The Mirador deposit is a multiphase porphyry Cu Au-Mo system, within which four intrusive pulses dated by the U-Pb zircon method at 41.3 + 0.4 to 38.4 + 0.7 Ma are currently recognized. These are: feldspar- and biotite-bearing granodioritic Mirador porphyry; dacite porphyry with biotite and quartz eyes; porphyritic granodiorite stock; and late dacite porphyry. The deposit occurs within the Domeyko fault system but is localized by a N65-80°W-trending fault, suggesting the possibility of a new structural system with potential to host porphyry copper deposits in the Centinela district. The porphyry system is emplaced into Jurassic calcareous shale and gypsum, giving rise to peripheral, locally mineralized skarn.

Four mineralization types are recognized: early porphyry Cu-Au with potassic alteration, EB, A and B veinlets, and hypogene chalcopyrite bornite-Au mineralization; Granodiorite stock with Cu-Mo mineralization, sericite-chlorite alteration, fine-grained disseminated sulfides and abundant molybdenite; Cu-Au-bearing garnet skarn with chalcopyrite-pyrite-magnetite; and hornfels and skarn displaying in situ oxidation, which is affected by gravitational collapse due to basal gypsum dissolution. Piedmont gravel and tectonic and solution-collapse breccias then channeled supergene copper-bearing solutions, leading to precipitation of chrysocolla, antofagastite and copper wad. The resultant high grade oxide copper ore is currently being exploited by Minera Centinela.

Fleet and mining equipment:

- Drilling:
- Atlas Copco Pit Viper PV351 production drill rigs
- Atlas Copco DMM3 production drill rigs
- Atlas Copco ROC L-8 down-the-hole crawler
- Atlas Copco ROC D560 surface drill rig
- Atlas Copco ROC D45 surface drill rig

- Loading:
- P&H 4100 XPC electric rope shovels
- Komatsu PC8000 diesel hydraulic shovels
- Komatsu PC5500 diesel hydraulic back hoe
- LeTorneau L2350HL front-end loader
- LeTorneau L1350HL front-end loader
- Caterpillar 994 Front-end loader

- Haulage:
- Caterpillar 797F / 797B haul trucks (360 tonnes)
- Komatsu 930SE haul trucks (330 tonnes)
- Caterpillar 793F / 793C haul trucks (230 tonnes)

Mined sulphide ore is milled to reduce its size before passing to flotation cells where it is upgraded to a concentrate containing some 25-35% copper. This concentrate is then shipped to a smelter operated by a third party and converted to copper metal.

Mined oxide ore is crushed, piled into heaps and then leached with sulphuric acid, producing a copper sulphate solution. This solution is then put through a solvent extraction and electrowinning (“SX-EW”) plant to produce copper cathodes, which are sold to fabricators around the world.