Morenci is a place recognized by the census and a company town in Greenlee County, Arizona, United States. It was founded by the Detroit Copper Mining Company of Arizona. The population was 2,000 in the year 2000 and 1,489 in 2010. The largest employer in Morenci and nearby Clifton is Freeport-McMoRan, which also owns the town. Freeport-McMoRan operates the Morenci Mine, the largest copper mining operation in North America and one of the largest copper mines globally. The town was the location of the Arizona Copper Mine Strike in 1983. The large open-pit mine is located north of the town.

Geography

Morenci is located in central Greenlee County, on the northeastern edge of Clifton, which is the county seat. U.S. Route 191, also known as the Coronado Trail, runs through the northern part of Morenci. This road leads east and downhill to Clifton and continues north through the Apache National Forest for 117 miles (188 km) to Eagar.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Morenci CDP covers an area of 0.98 square miles (2.55 km²). Of this, 0.96 square miles (2.49 km²) is land, and 0.02 square miles (0.06 km²), or 2.23%, is water.

This area has hot and dry summers, with average high temperatures above 80°F for seven months each year. Morenci’s climate is classified as a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, labeled "Csb" on climate maps according to the Köppen Climate Classification system.

Demographics

As of the 2000 census, there were 1,879 people, 672 households, and 454 families living in the CDP. The population density was 2,317.4 people per square mile (894.8 per square kilometer). There were 754 housing units, with an average density of 929.9 per square mile (359.0 per square kilometer). The racial makeup of the CDP included 68.0% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 2.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 25.0% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. Additionally, 44.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Out of the 672 households, 45.7% had children under 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder without a husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. Thirty percent of all households consisted of individuals, and 0.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.80 people, and the average family size was 3.55 people.

The population was distributed as follows: 35.6% were under 18 years old, 7.2% were between 18 and 24 years old, 34.4% were between 25 and 44 years old, 22.1% were between 45 and 64 years old, and 0.6% were 65 years or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 119.0 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 128.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $46,010, and the median income for a family was $54,583. Males had a median income of $41,875, while females had a median income of $26,063. The per capita income for the CDP was $18,695. Approximately 2.7% of families and 3.0% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under 18 years old and none of those 65 years or older.

Economy

The economy of Morenci and the surrounding area mostly depends on the Morenci Mine. Between 2003 and 2008, rising global copper prices caused the mine to double its workforce to 4,000 employees and increase production by 55 percent, reaching an average of one million tons of ore per day.

This growth led to the construction of several hundred new homes, which boosted the local construction industry. All homes in Morenci, whether new or old, are still owned by Freeport-McMoRan.

• One of the active pits at the Morenci Mine. The horizontal shelves are mining benches. The fan-like slopes are leached material, placed into mined-out areas of the pit.
• This Porter 0-4-0 is an 18" gauge locomotive that was used for copper mining in Morenci. It is now displayed at the Sahuaro Central Railroad Museum in Glendale, Arizona.
• Old Morenci Concentrator, 1942
• Malachite and azurite from the Morenci Mine, which are often collected by mineral enthusiasts.
• Azurite from Morenci.

Notable people

• Ettore DeGrazia, a painter who creates art in the Southwestern style
• Christine Nofchissey McHorse, a Diné artist who makes pottery and carves sculptures

In popular culture

Morenci is shown in HBO's TV series The Gilded Age. The show includes a story about buying land in the area for a railroad.