According to GlobalData, there are over 7983 surface mines in operation globally, of which 529 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 2022, according to GlobalData’s mining database.
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1. Cerro Verde Mine
The Cerro Verde Mine is a silver mining project in Arequipa, Peru. The brownfield project is owned by Freeport-McMoRan and is due to operate until 2052. The mine produced an estimated 165.24Mt of ROM in 2022. Buy the profile here.
2. Escondida Mine
The Escondida Mine is a silver mine owned by BHP. Located in Antofagasta, Chile, the greenfield mine produced approximately 136.83Mt of ROM in 2022. The expected mine closure date is 2078. Buy the profile here.
3. Serra Norte Mining Complex
Located in Para, Brazil, the Serra Norte Mining Complex is an iron ore mining project owned by Vale. The mine is expected to operate until 2038.
The greenfield mine produced an estimated 110.29Mt of ROM in 2022. Buy the profile here.
4. Cobre Panama Project
The Cobre Panama Project is a silver mine located in Colon, Panama. Owned by First Quantum Minerals, the greenfield project produced an estimated 101.7Mt of ROM in 2022.
The Cobre Panama Project will operate until 2055. Buy the profile here.
5. Collahuasi Mine
Owned by Glencore Plc, the Collahuasi Mine is a silver mine situated in Tarapaca, Chile. The mine is expected to operate until 2108.
The ROM production at the mine produced was approximately 82.2Mt of ROM in 2022. Buy the profile here.
6. Carajas Serra Sul S11D Project
The Carajas Serra Sul S11D Project is an iron ore mining project in Para, Brazil. The greenfield project is owned by Vale and is due to operate until 2062. The mine produced an estimated 76.45Mt of ROM in 2022. Buy the profile here.
7. Buenavista del Cobre Mine
The Buenavista del Cobre Mine is a silver mine owned by Grupo Mexico Sde CV. Located in Sonora, Mexico, the brownfield mine produced approximately 74.11Mt of ROM in 2022. Buy the profile here.
8. Itabira Mining Complex
Located in Minas Gerais, Brazil, the Itabira Mining Complex is an iron ore mining project owned by Vale. The mine is expected to operate until 2041.
The greenfield mine produced an estimated 68.35Mt of ROM in 2022. Buy the profile here.
9. La Caridad Mine
The La Caridad Mine is a silver mine located in Sonora, Mexico. Owned by Grupo Mexico Sde CV, the greenfield project produced an estimated 67.31Mt of ROM in 2022. Buy the profile here.
10. MVC Copper Project
Owned by Amerigo Resources, the MVC Copper Project is a copper mine situated in Cachapoal, Chile. The mine is expected to operate until 2037.
The ROM production at the mine produced was approximately 63.16Mt of ROM in 2022. Buy the profile here.
For more details on the latest mine sites, buy the latest mine-site profiles here.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
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.
