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Peru

Cerro Verde Complex

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Molybdenum
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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SnapshotCerro Verde is an open-pit copper and molybdenum mining complex. Cerro Verde’s operation includes 2 concentrating facilities and SX/EW leaching facilities.

In 2023, Cerro Verde began to dismantle its crushed leach facility as a result of pit expansion but continues to utilize its 100,000-metric-ton-per-day ROM leach system.

Cerro Verde is located in a desert environment with rainfall averaging less than two inches per year and is in an active seismic zone.
Related Asset

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Compania de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. 19.58 % Indirect
SMM Cerro Verde Netherlands B.V. 21 % Indirect
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. 53.56 % Indirect
Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde S.A.A. (operator) 100 % Direct
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. has a 53.56% ownership interest in Cerro Verde mine, with the remaining 46.44% held by: SMM Cerro Verde Netherlands B.V. (21.0%), Compañia de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. (19.58%) and other stockholders whose Cerro Verde shares are publicly traded on the Lima Stock Exchange (5.86%).

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Porphyry

Summary:

The Cerro Verde mine is a porphyry copper deposit that has oxide and secondary sulfide mineralization, and primary sulfide mineralization. The predominant oxide copper minerals are brochantite, chrysocolla, malachite and copper “pitch.” Chalcocite and covellite are the most important secondary copper sulfide minerals. Chalcopyrite and molybdenite are the dominant primary sulfides.

The Cerro Verde mining district comprises a copper-molybdenum porphyry cluster that includes a series of deposits (CV, SR, and CN) which are related to calc-alkaline intrusions (dacite to monzonite porphyry) and quartz-tourmaline hydrothermal breccia bodies.

In general, these deposits are low grade and high tonnage, genetically related to igneous epizonal intrusions and characterized by multiple events from a parental magmatic chamber, which are distributed along the Incapuquio fault system corridor.

The three deposits are currently in production with each having similar characteristics. The deposits are differentiated by the level of erosion, alteration intensity and magmatic history.

The Cerro Verde mine encompasses the Cerro Verde (CV), Santa Rosa (SR), and Cerro Negro (CN) ore deposits.

The CV and SR deposits are located in the core of a gently folded west-northwest striking basement-cored anticline or southwest-tilted structural block. The anticlinal axis parallels the Tinajones fault system, a regional north 60-degree west to east-west striking fault zone/lineament. The influence of this structural zone is reflected in the copper grade distribution at depth.

A series of parallel north 60-degree east, steeply northwest dipping faults were mapped in the CV and SR pits. Copper contours at depth also define several north-south trends suggestive of underlying structural control. The general fault pattern in the district suggests a major left-lateral fault zone. No major offsets in copper grade contours have been noted, suggesting that post-mineral faulting was minor in the district. The northwest-trending and southwest-dipping Charcani Gneiss-Yarabamba Granodiorite contact played an important role in the localization of the productive porphyries in the Cerro Verde mine area.

In the Cerro Verde mining district, mineralization is directly linked to multiple igneous intrusive events. The resulting hypogene mineralization is dominantly chalcopyrite with minor bornite. Retrograde events resulted in a slight increase in chalcopyrite and precipitation of molybdenite. Supergene processes formed a profile containing zones of leached capping, oxide copper mineralization, chalcocite enrichment, and a mixed chalcocite-hypogene transition zone.

The majority of the oxide and secondary sulfide mineralization at CV and SR has already been mined.

The hypogene ore grade shell with a 0.2 percent total copper grade (TCu) is larger and has a greater horizontal to vertical aspect ratio at SR than the CV deposit. The grade shell at CV is more compact with a greater vertical component. Encompassing both deposits, this grade shell measures approximately 5.6 kilometers in length trending northwestsoutheast, 1.6 kilometers in width and 2.0 kilometers in depth, based on current drill hole lengths.

There are several breccia types at CV and SR that typically contain elevated copper grades. Mineralization associated with breccias is more prevalent at SR.

Lead, zinc, and arsenic are associated mainly with mineralized faults, veins, and breccias. These elements are included in the geologic modelling because elevated values in the copper concentrates can result in smelter penalties.

CN has very well-developed oxide mineralization. The predominant mineral is chrysocolla with lesser amounts of tenorite and malachite. Mineralization occurs mainly in fractures. Moderate amounts of specularite occur as a replacement of the matrix or as fragments in the tourmaline breccia.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Production

CommodityProductUnits202320222021202020192018201720162015
Copper Cathode M lbs  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe888882108105
Copper Metal in concentrate M lbs  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe9169629801,000439
Copper Concentrate kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe1,873
Molybdenum Metal in concentrate M lbs  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe292827217
Molybdenum Concentrate kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe24
Silver Metal in concentrate oz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe4,685,0924,555,1923,811,2923,773,9551,989,059

Operational metrics

Metrics202320222021202020192018201720162015
Daily mining capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe1,050,000 t975,000 t910,000 t735,000 t725,000 t
Annual production capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe200 M lbs of copper cathode200 M lbs of copper cathode200 M lbs of copper cathode200 M lbs of copper cathode200 M lbs of copper cathode
Tonnes processed  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe170,526 kt
Daily processing capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe548,500 t548,500 t
Waste  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe160,687,975 t

Production Costs

CommodityUnits2023202220212020201920182017
Cash costs Copper USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 1.57 / lb  
Cash costs Copper USD 1.67 / lb **   1.58 / lb **  
** Net of By-Product.

Financials

Units2023202220212020201920182017
Capital expenditures M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 433.2   410.8   152.8  
Revenue M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 2,890   3,054   3,203  
Operating Income M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 788.4   837.4   1,034  
Gross profit M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 935.3   1,043   1,435  
Pre-tax Income M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 688.5   444.9   835.9  
After-tax Income M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 390.4   119.7   349.9  

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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EV - Electric

Personnel

Mine Management

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EmployeesContractorsYear
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Aerial view:

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