We are the largest single mine copper producer in the world
Minera Escondida is the copper mine with the largest production in the world. In the year 2008, production reached 1,255,019 metric tons of fine copper, representing approximately 23,5 % of Chilean production
The Escondida deposit is located in the North of Chile, in the Atacama Desert, 170 km southeast of the city of Antofagasta, at an altitude of 3,100 meters above sea level. Productive operations began in 1990, and since October 2005 the Company also operates Escondida Norte, which is a second open pit located 5 km from the main pit.
Minera Escondida produces copper concentrate by means of the sulphide ore flotation process, and also produces copper cathodes using the oxide ore leaching and low-grade sulphide bio-leaching processes. The Company moves around 360 million tonnes of mineral annually.
The infrastructure consists of two open pit mines (Escondida and Escondida Norte), two concentrator plants (Laguna Seca and Los Colorados), an electro-winning plant to produce cathodes from oxide and sulphide ore, and two pipelines that transport copper concentrate from the mine to the filter plant, which is also owned by the Company and is located at the Port of Coloso, in the far south area of the city of Antofagasta. A seawater desalinization plant was recently built in that same area to supply part of the operation’s water consumption.
The development, start-up, and subsequent expansion phases of the Company (which have increased production capacity from 320,000 to more than 1,200,000 metric tons of fine copper annually) have not only been the natural result of having an enormous and rich field and applying modern technologies, but also mainly due to the technical capacity and vision of its people, who have developed this mega operation with special care being given to the various sustainability aspects of the business.
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