Oracle Mining Corp. (fka OMCCF)

[lmcat]

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) Pima County authorities are poised to allow a proposed copper mine to operate along the Catalina Mountains.

The Arizona Daily Star (http://bit.ly/M49iq5) reports county officials are scheduled to hold a public hearing Wednesday evening on whether to approve an air-quality permit for the Oracle Ridge Mine.

Ursula Kramer, director of the county's environmental quality department, says she expects to issue the permit. Kramer says the mine would emit few enough particulates to meet federal air-quality standards.

Officials say the Oracle Mine would create far less pollutants than the proposed Rosemont Mine, which was denied a permit last year.

Kramer says one reason is that Oracle Ridge would operate underground.

Parent company Oracle Mining Corp., based in Vancouver, Canada, plans to resume mining there in 2013 and employ 240 people.