Escondida Mine in Antofagasta, Chile, was the largest surface copper-producing mine in the South and Central America region, producing approximately 1,011 thousand tonnes of copper and an estimated 141.81 million metric tons per annum (mmtpa) of Run-of-Mine (ROM) in 2021. The Escondida Mine is owned by BHP, and is due to operate until 2078. The second largest surface copper-producing mine with an estimated production of 630 thousand tonnes of copper and approximately 102.43 mmtpa of ROM, was the Collahuasi Mine located in Tarapaca, Chile. The Collahuasi Mine is owned by Glencore Plc, and is due to operate until 2088.
Cerro Verde Mine located in Arequipa, Peru was the third-largest mine, the Las Bambas Project located in Apurimac, Peru was the fourth-largest mine, and the Buenavista del Cobre Mine located in Sonora, Mexico was the fifth-largest mine, with an estimated copper production of 402.3 thousand tonnes, 383.6 thousand tonnes and 327.3 thousand tonnes, respectively, in 2021. The Cerro Verde Mine, the Las Bambas Project and the Buenavista del Cobre Mine had an estimated ROM production of 162.25 mmtpa, 59.88 mmtpa and 73.35 mmtpa respectively. The Cerro Verde Mine is owned by Freeport-McMoRan Inc which is due to operate until 2051, the Las Bambas Project is owned by China Minmetals Corp which is due to operate until 2038 and the Buenavista del Cobre Mine is owned by Grupo Mexico SAB de CV which is due to operate until 2051.
The five largest copper mines, i.e., Escondida Mine, Collahuasi Mine, Cerro Verde Mine, Las Bambas Project, and Buenavista del Cobre Mine, cumulatively produced approximately 2,754.2 thousand tonnes of copper, 539.72 mmtpa of ROM in 2021.
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