Overview
| Status | Temporary Suspension |
| Mine Type | Open Pit |
| Commodities |
- Copper
- Molybdenum
- Gold
- Silver
|
| Mining Method |
|
| Processing |
- Flotation
- ROM/dump leach
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
|
| Mine Life | 2034 |
In April 2020, operations at Chino were suspended in connection with our revised operating plans in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A review of options for restarting Chino operations was completed in the second half of 2020, and in January 2021, we restarted mining activities at the Chino mine at a reduced rate of approximately 100 million pounds of copper per year (approximately 50 percent capacity). |
| Latest News | Freeport-McMoRan Reports Third-Quarter and Nine-Month 2020 Results October 22, 2020 |
Source:
p. 4, 178
| Company | Interest | Ownership |
|
Freeport-McMoRan Inc.
|
100 %
|
Indirect
|
|
Freeport Minerals Corp.
(operator)
|
100 %
|
Direct
|
Freeport Minerals Corporation (FMC) operates seven open-pit copper mines in North America – Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita and Miami in Arizona, and Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico.
Summary:
The Chino mine is a porphyry copper deposit with adjacent copper skarn deposits. There is leachable oxide and secondary sulfide mineralization, 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:
The available mining fleet consists of thirty-five 240-metric ton haul trucks loaded by four shovels with bucket sizes ranging from 31 to 48 cubic meters, which are capable of moving an average of 235,000 metric tons of material per day.
Processing
- Flotation
- ROM/dump leach
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
Source:
Summary:
The Chino operation consists of a 36,000 metric ton-per-day concentrator that produces copper and molybdenum concentrate, and a 150 million pound-per-year SX/EW plant that produces copper cathode from solution generated by ROM leaching.
Reserves at December 31, 2019:
| Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Recoverable Metal |
|
Proven
|
ROM leach
|
91 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.32 %
|
|
|
Proven
|
Mill / Sulphide
|
146 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.52 %
|
|
|
Proven
|
Mill / Sulphide
|
146 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.01 %
|
|
|
Proven
|
Mill / Sulphide
|
146 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.05 g/t
|
|
|
Proven
|
Mill / Sulphide
|
146 Mt
|
Silver
|
0.94 g/t
|
|
|
Probable
|
ROM leach
|
8 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.32 %
|
|
|
Probable
|
Mill / Sulphide
|
79 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.49 %
|
|
|
Probable
|
Mill / Sulphide
|
79 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.01 %
|
|
|
Probable
|
Mill / Sulphide
|
79 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.04 g/t
|
|
|
Probable
|
Mill / Sulphide
|
79 Mt
|
Silver
|
0.85 g/t
|
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
ROM leach
|
100 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.32 %
|
0.3 B lbs
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
Mill / Sulphide
|
224 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.51 %
|
2 B lbs
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
Mill / Sulphide
|
224 Mt
|
Molybdenum
|
0.01 %
|
0.01 B lbs
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
Mill / Sulphide
|
224 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.05 g/t
|
0.3 M oz
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
Mill / Sulphide
|
224 Mt
|
Silver
|
0.91 g/t
|
5.1 M oz
|
Heavy Mobile Equipment as of December 31, 2020:
| HME Type | Size | Quantity |
|
Shovel
|
48 cu. m
|
4
|
|
Truck (haul)
|
240 t
|
35
|
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