Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Processing |
- Dewatering
- Crush & Screen plant
- Crush-and-stack plant
- Flotation
- Heap leach
- ROM/dump leach
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
|
Mine Life | 2044 |
One of Morenci’s concentrators, which has a milling capacity of approximately 50,000 metric tons of ore per day was restarted in July 2021 after being on care and maintenance status and is expected to resume operating at full capacity in early 2022. |
Source:
p. 11
Freeport owns a 72 percent undivided interest in Morenci, with the remaining 28 percent owned by Sumitomo Metal Mining Arizona, Inc. (15 percent) and SMM Morenci, Inc. (13 percent).
Summary:
The Morenci mine is a porphyry copper deposit that has oxide, secondary sulfide and primary sulfide mineralization. The predominant oxide copper mineral is chrysocolla. Chalcocite is the most important secondary copper sulfide mineral, with chalcopyrite as the dominant primary copper sulfide.
Summary:
Morenci is an open-pit copper mining complex that has been in continuous operation since 1939 and previously was mined through underground workings.
Morenci’s available mining fleet consists of one hundred and fifty-four 236-metric-ton haul trucks loaded by 13 electric shovels with bucket sizes ranging from 47 to 57 cubic meters. Morenci’s mining fleet is capable of moving an average of 815,000 metric tons of material per day.
Processing
- Dewatering
- Crush & Screen plant
- Crush-and-stack plant
- Flotation
- Heap leach
- ROM/dump leach
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
Source:
Summary:
The Morenci operation consists of two concentrators with a milling design capacity of 132,000 metric tons of ore per day, which produce copper and molybdenum concentrate; a 72,500 metric ton-per-day, crushed-ore leach pad and stacking system; a low-grade run-of-mine (ROM) leaching system; four SX plants; and three EW tank houses that produce copper cathode. Total EW tank house capacity is approximately 900 million pounds of copper per year.
Production:
Commodity | Product | Units | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Copper
|
Metal
|
M lbs
| ......  | ......  | ......  | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,100 | 1,060 |
Molybdenum
|
Metal in concentrate
|
M lbs
| ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  |
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Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Daily mining capacity
| ......  | ......  | 815,000 t | 815,000 t | 815,000 t | 815,000 t |
Daily milling capacity
| ......  | ......  | 132,000 t | 115,000 t | 115,000 t | 115,000 t |
Annual production capacity
| ......  | ......  | 900 M lbs of copper cathode | 900 M lbs of copper cathode | 900 M lbs of copper cathode | 900 M lbs of copper cathode |
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Reserves at December 31, 2021:
Mineral Reserves Cut-off grades: Mill - 0.21 % CuEq, Heap leach - 0.14 % CuEq, ROM leach - 0.03 % CuEq.
Mineral Resources Cut-off grades: Mill - 0.14 % CuEq, Heap leach - 0.02 % CuEq.
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
Heap leach
|
501 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.37 %
|
|
Proven
|
ROM leach
|
2,011 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.14 %
|
|
Proven
|
Sulphide
|
784 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.37 %
|
|
Proven
|
Sulphide
|
784 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.02 %
|
|
Probable
|
Heap leach
|
87 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.35 %
|
|
Probable
|
ROM leach
|
424 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.15 %
|
|
Probable
|
Sulphide
|
110 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.35 %
|
|
Probable
|
Sulphide
|
110 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.02 %
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
Heap leach
|
589 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.37 %
|
3.9 B lbs
|
Proven & Probable
|
ROM leach
|
2,435 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.14 %
|
2.8 B lbs
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide
|
894 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.37 %
|
5.9 B lbs
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide
|
894 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.02 %
|
0.15 B lbs
|
Measured
|
Heap leach
|
1,135 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.16 %
|
|
Measured
|
Sulphide
|
1,280 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.25 %
|
|
Measured
|
Sulphide
|
1,280 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.02 %
|
|
Indicated
|
Heap leach
|
898 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.16 %
|
|
Indicated
|
Sulphide
|
1,077 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.27 %
|
|
Indicated
|
Sulphide
|
1,077 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.02 %
|
|
Inferred
|
Heap leach
|
522 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.12 %
|
|
Inferred
|
Sulphide
|
570 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.27 %
|
|
Inferred
|
Sulphide
|
570 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.02 %
|
|
Total Resource
|
Heap leach
|
2,555 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.15 %
|
8.6 B lbs
|
Total Resource
|
Sulphide
|
2,928 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.26 %
|
16.8 B lbs
|
Total Resource
|
Sulphide
|
2,928 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.02 %
|
1.11 B lbs
|
Financials:
| Units | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Capital expenditures
|
M USD
| ......  | ......  | ......  | 300 |
158.3
|
106.9
|
351.4
|
Operating Income
|
M USD
| ......  | ......  | ......  | 1,082 |
1,196
|
1,588
|
640.3
|
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Heavy Mobile Equipment as of December 31, 2021:
HME Type | Size | Quantity |
Shovel (rope)
|
57 cu. m
|
.......................
|
Truck (haul)
|
236 t
|
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|
- Subscription is required.
Mine Management:
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- Subscription is required.
Staff:
Employees | Year |
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2021
|
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2020
|
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2019
|
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2017
|
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2015
|
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2014
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Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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Aerial view:
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