PHOENIX – In the run-up to a vote in the US House of Representatives which will determine the fate of a copper mine in eastern Arizona, a new poll commissioned by Resolution Copper and conducted by OH Predictive Insights (OHPI) finds that support for a mine in the region – such as the Resolution Copper mining project – is high, especially among those who are aware of copper’s importance in the transition to renewable energies and electric vehicles.
This Arizona Public Opinion Pulse (AZPOP) was conducted from September 7 – September 12, 2021 and surveyed 1,000 general population Arizonans (18+ YO) with a margin of error of ± 3.1%. The AZPOP provides regular updates on the moods, perceptions, and opinions of Arizonans on hot topics facing the state. Organizations and individuals of all industries and political affiliations have opportunities before each survey is deployed to add customized questions to the end of the survey.
In the attempt to develop a copper mine in eastern Arizona, emphasizing the importance of copper’s role in the transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles is instrumental in increasing support for the project. The survey finds that just 46% of Arizona adults have heard anything about copper’s role in the green energy debate. However, the more a person has heard about copper, the more likely they are to support the opening of an eastern Arizona mine.
Furthermore, after being informed about the degree to which renewable energy sources and electric vehicles rely on copper, 92% of adults in the state believe it is essential to develop new sources of copper – including one third of adults who consider it “extremely” important to do so.
“Considering that copper is one of Arizona’s famous Five C’s, it could be surprising to some that general awareness of copper’s capabilities and value is limited,” said Mike Noble, OHPI Chief of Research. “The good news is, once given context, Arizonans concede on the need for unearthing new sources of copper.”
Arizonans have not heard much about the role copper plays in renewable energy. Only 5% of adults in the state have heard ‘a great deal’ about the importance of the metal in this conversation, while more than half (54%) have heard nothing at all. Arizonans with a postgraduate degree (62% of whom have heard at least ‘a little’ about copper’s role), men (52%), and adults under the age of 55 (51%) have heard the most.
Awareness of the importance of copper in the transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles translates to support for the copper mine. More than eight in 10 (84%) Arizona adults who had heard a great deal about copper’s role support the opening of the copper mine in eastern Arizona. However, support falls the less a person has heard about copper. Three quarters of those who had heard a moderate amount about copper also support the mine. Support is even lower among those who have only heard some (50%), a little (62%), or nothing at all (50%). When attempting to garner support for the opening of the new mine, increasing knowledge around the importance of copper is not a bad place to start.
After being informed of the amount of copper in specific renewable energy sources and electric vehicles, belief in copper’s importance shoots up. Despite only 46% of Arizona adults having heard anything about the role copper will play in the “Green” economy, once presented with facts about the degree to which solar power and electric vehicles rely on copper, 92% of adults believe it is at least slightly important that the world find new sources of copper. This 92% includes 31% of adults who consider it “extremely important” and 27% who think it is “moderately important” to do so.
“Results of this survey exemplify the tried-and-true saying ‘knowledge – or in this case, awareness – is power.’ If Resolution Copper is seeking a green light from voters for their mining project, the data shows that educating the electorate on the gravity of copper’s role in the transition to greener energy should bolster support,” said Mike Noble, OHPI Chief of Research.
The groups most likely to believe in the importance of finding new sources of copper tend to be wealthier (73% of Arizona adults with an income of at least $100k believe it is extremely/moderately important), have at least a bachelor’s degree (65% of those with who have graduated college believe it is extremely/moderately important), and have young children (63% of those with children under the age of 18 believe it is extremely/moderately important).
Methodology: These questions were commissioned by Resolution Copper and added to OH Predictive Insights’ Arizona Public Opinion Pulse (AZPOP). This AZPOP was conducted as an online opt-in panel survey. The survey was completed by OH Predictive Insights from September 7th to September 12th, 2021, from an Arizona General (18+ YO) Population sample. The sample demographics were weighted to accurately reflect Arizona’s general population by gender, region, age, ethnicity, and educational attainment according to statistics from recent census data. The sample size was 1,000 completed surveys, with a MoE of ± 3.1%. This sample also contained a subset of Arizona Registered Voters. The registered voter sample demographics were weighted to accurately reflect Arizona’s registered voter population by gender, region, age, ethnicity, party affiliation, and educational attainment according to statistics from a voter file derived from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office as well as recent census data. The sample of registered voters was 882 completed surveys, with a MoE of ± 3.3%. Totals may not sum to 100%, due to rounding.
Note: The questions added to this survey were intended to gauge the relationship between Arizonans’ belief in the importance of copper in the renewable energy debate and Arizonans’ support for a copper mining project in eastern Arizona. The questions did not test opposition messaging to the mine.
The Arizona Public Opinion Pulse (AZPOP) is a statewide survey of Arizona residents (18+ YO), with a statistically significant sample of registered and likely voters included, that provides regular updates on the moods, perceptions, and opinions of Arizonans on hot topics facing the state. Organizations and individuals of all industries and political affiliations have opportunities before each survey is deployed to add customized questions to the end of the survey. The questions commissioned by Resolution Copper were added to the end of the survey and it cannot reasonably be assumed that previous questions in the survey had an effect on Resolution Copper’s questions, neither did Resolution Copper’s questions have an effect on the survey questions that came before it.
