on privately held land, contains a large-scale porphyry copper resource. A recent 2025 pre-feasibility study proposes a generational open-pit copper mine with robust economic returns.