Name of the Mine
Quellaveco mine.

Location  
Moquegua region, Peru.

Mine Owner/s  
Anglo American and Mitsubishi Corporation.

Brief Description  
Quellaveco is one of the biggest undeveloped copper deposits in the world. The mine has a 36-year life-of-mine and produce 300 000 t/y of copper equivalent on average over the first ten years of operation.

Brief History  
The Quellaveco project was approved in 2019 and started operations in July 2022. Commercial production was achieved in June 2023.

Primary Metals/Minerals  
Copper.

Secondary Metals/Minerals  
Molybdenum.

Geology/Mineralisation  
Quellaveco is a porphyry copper/molybdenum orebody with an elongated mineralised zone.

Primary sulphide mineralisation dominates the deposit and is successively overlain by a secondary supergene copper mineralisation blanket. This is followed by low-grade copper-bearing oxides, which are capped by barren ignimbrites.

At least five stages of intrusion are recognised; the oldest intrusives correspond to regional granodiorite surrounding the main orebody. Three syn-mineralisation intrusions of monzonitic to dacitic composition host most of the mineralisation. All of these are cut by a suite of late post-mineral intrusives.

Reserves  
Total proven and probable reserves as at December 31, 2022, were estimated at 1.65-billion grading 0.53% copper and 0.016% molybdenum.

Resources  
Total measured and indicated resources as at December 31, 2022, were estimated at 680.4-million grading at 0.39% copper and 0.016% molybdenum. Inferred resources were estimated at 905.9-million tonnes grading 0.38%

Type of Mine
Openpit

Mining Method  
Openpit methods.

Major Infrastructure/Equipment
Quellaveco is fully digitalised and automated. All data is accessible and integrated in real time.

Prospects  
With the mine operational, the focus is now on completing the construction and commissioning of the coarse-particle recovery plant.

The mine uses Future Smart mining technologies such as coarse-particle recovery.

The mine includes a 127 500 t/d grinding plant, the Vizcachas water reservoir, automated haul trucks and drills, flotation circuits producing two separate copper and molybdenum concentrates

Contact Details
Anglo American
UK, tel +44 1723 470 010
Peru, tel +51 53 309300

Sources
Anglo American. Website: https://www.angloamerican.com

Anglo America. Video: Welcome to Quellaveco.

Anglo American. Ore reserves and mineral resources report 2022.

Anglo American. Interim results (July 17, 2023)