The annual Survey of Mining Companies for 2013 conducted by the Fraser Institute, ranks Arizona 20th out of 112 jurisdictions worldwide, as a place to mine, based on perceptions by mining executives. In the previous survey, Arizona ranked 28th out of 96 jurisdictions (countries, states, and provinces). Wyoming (#5), Nevada (#8), Minnesota (#15), Utah (#16), and Michigan (#17) were the US states ranked higher than Arizona. Arizona pulled ahead of Alaska (#22) in 2013. Arizona's overall score rose dramatically from 76.2 from 64.2.Arizona's attractiveness based on our geology, rose to 25th in the world, up from a ranking of 29th-31st during the past 5 reviews. Arizona was ranked 27th in quality of its geologic database.
Arizona ranked 22nd in Investment Attractiveness, which is a combination of geologic attractiveness and a composite index that "measures the effects of government policy on attitudes toward exploration investment."
According to the public announcement, "Since 1997, the Fraser Institute has conducted an annual survey of mining and exploration companies to assess how mineral endowments and public policy factors such as taxation and regulation affect exploration investment. Survey results now represent the opinions of executives and exploration managers in mining and mining consulting companies operating around the world. The survey includes data on 112 jurisdictions worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica, including sub-national jurisdictions in Canada, Australia, the United States, and Argentina."
There is a tremendous amount to absorb from the 134 page report which I hope to cover in a subsequent post.
This is all good but how Arizona ranked as high as it did is a mystery to me in light of the Rosemont and Resolution debacles. And why should Arizona be so far behind Wyoming and Nevada?
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