Mining Intelligence and News
Chile

El Abra Mine

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Australia

El Abra Mine

Location: 61 km N from Calama, Chile

Address:

Av. Chorrillos 1631, Edificio Business Park, Piso 6, Torre 1
Calama
Chile

Contacts:

Additional Resources for Suppliers & Investors

Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Molybdenum
  • Gold
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotEl Abra’s large sulfide would support a potential major mill project similar to the large-scale concentrator at Cerro Verde. Technical and economic studies continue to be evaluated to determine the optimal scope and timing for the sulfide project.

In parallel, as part of the permitting process for the potential expansion, Freeport-McMoRan is planning for a potential submission of an environmental impact statement during 2025.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Codelco Corp. 49 % Indirect
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. 51 % Indirect
Sociedad Contractual Minera El Abra (operator) 100 % Direct
Freeport-McMoRan Inc has a 51 percent ownership interest in El Abra, and the remaining 49 percent interest is held by the state-owned copper enterprise Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile.

Contractors

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SourceSource

Deposit type

  • Porphyry

Summary:

The El Abra mine is a porphyry copper deposit that has sulfide and oxide mineralization. The predominant primary sulfide copper minerals are bornite and chalcopyrite. There is a minor amount of secondary sulfide mineralization as chalcocite. The oxide copper minerals are chrysocolla and pseudomalachite. There are lesser amounts of copper bearing clays and tenorite.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

CommodityUnits202320222021202020192018201720162015
Copper M lbs  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe180200173220324
All production numbers are expressed as cathode.

Operational metrics

Metrics202320222021202020192018201720162015
Daily mining capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe216,000 t214,000 t214,000 t214,000 t214,000 t
Daily processing capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Annual production capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe500 M lbs of copper cathode500 M lbs of copper cathode500 M lbs of copper cathode500 M lbs of copper cathode500 M lbs of copper cathode

Production Costs

CommodityUnits20182017
Cash costs Copper USD 2.13 / lb **   2 / lb **  
** Net of By-Product.

Financials

Units20212020201920182017
Revenue M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 493.5   596.1   501.1  
After-tax Income M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe -26.1   20.8   31.3  

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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EV - Electric

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 26, 2024
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....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 26, 2024
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EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required 2023
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...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2021
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2020
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2019
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2018
...... Subscription required 2017
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...... Subscription required 2014

Aerial view:

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