Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Processing |
- Crush & Screen plant
- Flotation
- Dewatering
|
Production Start | 1976 |
Mine Life | 2038 |
Henderson mine is the largest primary producer of molybdenum in the world. Separated by the Continental Divide, the Henderson Mine and Mill are connected by one of the world’s longest conveyor systems, a 10 mile elevated belt that runs underneath the Continental Divide and emerges above ground for the final five miles. |
Source:
Freeport-McMoRan owns 100% of Henderson mine through its wholly-owned subsidiary Climax Molybdenum Company.
Contractors
Contractor | Contract | Description | Ref. Date | Expiry | Source |
Xcel Energy Inc.
|
Power supply
|
Henderson operations receive electrical power through long-term contracts with Xcel Energy.
|
Dec 31, 2022
|
|
|
Source:
Summary:
The Henderson mine is a porphyry molybdenum deposit with molybdenite as the primary sulfide mineral.
The Henderson deposit is composed of two partially overlapping ore bodies beneath the summit of Red Mountain. The ore bodies are entirely within a Tertiary rhyolite porphyry intrusive complex that has intruded the Precambrian Silver Plume granite. The mineralization is relatively continuous in the ore bodies and consists of molybdenite and quartz in random intersecting closely spaced veinlets.
Source:
Summary:
The Henderson operation consists of a large block-cave underground mining complex feeding a concentrator with a current capacity of approximately 32,000 metric tons per day. The available underground mining equipment fleet consists of fifteen 9-metric ton load-haul-dump (LHD) units and seven 73-metric ton haul trucks, which deliver ore to a gyratory crusher feeding a series of three overland conveyors to the mill stockpiles.
The Henderson mine is located in a mountainous region with the main access shaft at 3,180 meters above sea level. The main production levels are currently at elevations of 2,200 and 2,350 meters above sea level.
The Henderson mine and mill are connected by a 10-mile conveyor tunnel under the Continental Divide and an additional five-mile surface conveyor.
Source:

- subscription is required.
Processing
- Crush & Screen plant
- Flotation
- Dewatering
Source:
Summary:
Henderson has the capacity to produce approximately 15 million pounds of molybdenum per year. The majority of the molybdenum concentrate produced is shipped to our Fort Madison, Iowa, processing facility.
The mine and the Mill are connected by a fifteen-mile elevated belt that passes underneath the Continental Divide through an old train tunnel and then above ground to the mill. Molybdenite (the molybdenum containing mineral) is obtained from the ore by crushing, grinding, and flotation.
Production:
Commodity | Units | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Molybdenum
|
M lbs
| 12 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 10 |
All production numbers are expressed as metal in concentrate.
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Daily milling capacity
| 32,000 t | 32,000 t | 32,000 t | 32,000 t | 32,000 t | 32,000 t |
Annual production capacity
| 15 M lbs of molybdenum metal in concentrate | 15 M lbs of molybdenum metal in concentrate | 16 M lbs of molybdenum metal in concentrate | 18 M lbs of molybdenum metal in concentrate | 18 M lbs of molybdenum metal in concentrate | 35 M lbs of molybdenum metal in concentrate |
Reserves at December 31, 2022:
Cut-off grade for Mineral reserves is 0.13% Mo.
Cut-off grade for Mineral resources is 0.10% Mo.
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal | Recoverable Metal |
Proven
|
Sulphide
|
36 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.18 %
|
|
|
Probable
|
Sulphide
|
15 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.12 %
|
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide
|
51 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.16 %
|
B lbs
|
0.16 B lbs
|
Measured
|
Sulphide
|
75 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.15 %
|
|
|
Indicated
|
Sulphide
|
36 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.12 %
|
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
Sulphide
|
111 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.14 %
|
0.35 B lbs
|
|
Type | Material | Diameter | Length | Description |
Heavy Mobile Equipment as of December 31, 2022:
Source:
p.20
HME Type | Size | Quantity |
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD)
|
9 t
|
15
|
Truck (haul)
|
73 t
|
7
|
Mine Management:
Job Title | Name | Profile | Ref. Date |
Chief Geologist
|
Nyssa Loeppke
|
|
Mar 31, 2023
|
Health & Safety Manager
|
Andy Siersma
|
|
Mar 31, 2023
|
Mill Manager
|
Aaron Pietsch
|
|
Mar 31, 2023
|
Mine Manager
|
Dave Loring
|
|
Mar 31, 2023
|
Mine Production Superintendent
|
Josh Gresham
|
|
Mar 31, 2023
|
Sr. Mine Engineer
|
Dino Febiawan
|
|
Mar 31, 2023
|
Staff:
Total Workforce | Year |
360
|
2022
|
360
|
2021
|
383
|
2020
|
Corporate Filings & Presentations: