RG
Rick Gittleman
President
Fmr. Senior VP Freeport Africa; senior management team Tenke Fungurume; senior management copper group, Glencore. A.B., J.D.
The Processing GapAmerica mines the copper.
America mines the copper.
China smelts it.
“Treatment and refining charges collapsed to $0/t in 2026. A significant share of U.S.-mined copper concentrate is processed in China. Falcon Domestic Smelting and Refining is designed to change that.”
~50%
China's share of global
smelting & refining (ICSG, 2024)
smelting & refining (ICSG, 2024)
The Processing Chokepoint
China has deliberately consolidated smelting capacity. TC/RC charges at $0/t signal a strategic positioning, not a market equilibrium.
$0/t
Treatment & refining
charges in 2026
charges in 2026
TC/RC Collapse
When smelters pay nothing to process concentrate, the economics of shipping American ore to China become a national security question, not a commercial one.
4
Decades since the last
U.S. primary smelter was built
U.S. primary smelter was built
The Domestic Void
No major new-build primary copper smelter has been built in the United States in four decades. Falcon Domestic Smelting and Refining is advancing to close that gap.
The Arizona Smelter ProjectThe right site.
The right site.
The right technology.
The right moment.
Arizona produces approximately 70% of U.S. mine copper. The state has the geology, the rail infrastructure, the water rights framework, and the regulatory relationships that a large-scale smelting operation requires.
The project is being advanced on federal land, giving Falcon direct access to federal permitting pathways consistent with the FAST-41 framework and the priorities of the U.S.–Japan $550 billion Strategic Investment Framework announced in September 2025.
Engineering work is led by JGC Corporation, with Metso providing core flash-smelting technology. The leadership team carries direct operating experience from Freeport's Tenke Fungurume, Glencore Mutanda, and Barrick's Nevada Gold Mines.
Site Geography
Federal land, Arizona. The country's leading copper-producing state, responsible for ~70% of U.S. mine copper output in 2024.
Infrastructure Access
Rail connectivity, established power grid, and water rights framework appropriate for large-scale industrial processing.
Permitting Pathway
Federal land siting is consistent with FAST-41 project tracking and the U.S.–Japan Strategic Investment Framework priorities.
Output
Refined copper cathode, taking domestic mine concentrate through to finished product on U.S. soil and eliminating the Chinese processing dependency.
Project Partners
World-class engineering and technology partners.
EPC Integrator
JGC Corporation
One of the world's leading engineering, procurement, and construction firms, with an extensive track record in large-scale mineral processing and metals infrastructure. JGC is leading the engineering design and EPC integration for Falcon Domestic Smelting and Refining.
Core Smelting Technology
Metso
The global leader in flash smelting technology, which underpins the world's most efficient primary copper smelting operations. Metso's flash-smelting technology is the proven standard for large-scale primary copper processing.
Policy Alignment
U.S.–Japan Strategic Investment Framework
The $550 billion bilateral framework announced in September 2025 establishes the strategic priority for domestic copper processing investment consistent with the approach Falcon Domestic Smelting and Refining is advancing.
Read the ImperativeOperations LeadershipOperators who have
Operators who have
run this before.
Falcon Domestic Smelting and Refining is led by Rick Gittleman, Eric Best, and Mike Ciricillo. The operating team carries direct credits from the world's largest copper processing operations, including Freeport's Tenke Fungurume, Glencore Mutanda, and Barrick's Nevada Gold Mines.
EB
Eric Best
Executive Vice President
Fmr. President Freeport Africa (Tenke Fungurume); Fmr. CEO Nevada Copper; Fmr. Glencore Head of Global Copper Production.
MC
Mike Ciricillo
Executive Vice President
Fmr. Process Plant Manager Freeport Tenke Fungurume; Fmr. CEO Glencore Mutanda Mining; Fmr. GM Cortez District, Barrick.
The Falcon Platform
Explore the other two platforms.