The tonnage of ore extracted from the earth in a day is huge on the world’s largest mines — owned and operated by the majors of the trade.
Utilizing information compiled by Mining Intelligence, the newest prime ten checklist ranks the world’s largest mines measured by tens of millions of tonnes of ore mined, or the place no information is reported, milled throughout the first to 3rd quarters of 2022.
Notably, all of the mines on Mining Intelligence’s prime ten by throughput checklist are open-pit, excluding Grasberg in Indonesia, the place operations on the world’s second largest copper mine moved underground in 2020.
#1 Escondida
Commodity publicity: Copper, gold, silver// Geology: Porphyry, Supergene copper
The world’s largest copper mine, Escondida in Chile, ranks primary on the checklist with 97.4 million tonnes of ore by throughput. Escondida is operated by the world’s largest miner, BHP (NYSE: BHP; LSE: BHP; ASX: BHP), which is trying to avert a strike at a time of tight international provides and excessive costs.
#2 Cobre Panama
Commodity publicity: Copper, gold, Molybdenum, silver// Geology: Porphyry, Supergene copper
Second on the checklist is Cobre Panama, owned by First Quantum Minerals (TSX: FM), with 75.5 million tonnes of ore extracted. The Canadian miner may obtain a renewed contract for its flagship copper mine in Panama this month, the nation’s commerce and trade ministry mentioned, after a quick hold-off over royalty fee quantities.
#3 Collahuasi
Commodity publicity: Copper, gold, molybdenum, silver // Geology: Porphyry
Coming in third is Anglo American (LSE: AAL) and Glencore’s (LSE: GLEN) three way partnership, Collahuasi in Chile, with 64.2 million tonnes of ore by throughput. View 21 years of operations at Collahuasi compressed into 21 seconds right here.
#4 Buenavista
Commodity publicity: Copper, molybdenum, silver, zinc //Geology: Porphyry, Supergene copper
Southern Copper’s (NYSE: SCCO) Buenavista mine in Mexico ranks quantity 4 with 55.7 million tonnes of ore throughput. Southern Copper spent some US$1 billion increasing its flagship copper-molybdenum-zinc-silver mine 5 years in the past.
#5 Grasberg
Commodity publicity: Copper, gold, silver//Geology: porphyry, skarn
In fifth place is the Grasberg mine in Indonesia, a three way partnership between Inalum and Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) with 52.1 million tonnes of ore. When operations moved underground two years in the past, it almost doubled copper and gold output within the course of.
#6 Aktogay
Commodity publicity: Copper, gold, molybdenum, silver // Geology: Porphyry
Aktogay in Kazakhstan, owned by Kaz Minerals, ranks quantity six with 48.3 million tonnes of ore mined and milled.
#7 Fort Knox
Commodity publicity: Gold // Geology: Intrusion-related gold techniques
The Fort Knox mine in Alaska is in seventh place with 43.9 million tonnes of ore. Kinross Gold (TSX: Ok; NYSE: KGC) poured first gold from a brand new heap leach pad at Fort Knox final 12 months.
#8 Sentinel
Commodity publicity: Cobalt, copper, nickel//Geology: sediment hosted copper
The Sentinel mine in Zambia, owned by First Quantum Minerals, is ranked quantity eight with 41.5 million tonnes of mined and milled ore.
#9 Antamina
Commodity publicity: Copper, lead, molybdenum, silver, zinc // Geology: Skarn
Collectively owned by BHP and Glencore, Antamina, Peru’s second largest copper mine is in ninth place 40.1 million tonnes. This 12 months, the corporate introduced an growth mission that features investments of US$1.6 billion to increase the mine’s life, at the moment set to run out in 2028 — to 2036.
#10 Los Bronces
Commodity publicity: Copper, molybdenum// Geology: Porphyry
Rounding out the checklist is Anglo American’s Los Bronces mine in Chile with 33.6 million tonnes of throughput. This month, Anglo secured a provide settlement to satisfy virtually half the water necessities of Los Bronces with desalinated water from 2025.
Extra data is at Mining Intelligence.
