According to GlobalData, there are over 7925 surface mines in operation globally, of which 477 are in South and Central America. GlobalData tracks and profiles over 33,000 mines and projects from early exploration to closure, across more than 150 countries and more than 100 commodities. Buy the latest mine-site profiles here.
The following are the ten largest surface mining projects by production in South and Central America in 2023, according to GlobalData’s mining database.
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1. Buenavista del Cobre Mine
The Buenavista del Cobre Mine is a copper mining project in Sonora, Mexico. The brownfield project is owned by Grupo Mexico Sde CV. The mine produced an estimated 198.778Mt of ROM in 2023. It had an estimated production of 427.55 thousand tonnes of copper in 2023. Buy the profile here.
2. Cerro Verde Mine
The Cerro Verde Mine is a copper mine owned by Freeport-McMoRan. Located in Arequipa, Peru, the brownfield mine produced approximately 177.346Mt of ROM in 2023. It had an estimated production of 444.01 thousand tonnes of copper in 2023. The expected mine closure date is 2051. Buy the profile here.
3. Escondida Mine
Located in Antofagasta, Chile, the Escondida Mine is a copper mining project owned by BHP Group. The mine is expected to operate until 2078.
The greenfield mine produced an estimated 137.649Mt of ROM in 2023. It had an estimated production of 882.1 thousand tonnes of copper in the same year. Buy the profile here.
4. Serra Norte Mining Complex
The Serra Norte Mining Complex is an iron ore mine located in Para, Brazil. Owned by Vale, the greenfield project produced an estimated 106.898Mt of ROM in 2023.
The mine had an estimated production of 102.8 mtpa of iron ore in 2023. The Serra Norte Mining Complex will operate until 2038. Buy the profile here.
5. Radomiro Tomic Mine
Owned by Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile, the Radomiro Tomic Mine is a copper mine situated in Antofagasta, Chile. The mine is expected to operate until 2065.
The ROM production at the mine produced was approximately 86.185Mt of ROM in 2023. It had an estimated production of 290.14 thousand tonnes of copper in 2023. Buy the profile here.
6. Nechi Project
The Nechi Project is a gold mining project in Antioquia, Colombia. The greenfield project is owned by Mineros. The mine produced an estimated 77.88Mt of ROM in 2023. It had an estimated production of 88.74 thousand ounces of gold in 2023. Buy the profile here.
7. Carajas Serra Sul S11D Project
The Carajas Serra Sul S11D Project is an iron ore mine owned by Vale. Located in Para, Brazil, the greenfield mine produced approximately 76.667Mt of ROM in 2023. It had an estimated production of 76.67 mtpa of iron ore in 2023. The expected mine closure date is 2059. Buy the profile here.
8. MVC Copper Project
Located in Cachapoal, Chile, the MVC Copper Project is a copper mining project owned by Amerigo Resources. The mine is expected to operate until 2037.
The brownfield mine produced an estimated 67.669Mt of ROM in 2023. It had an estimated production of 28.26 thousand tonnes of copper in the same year. Buy the profile here.
9. La Caridad Mine
The La Caridad Mine is a copper mine located in Sonora, Mexico. Owned by Grupo Mexico Sde CV, the greenfield project produced an estimated 66.382Mt of ROM in 2023.
The mine had an estimated production of 119.96 thousand tonnes of copper in 2023. The La Caridad Mine will operate until 2082. Buy the profile here.
10. Centinela Mine Complex
Owned by Antofagasta Plc, the Centinela Mine Complex is a copper mine situated in Antofagasta, Chile. The mine is expected to operate until 2068.
The ROM production at the mine produced was approximately 65.415Mt of ROM in 2023. It had an estimated production of 242.5 thousand tonnes of copper in 2023. Buy the profile here.
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GlobalData’s Mining Intelligence Center tracks production, consumption, imports and exports of 17 key commodities across 60 countries, whilst its Mines & Projects Database tracks over 30,000 mines and projects with 200+ data fields for each, including production, operating costs, equipment and key mine-site contacts.
