Escondida history is characterized by continuous growth

Escondida was discovered on March 14, 1981 and construction of the project was initiated in August of 1988, with the task of removing sterile material. Approximately two years later, on November 3, 1990, the first batch of material was processed in the concentrator plant, and the first shipment of copper concentrate took place on December 31 of that same year. Escondida was officially inaugurated on March 14, 1991.

The principal milestones in the development and operation of Escondida are summarized below:

May 14, 1981 Discovery of the ore body.
August , 1988 Commencement of pre mine works.
November 3, 1990 Start-up of the Los Colorados concentrator plant (capacity for processing 35,000 tpd).
December 31, 1990 First concentrate shipment.
March 14, 1991 Official inaguration of the operations.
June 1993 Start-up of the Phase I expansion (capacity increased to 45,600 tpd).
March 1994 Start-up of the Phase II expansion (capacity increased to 54,600 tpd, plus the new ammonia concentrate leaching plant in Coloso, to produce 80,000 tons of cathodes per year).
May 1996 Completion of the Phase III expansion start-up (capacity increased to 105,000 tpd).
June 1998 Closing of the ammonia each plant in Coloso, as the expected production levels and cost were not archieved.
November 1998 Start-up of Phase 3.5, wich increased the treatment capacity to 120,000 tpd, and start-up of the Monturaqui well field water supply project.
December 1998 Start-up of the oxides plant with the capacity to produce 125,000 tons of cathodes.
March 2001 Operational improvements and expansion of the oxides plant to 150,000 tons of cathodes.
September 2002 Start-up of the Phase IV expansion (new Laguna Seca concentrator plant with the capacity to treat 110,000 tpd, and the new Laguna Seca Tailings clam where the tailings of both concentrator plants are deposited.
October 2005 Ore feed from the new Escondida Norte Pit.
June 2006 Start-up of the Sulphide Bio leach project, with the capacity to produce 180,000, tons of cathodes per year, and which includes the seawater desalirization plant at Coloso.

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