Minera Antucoya S.A. is a 70% subsidiary of Antofagasta, and holds the Antucoya operations. Marubeni Corporation, the Antofagasta’s 30% minority partner in Antucoya.
| Contractor | Contract | Description | Ref. Date | Expiry | Source |
|
Engie Energia Chile S.A.
|
Power supply
|
May, 2019 - Minera Antucoya has signed a long-term agreement with ENGIE Energia Chile SA. The new agreement, which will begin in January 2022 has a term of eleven years.
ENGIE Energía Chile will supply around 300GWh of power generated by renewable energy sources to Minera Antucoya each year.
January, 2022 - completed the transition of Antucoya to electricity generated exclusively from renewable sourced contract.
|
May 31, 2019
|
11
|
|
|
Schwager S.A.
|
Plant maintenance
|
The contract with Minera Antucoya consists of Spot support services to cover major maintenance needs in the areas of Primary Crushing, Secondary Crushing, Tertiary Crushing, Agglomerate, Stacking, Gravels and Wet Area, which provides support to the needs of Minera Antucoya, in order to comply with the Maintenance Plan for the year 2022 and 2023.
|
Dec 31, 2022
|
|
|
|
Sistema Eléctrico Nacional
|
Power supply
|
All operations of the Antofagasta are on the country’s main grid, the National Electrical System (Sistema Eléctrico Nacional, SEN).
|
Dec 31, 2023
|
|
|
Summary:
The Antucoya porphyry copper deposit is situated 120 km northeast of Antofagasta in the Early Cretaceous metallogenic belt of the Coastal Cordillera.
The mineralized system is related to granodioritic porphyry (Antucoya porphyry) and dacite porphyry (Buey Muerto porphyry). Late dacitic dikes intrude the former ore-related intrusions and Jurassic andesitic host rocks in a tectonic environment dominated by splays of the Atacama Fault System.
The principal mineralization constitutes a column 350 m thick, composed of atacamite, brochantite, Fe-Cu sulfates, Cubearing limonite, chrysocolla and black oxides, with rare chalcocite and covellite in a thin supergene enrichment blanket.
In the underlying hypogene zone, the mineralization is dominated by chalcopyrite>pyrite>bornite hosted by A- and B veins in potassic alteration, and in C-veins on the periphery of the porphyry intrusions. The pyrite/chalcopyrite ratio is greater in D-veins within a shallow phyllic zone. The Mo distribution is erratic and poorly characterized.
Reserves at December 31, 2023
The ore reserve cut-off grade is 0.16% copper, while the cut-off grade for mineral resources is 0.15% copper.
Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves.
| Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade |
|
Proven
|
438.9 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.32 %
|
|
Probable
|
287.7 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.28 %
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
726.5 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.31 %
|
|
Measured
|
460 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.32 %
|
|
Indicated
|
360.7 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.28 %
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
820.8 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.3 %
|
|
Inferred
|
280.5 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.25 %
|
|
Total Resource
|
1,101 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.29 %
|
Summary:
Antucoya is a low-grade, low strip-ratio, oxide deposit.
Conventional open-pit mining method with preliminary drilling and blasting operations is utilized for extraction oxide ore.
There are electric shovels and front-end loaders used for extraction-and-loading.
Comminution
Crushers and Mills
| Type | Model | Size | Power | Quantity |
|
Jaw crusher
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
Cone crusher
|
|
|
|
2
|
Summary:
There are three stages of crushing at the Antucoya processing plant, primary jaw crushing, secondary and tertiary cone crushing.
Processing
- Sulfuric acid (reagent)
- Crush-and-stack plant
- Heap leach
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
Summary:
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.
Solvent Extraction And Electrowinning
A process for extracting metal from an ore and producing pure metal. First the metal is leached into solution, the resulting solution is then purified in the solvent-extraction process before being treated in an electrochemical process (electrowinning) to recover cathode copper.
Recoveries & Grades:
| Commodity | Parameter | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|
Copper
|
Head Grade, %
| 0.34 ^ | 0.33 | 0.34 | 0.34 | 0.38 | 0.39 | 0.37 | 0.37 | 0.39 |
|
Copper
|
Recovery Rate, %
| | 67.9 | 69 | 69.1 | 73.7 | 74.6 | 71.6 | 73.7 | 70.6 |
Pipelines and Water Supply
| Type | Material | Diameter | Length | Description |
|
Water pipeline
|
|
|
~12 km
|
Sea water pipeline
|
Summary:
Antucoya has processes in place to manage and conserve freshwater.
Antucoya uses seawater in both mining and electrowinning plant. It also has reverse osmosis plant to produce drinking water for the camp. All the water used in camps and offices is collected for treatment in the wastewater treatment plant and is used to moisten our internal roads and the open pit loading area.
Antofagasta already only uses sea water for Antucoya operation. By 2025, Antofagasta expects 90% of mining operations’ water consumption will be recirculated or sea water.
The shared pipeline between Antucoya and Centinela is a major synergy.
Production
| Commodity | Units | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|
Copper
|
t
| 75,000-80,000 ^ | 77,800 | 79,200 | 78,600 | 79,300 | 71,900 | 72,200 | 80,500 | 66,200 |
All production numbers are expressed as cathode.
^ Guidance / Forecast.
Operational metrics
| Metrics | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|
Daily processing rate
| 88.6 kt | 89.4 kt | 85.5 kt | 76 kt | 66.5 kt | 74.7 kt | 79.7 kt | 67.6 kt |
|
Daily processing capacity
| 100,000 t | 100,000 t | 100,000 t | 100,000 t | 100,000 t | | | |
|
Waste
| 33,576,000 t | 25 Mt | 27 Mt | 23 Mt | 23 Mt | | | |
Production Costs
| | Commodity | Units | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|
Cash costs
|
Copper
|
USD
|
2.5 / lb ^
|
2.63 / lb
|
2.5 / lb
|
2.04 / lb
|
1.82 / lb
|
2.17 / lb
|
1.99 / lb
|
1.68 / lb
|
^ Guidance / Forecast.
Financials
| | Units | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|
Sustaining costs
|
M USD
| 88 | 58 | | |
|
|
|
|
Capital expenditures
|
M USD
| 122 | 67 | 62.7 | 44.6 |
50
|
65.7
|
78.2
|
|
Revenue
|
M USD
| 672.3 | 703.5 | 697.8 | 480.3 |
432.2
|
457.6
|
508.6
|
|
Operating Income
|
M USD
| 105.7 | 155.6 | 238.3 | 71.2 |
-5.9
|
62.9
|
131.2
|
|
Pre-tax Income
|
M USD
| 81.4 | 131.5 | 228 | 42.5 |
-47.7
|
11.4
|
85.1
|
|
After-tax Income
|
M USD
| 66.8 | 96.6 | 311.5 | 42.2 |
-47.9
|
27
|
|
|
EBITDA
|
M USD
| 215.1 | 261.2 | 337.1 | 165.8 |
86.3
|
141.6
|
207.3
|
|
Operating Cash Flow
|
M USD
| 209.7 | 162.1 | 295.3 | 147.3 |
73.8
|
80.8
|
240.7
|
Heavy Mobile Equipment
| HME Type | Model | Quantity |
|
Drill
|
Epiroc D65
|
1
|
|
Drill (blasthole)
|
Caterpillar MD6240
|
2
|
|
Loader (FEL)
|
LeTourneau L2350
|
1
|
|
Shovel (rope) - EV
|
P&H 4100 XPC
|
2
|
|
Truck (haul)
|
Komatsu 930E
|
10
|
EV - Electric
Personnel
| Job Title | Name | Profile | Ref. Date |
|
Chief Operating Officer
|
Patricio Mora
|
|
Jun 30, 2024
|
|
Drilling & Blasting Superintendent
|
Sergio Barrera Rojas
|
|
Jun 30, 2024
|
|
Logistics Manager
|
Cristian A.
|
|
Jun 4, 2024
|
|
Maintenance Manager
|
Alejandro Rojas Basoalto
|
|
Jun 30, 2024
|
|
Mine General Manager
|
Ivo Fadic
|
|
Jun 30, 2024
|
|
Mine Maintenance Superintendent
|
Miguel Angel Gonzalez Gaete
|
|
Jun 30, 2024
|
|
Mining Manager
|
Alex Calderon
|
|
Jun 30, 2024
|
|
Planning Manager
|
Sebastian Blanco Retamales
|
|
Jun 4, 2024
|
|
Planning Superintendent
|
Emapía Riveras Vergara
|
|
Jun 30, 2024
|
| Employees | Contractors | Year |
|
949
|
1,747
|
2023
|
|
894
|
1,309
|
2022
|
|
817
|
|
2021
|
|
798
|
|
2020
|
|
787
|
|
2019
|
|
786
|
|
2018
|
|
737
|
|
2017
|
|
726
|
|
2016
|
|
698
|
|
2015
|