Mining Intelligence and News
United States

Chino Mine

Click for more information
Australia

Chino Mine

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

Address:

333 North Central Ave.
Phoenix
Arizona, United States
85004

Contacts:

Additional Resources for Suppliers & Investors

Categories

Summary

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Molybdenum
  • Gold
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotChino mine is an open-pit copper mining complex. 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.

In January 2024, Freeport’s approved construction of North Lampbright - perfect stockpile. For Freeport’s Chino mine in New Mexico, the project represents its first new leach stockpile in decades and the ability to see out its current life of mine; for the company, it’s an opportunity to apply decades of incremental improvements and upend longstanding copper recovery rates.

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

Lock

- subscription is required.

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

Lock

- subscription is required.

Mining Methods

Lock

- subscription is required.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Lock

- subscription is required.

EV - Electric

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

Lock

- subscription is required.

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.
CommodityUnits2024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Copper M lbs  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe175173215308314

Operational metrics

Metrics2024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Daily mining capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe235,000 t235,000 t235,000 t235,000 t235,000 t
Daily milling capacity  ....  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  ....  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 19, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 19, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 19, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 19, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Feb 19, 2025

Workforce

Total WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required 2024
...... Subscription required 2023
...... Subscription required 2022
...... Subscription required 2021
...... Subscription required 2020

Aerial view:

Lock

- subscription is required.