Arizona mine closes; hundreds lose jobs

KINGMAN, Ariz. — Scores of workers were laid off at the Mineral Park mine about 12 miles north of Kingman. There was no statement or confirmation from Mercator Minerals but word of the layoffs spread from displaced workers.

Kingman Vice Mayor Mark Wimpee said he’d been told hundreds of employees were impacted by the layoffs that were announced Monday and effective immediately. Wimpee and Jen Miles, the Workforce Development Manager for Mohave County, said displaced workers surfaced quickly Monday to begin job searches with the city and county.

Miles said the county had not been able to pinpoint the number of workers being laid off. State Mine Inspector Joe Hart said the company notified his office that 350 workers were impacted by the decision to cease production and put the mine into a “care and maintenance” mode.

Hart said the company said expensive electricity was the primary reason for the shutdown of the copper, molybdenum and silver mine.

Both Wimpee and Miles said local government is trying to assist displaced workers. Miles said the county had already scheduled several two-hour training sessions next week to help laid-off miners find new jobs.