Mining Intelligence and News
Chile

Spence Mine

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Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Molybdenum
  • Gold
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Spence mine is a part of Pampa Norte Operation. It produces copper cathodes and copper concentrate, with by-products including gold, silver and molybdenum.

In March 2024, Spence achieved fully autonomous mine haulage operations.

The Spence's concentrator plant modifications which commenced in August 2022 were completed in June 2024. BHP is exploring the application of leaching technologies at Spence.

As of Q2 2024, changes to the original Spence tailings storage facility (TSF) design were approved and are currently in execution.
Related AssetPampa Norte Operation

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnershipInvestor's Info
BHP Group Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Minera Spence S.A. (operator) 100 % Direct
Spence is 100% owned and operated by BHP.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Porphyry

Summary:

The Spence porphyry copper deposit is related to three stocks of dacitic porphyries and tourmaline-bearing hydrothermal breccias, which were emplaced in andesitic volcanic rocks of the Upper Cretaceous–Lower Tertiary. Laser 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages in magmatic biotites of pre- and post-mineralization dacitic stocks show evidence that hypogene mineralization (chalcopyrite, pyrite, molybdenite, and lesser amounts of bornite and tennantite) occurred between 56 and 57 Ma.

Unconsolidated gravel deposits and a leach cap cover an oxidation blanket characterized by atacamite, chrysocolla, and minor brochantite, in which the Cu-hydroxychloride is by far the dominating mineral. Underlying the oxide zone is a well-developed chalcocite- and lesser covellite-bearing supergene enrichment blanket.

Spence is enriched and oxidised porphyry copper deposit containing in situ copper oxide mineralisation that overlies a near-horizontal sequence of supergene sulphides, transitional sulphides and finally primary (hypogene) sulphide mineralisation.

Representative samples from pit walls and drill cores were selected in order to cover most of the hypogene and supergene zones, including chalcopyrite from the hypogene-enriched sulfides and hypogene zones, chalcocite from the supergene-enriched sulfides and hypogene-enriched blankets, chrysocolla from the oxide blankets, and atacamite from the oxide zone within the host rocks and gravels and leach cap.

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

CommodityProductUnits2024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Copper Cathode kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe171200190174171
Copper Metal in concentrate kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Molybdenum Metal in concentrate t  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Gold Metal in concentrate oz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Silver Metal in concentrate koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational metrics

Metrics2024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Annual production capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe200 kt of copper cathode200 kt of copper cathode200 kt of copper cathode200 kt of copper cathode200 kt of copper cathode
Total tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe82,513 kt89,976 kt93,442 kt88,188 kt90,151 kt
Tonnes milled  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe20,670 kt19,447 kt20,093 kt19,256 kt16,834 kt

Production Costs

CommodityUnits202420232022
Cash costs Copper USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Financials

Units202420232022
Revenue M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
EBITDA M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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AV - Autonomous

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 25, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 25, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 25, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 26, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Sep 25, 2024

Aerial view:

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