Overview
| Stage | Production |
| Mine Type | Open Pit |
| Commodities |
|
| Mining Method |
|
| Production Start | ...  |
| Mine Life | 36 years (as of Jan 1, 2021) |
Los Bronces is one of the world’s largest copper mines.
23 April, 2022 - Anglo American plc is currently engaged in an environmental assessment process for its Los Bronces Integrated Project (LBIP) in Chile, a process which began in 2019. LBIP is a mine life extension project which expands the current open pit within Los Bronces’ operating site and replaces future lower grade ore by accessing higher grade ore from a new underground section of the mine. The project uses the mine’s existing processing facilities, optimises water efficiency, and requires no additional water or tailings storage facilities. |
Source:
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Los Bronces are operated by Anglo American Sur S.A. Its shareholders are Anglo American through Inversiones Anglo American Sur S.A. and Anglo American Clarent (UK) Ltd; Mitsubishi, through MC Resource Development Ltd. and Codelco and Mitsui, through Inversiones Mineras Becrux SpA.
50.1% Anglo; 29.5% Codelco and Mitsui JV; 20.4% Mitsubishi.
Contractors
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Deposit Type
- Porphyry
- Breccia pipe / Stockwork
- Hydrothermal
Summary:
The Los Bronces deposit is part of the Miocene Pliocene Río Blanco – Los Bronces porphyry copper system with mineralisation extends 9km from North to South and 3km from East to West. The deposit is open at depth and laterally.
The main ore body is a complex assemblage of hypogene copper-molybdenum sulphide breccia hosted mineralisation that was subsequently overprinted by surface-related supergene processes. The hypogene sulphide mineralisation shows a close relationship with the intrusion of porphyry dykes and sills, development of large-scale alteration zones, vein development, and breccia emplacement. The ore body is related to at least seven hydrothermal breccia pipes forming a large elliptic body of 2km in length, 0.7km wide and 1.0km in depth. The shape of the breccia system is ‘funnel-like’, characterised by sharp contacts with the host rocks in the upper part of the column and transitional at depths.
The host rocks are the volcanic sequence of the Farellones Formation and the plutonic rocks of the San Francisco Batholith which intrude the Farellones Formation. Copper mineralisation is associated with the emplacement of a complex system of porphyry intrusions (quartz monzonites and quartz monzodiorites) and hydrothermal breccias. Early copper and molybdenum mineralisation is hosted in the porphyry stock, in high-grade breccia bodies and is disseminated throughout the bordering country rocks.
Breccia-hosted mineralisation is typically a ........
Summary:
Los Bronces is an open-pit copper and moly mine.
Source:
Flow Sheet:
Summary:
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Production:
| Commodity | Product | Units | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|
Copper
|
Cathode
|
t
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 39,000 | 38,300 | 36,000 | 35,000 |
|
Copper
|
Metal in concentrate
|
t
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 330,500 | 270,000 | 271,200 | 366,700 |
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Operational Metrics:
| Metrics | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|
Ore tonnes mined
| ...... | ...... | 65,915,300 t | 59,207,400 t | 49,339,600 t | 51,109,700 t |
|
Tonnes processed
| ...... | ...... | 42,008,400 t | 50,583,000 t | 46,040,000 t | 47,697,000 t |
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Reserves at December 31, 2021:
Ore Reserves cut-off: Los Bronces (Flotation) 0.2%TCu, Los Bronces (Dump Leach) – 0.15%TCu.
Mineral Resources cut-off: Los Bronces (Flotation) – 0.2%TCu, Los Bronces (Dump Leach) – 0.15%TCu.
| Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
|
Proven & Probable
|
Leach Pad
|
481 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.28 %
|
1,325 kt
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide
|
1,275 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.55 %
|
6,975 kt
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide
|
1,275 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.014 %
|
178 kt
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
824.1 Mt
|
Copper
|
1.39 %
|
11,435 kt
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
Sulphide
|
2,495 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.45 %
|
11,130 kt
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
824.1 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.024 %
|
197 kt
|
|
Measured & Indicated
|
Sulphide
|
2,495 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.009 %
|
215 kt
|
|
Inferred
|
Leach Pad
|
3.7 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.24 %
|
9 kt
|
|
Inferred
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
3,322 Mt
|
Copper
|
1.06 %
|
35,216 kt
|
|
Inferred
|
Sulphide
|
132.7 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.49 %
|
650 kt
|
|
Inferred
|
In-Situ (UG)
|
3,322 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.024 %
|
197 kt
|
|
Inferred
|
Sulphide
|
132.7 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.013 %
|
17 kt
|
Source:
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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