Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
- Copper
- Molybdenum
- Gold
- Silver
|
Mining Method |
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 2047 |
In April 2020, operations at Chino were suspended in connection with revised operating plans in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During 2021, was restarted mining activities at Chino, which has continued to operate at approximately 50% of capacity. |
Source:
p. 4
Company | Interest | Ownership |
Freeport-McMoRan Inc.
|
100 %
|
Indirect
|
Freeport Minerals Corp.
(operator)
|
100 %
|
Direct
|
Freeport-McMoRan owns 100% of the Chino mine through its wholly-owned subsidiary Freeport Minerals Corp.
Contractors
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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.
Summary:
Chino mine is an open-pit copper mining complex that has been in operation since 1910.
The available mining fleet consists of eighteen 240-metric-ton haul trucks loaded by three electric shovels with bucket sizes ranging from 31 to 48 cubic meters, which are capable of moving an average of 180,000 metric tons of material per day.
The highest bench elevation is 2,250 meters above sea level and the ultimate pit bottom is expected to be 1,508 meters above sea level. The Chino operation encompasses approximately 125,100 acres, comprising 109,000 acres of fee lands and 16,100 acres of unpatented mining claims held on public mineral estate.
Source:
Summary:

- subscription is required.
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.
Commodity | Units | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Copper
|
M lbs
| ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | 173 | 215 | 308 |
Molybdenum
|
M lbs
| | | | | | | |
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Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Daily mining capacity
| ......  | ......  | 235,000 t | 235,000 t | 235,000 t | 235,000 t |
Daily milling capacity
| ......  | ......  | 36,000 t | 36,000 t | 36,000 t | 36,000 t |
Annual production capacity
| ......  | ......  | 150 M lbs of copper cathode | 150 M lbs of copper cathode | 150 M lbs of copper cathode | 150 M lbs of copper cathode |
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Reserves at December 31, 2022:
Mineral Reserves Cut-off grades are: Mill - 0.22 % CuEq; ROM leach - 0.07 % CuEq.
Mineral Resources Cut-off grades are: Mill - 0.13 % CuEq, ROM leach - 0.06 % CuEq.
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal | Recoverable Metal |
Proven & Probable
|
ROM leach
|
64 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.24 %
|
B lbs
|
0.2 B lbs
|
Proven & Probable
|
Stockpiles
|
1,782 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.25 %
|
B lbs
|
0.3 B lbs
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide
|
255 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.49 %
|
B lbs
|
2.2 B lbs
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide
|
255 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.04 g/t
|
M oz
|
0.3 M oz
|
Proven & Probable
|
Sulphide
|
255 Mt
|
Silver
|
0.89 g/t
|
M oz
|
5.7 M oz
|
Measured
|
ROM leach
|
23 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.2 %
|
|
|
Measured
|
Sulphide
|
387 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.32 %
|
|
|
Measured
|
Sulphide
|
387 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.02 %
|
|
|
Measured
|
Sulphide
|
387 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.03 g/t
|
|
|
Measured
|
Sulphide
|
387 Mt
|
Silver
|
0.57 g/t
|
|
|
Indicated
|
ROM leach
|
4 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.24 %
|
|
|
Indicated
|
Sulphide
|
246 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.35 %
|
|
|
Indicated
|
Sulphide
|
246 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.01 %
|
|
|
Indicated
|
Sulphide
|
246 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.03 g/t
|
|
|
Indicated
|
Sulphide
|
246 Mt
|
Silver
|
0.6 g/t
|
|
|
Inferred
|
ROM leach
|
6 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.24 %
|
|
|
Inferred
|
Sulphide
|
98 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.32 %
|
|
|
Inferred
|
Sulphide
|
98 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.01 %
|
|
|
Inferred
|
Sulphide
|
98 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.03 g/t
|
|
|
Inferred
|
Sulphide
|
98 Mt
|
Silver
|
0.6 g/t
|
|
|
Total Resource
|
ROM leach
|
33 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.22 %
|
0.2 B lbs
|
|
Total Resource
|
Sulphide
|
731 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.33 %
|
5.3 B lbs
|
|
Total Resource
|
Sulphide
|
731 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.01 %
|
0.2 B lbs
|
|
Total Resource
|
Sulphide
|
731 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.03 g/t
|
0.7 M oz
|
|
Total Resource
|
Sulphide
|
731 Mt
|
Silver
|
0.59 g/t
|
13.8 M oz
|
|
Pipelines and Water Supply
Source:

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Heavy Mobile Equipment as of December 31, 2022:
HME Type | Size | Quantity |
Shovel (rope)
|
|
.......................
|
Truck (haul)
|
240 t
|
.......................
|
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