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United States

Chino Mine

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Chino Mine

Location: 17 km E from Silver City, New Mexico, United States

Address:

333 North Central Ave.
Phoenix
Arizona, United States
85004

Contacts:

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Categories

Summary

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Molybdenum
  • Gold
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotChino copper mine stands as one of the oldest and most prolific copper mining operations in the United States.

The Chino operation consists of a concentrator that produces copper concentrate, and a SX/EW plant that produces copper cathode from solution generated by ROM leaching.

Operations update as of Q4 2025:
• Mill has been fully rebuilt and is running efficiently;
• New crusher is scheduled for installation, and infill drilling continues;
• New stockpile and SX plant expansion are designed to double copper recovery from leach material.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. 100 % Indirect
Freeport-McMoRan Chino Mines Comp. (operator) 100 % Direct
Freeport-McMoRan owns 100% of the Chino mine through its wholly-owned subsidiary Freeport-McMoRan Chino Mines Company.

Contractors

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SourceSource

Deposit type

  • Porphyry
  • Skarn

Summary:

The Chino mine is a porphyry copper deposit with adjacent copper skarn deposits. There is leachable oxide, secondary sulfide and millable primary sulfide mineralization. The predominant oxide copper mineral is chrysocolla. Chalcocite is the most important secondary copper sulfide mineral, and chalcopyrite and molybdenite the dominant primary sulfides.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Heavy Mobile Equipment

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EV - Electric

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Commodity Production

In April 2020, operations at Chino were suspended in connection with revised operating plans in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the first quarter 2021, Freeport-McMoRan restarted mining activities.
CommodityUnits20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Copper M lbs  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe175173215308314

Operational metrics

Metrics20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Daily mining capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe235,000 t235,000 t235,000 t235,000 t235,000 t
Daily milling capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe36,000 t of ore (in concentrator)36,000 t of ore (in concentrator)36,000 t of ore (in concentrator)36,000 t of ore (in concentrator)36,000 t of ore (in concentrator)
Annual production capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe150 M lbs of copper cathode150 M lbs of copper cathode150 M lbs of copper cathode150 M lbs of copper cathode150 M lbs of copper cathode

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 17, 2026
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 17, 2026
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 17, 2026
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 17, 2026
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 17, 2026

Workforce

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2025
...... Subscription required 2024
...... Subscription required 2023
...... Subscription required 2022
...... Subscription required 2021
...... Subscription required 2020

Aerial view:

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