Name: Chino mine.
Location: The mine is located in Grant County, New Mexico, in the US, 24 km east of the historic mining community of Silver City.
Holding and Controlling Company: Freeport-McMoRan.
Brief Description: Chino is an openpit mining complex.
Brief History: The mine area was Originally mined by Native Americans and later by Spaniards. The openpit mine began production in 1910. The original concentrator went into operation in 1911, but was replaced by a new facility in 1982. A smelter was commissioned in 1939 and was modernised in 1985 to increase capacity and achieve compliance with the Clean Air Act. In 2005, the smelter was permanently closed.
Products: Copper and molybdenum concentrates.
Geology/Mineralisation: The Chino mine is a porphyry copper deposit with adjacent copper skarn deposits. There is leachable oxide and secondary sulphide mineralisation, and millable primary sulphide mineralisation. The predominant oxide copper mineral is chrysocolla. Chalcocite is the most important secondary copper sulphide mineral, and chalcopyrite and molybdenite the dominant primary sulphides.
Reserves: Total recoverable proven and probable reserves as December 31, 2017, were estimated at 226-million tonnes grading 0.47% copper.
Mining Method: Openpit.
Major Infrastructure and Equipment: The mine operates a 36 000 t/d concentrator that produces copper and molybdenum concentrates. It also has a 150 million pound-a-year solution extraction/electrowinning plant that produces copper cathode from solution generated by run-of-mine leaching.
Prospects: None stated.
Contact Person: Director investor relations David Joint.
Contact Details:
Freeport-McMoRan
Tel +1 602 366 8100
Email fcx_communications@fmi.com or mr@fmi.com
Website http://fcx.com/