Topmost Ten Copper Mines of the World in 2020

Kitco published the world’s top ten largest copper mines in 2020. The Escondida mine in Chile topped the list with an output of 1,156 kilotonnes. It must be noted that the BHP-run mine had reported copper production of 1,158 kilotonnes in 2019. The mine accounted for nearly 6% of the global copper production during the year. In second place was Collahuasi, Chile mine with an output of 629 kilotonnes. A major portion of the concentrate from the mine was sold to Chinese smelters for further refining. The world’s third largest copper mine was Morenci, USA. The output from the mine reported 3% decline year-on-year from 460 kilotonnes to 443 kilotonnes. The El Teniente, Chile- the world’s largest underground copper mine posted an output of 443 kilotonnes in 2020. The Southern Copper-owned Buenavista, Mexico copper mine’s output stood at 432 kilotonnes. In sixth place was Chuquicamata mine in Chile, whose output surged higher by 4% to 401 kilotonnes. The KGHM Polska Miedz Mining Hub, Poland comprising Rudna, Polkowice-Sieroszowice and Lubin primary copper mines produced 393 kilotonnes of copper. The others in the top-ten list along with their output (in ktonnes) are as follows: Antamina, Peru (378), Cerro Verde, Peru (372) and Grasberg, Indonesia (367).