“Copper pitch,” what a peculiar name. Yet, here at Mina Cerro Verde, we’re standing on ground rich with it and other fascinating minerals. Cerro Verde is a very large copper mine. It lies about 20 miles southwest of Arequipa.
Cerro Verde represents one of Peru’s largest copper reserves. Indeed, it is one of the largest in the world. Estimated reserves reach 4.63 billion tonnes of ore. This ore grades at 0.4% copper. There are also 113.2 million ounces of silver here.
In the mid-1800s, Spaniards first mined high-grade copper oxide ore here. They shipped it all the way to Wales. Later, Anaconda Copper owned the property from 1916 until 1970. The Peruvian government then acquired the mine. In 1972, the government built one of the world’s first solution extraction/electrowinning plants here. This is also known as SX/EW.
Cyprus Amax purchased the operation in 1994. They invested in upgrading the mine. In late 1999, Phelps Dodge acquired Cyprus Amax. Then, in 2007, Freeport-McMoRan acquired Phelps Dodge. Today, Freeport owns 53.56% of Cerro Verde. Sumitomo Metal Mining owns 21%. Peruvian investors own the remaining 25.5%.
In 2015, a major expansion was completed. It allowed Cerro Verde to produce about 1 billion pounds of copper per year. Also, it can produce 23 million pounds of molybdenum. This places the mine among the top five copper producers globally.
Cerro Verde includes three concessions. These are Cerro Verde 1, 2, and 3. They consist of approximately 20,825 hectares. That includes the Santa Rosa, Cerro Verde, and Cerro Negro deposits.
The main oxide copper minerals include brochantite. Also present are chrysocolla, malachite, and copper pitch. Chalcopyrite and molybdenite are dominant primary sulfides. Chalcocite and covellite are important secondary copper sulfides.
Access to the orebody is through three vertical shafts and a decline. The mine has a 409,500 metric tons of ore per day concentrating facilities. Cerro Verde also operates SX/EW leaching facilities. These have a production capacity of about 200 million pounds of copper per year.
The mine moves an average of 417,400 metric tons of material per day. This is achieved using large haul trucks and shovels. The copper cathodes and concentrate are transported to the Pacific Port of Matarani. From there, they are shipped overseas.
Cerro Verde has significantly boosted Peru’s copper production. It ranks among the top five largest copper producers worldwide. In 2023, the mine produced 454,000 tons of copper.
Looking ahead, Cerro Verde expects to maintain an annual production average of around 450,000 tons. Mining activities are expected to continue until 2052. By then, existing reserves are expected to be exhausted. Cerro Verde stands as a testament to mining innovation and global resource management. Its story is etched in every ton of ore extracted.