The conversion of copper consists of a series of chemical, physical, and electrochemical processes. Methods have evolved and vary with country depending on the ore source, local environmental regulations, and other factors.As in all mining operations, the ore must usually be beneficiated (concentrated). To do this, the ore is crushed. Then it must be roasted to convert sulfides to oxides, which are smelted to produce matte. Finally, it undergoes various refining processes, the final one being electrolysis.
Meanwhile, a number of the world’s biggest mining companies appear to be placing bets on copper. Global mine production of copper increased from 2013 to 2014, with mines producing 270,000 additional tonnes last year. A rise in production volume, better grades and a number of new mines, ramp ups and expansions were enough to offset losses incurred from mine closures, lower grades and operational disruptions. Companies also combated lower yields, which accounted for two-thirds of total production losses.
Thomson Reuters GFMS release its Annual Copper survey – Copper 2015 – in which it predicts a continuing copper surplus and a 12% fall in average copper price for the year to $5975/tonne compared with 2014.
Here’s the top 10 copper mine in the world ( copper-producing companies ) , as outlined in this year’s Thomson Reuters GFMS Copper Survey.
1. Codelco ( Production: 1.84 million tonnes )
CODELCO (Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile or, in English, the National Copper Corporation of Chile) is a Chilean state owned copper mining company. It was formed in 1976 from foreign-owned copper companies that were nationalised in 1971
It is currently the largest copper producing company in the world and produced 1.66 million tonnes of copper in 2007, 11% of the world total. It owns the world's largest known copper reserves and resources. At the end of 2007 it had a total of reserves and resources of 118 million tonnes of copper in its mining plan, sufficient for more than 70 years of operation at current production rates. It also has additional identified resources of 208 million tonnes of copper, though one cannot say how much of this may prove economic.
Codelco's principal product is cathode copper. It is also one of the world's largest molybdenum producers, producing 27,857 fine metric tons in 2007, and is a large producer of rhenium, of which Chile is the world's largest producer. It also produces small amounts of gold and silver from refinery anode slimes, the residue from electro refining of copper.
Codelco increased its copper production in 2014 to 1.84 million tonnes. In 2013, the company produced 1.79 million tonnes. This growth has led the company to expect oversupply in 2015, at which time it will begin to slow down its shipments, according to a Bloomberg article from last November.
2. Freeport-McMoRan ( Production: 1.47 million tonnes )
Freeport-McMoRan Inc., (FMCG) often called simply Freeport, is one of the world's largest producers of copper and gold. Its headquarters are located in the Freeport-McMoRan Center in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. Freeport is the largest copper and molybdenum producer in the world. It mines and mills ores containing copper, gold, molybdenum, cobalt and silver for the world market. The company was formerly based in New Orleans, Louisiana, before moving to Phoenix, Arizona, after acquiring copper producer Phelps Dodge in 2007. In addition to Phelps Dodge, its subsidiaries include PT Freeport Indonesia, PT Irja Eastern Minerals and Atlantic Copper, S.A.
Freeport-McMoRan in 2014, producing 1.47 million tonnes compared to 1.535 million tonnes in 2013. One of the company’s assets is the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia, which is one of the largest copper deposits on the globe. Grasberg exported less material last year due to a concentrate export ban in Indonesia, and has also had to temporarily halt production this year due to worker protests.
3. Glencore ( Production: 1.296 million tonnes )
Glencore plc is an Anglo–Swiss multinational commodity trading and mining company headquartered in Baar, Switzerland, with its registered office in Saint Helier, Jersey. The company was created through a merger of Glencore with Xstrata on 2 May 2013
MINING and trading giant Glencore says it has cut about 570 jobs from its Queensland copper operations since acquiring Xstrata last year, as mine workers continue to feel the brunt of post-boom commodities prices and a focus on cost-cutting.
After the job cuts, the North Queensland operations, which include mines and a smelter at Mount Isa, the Ernest Henry mine near Cloncurry and a refinery at Townsville, has 2584 employees, including contractors. On top of the capital spending cuts, Glencore has closed down a small magnetite iron ore operation and open pit mining at Mount Margaret and streamlined its copper management structure.
Copper production rates have been maintained, Glencore said, highlighting 2013 production of contained copper. A major diversified miner, Glencore produced 1.296 million tonnes of copper in 2014, an increase over 2013′s total of 1.26 million tonnes The planned copper expansion in Australia will mainly come from the Ernest Henry underground caving mine, where a recent expansion is expected to double ore production to 6 million tonnes a year
4. BHP Billiton ( Production: 1.203 million tonnes )
BHP Billiton is an Anglo-Australian multinational mining, metals and petroleum company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. It is the world's largest mining company measured by 2013 revenues.
BHP Billiton was created in 2001 through the merger of the Australian Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (BHP) and the Anglo–Dutch Billiton plc. The result is a dual-listed company. The Australia-registered BHP Billiton Limited
BHP Billiton in production from 2013 to 2014, producing 1.205 million tonnes during the former and 1.203 million tonnes during the latter. The Australia-based producer had plans to improve production in 2015, but saw problems earlier this year at its Olympic Dam operation in Australia, forcing it to cut its production forecast by 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes.
5. Southern Copper ( Production: 665,000 tonnes )
5. Southern Copper ( Production: 665,000 tonnes )
Southern Copper Corporation is a mining company originally founded in 1952. The current incarnation Southern Copper can be traced to the 2005 acquisition of Mexican copper producer Minera México by Southern Peru Copper Corporation.
Currently, 75.1 percent of Southern Copper is owned by Mexican mining conglomerate Grupo México. Based on 2007 reserves data, Southern Copper is the world's largest publicly traded copper mining company and the largest copper mining company
In addition, the firm is the eighth largest copper smelting company. The firm ranks among the world's largest producers of molybdenum, silver, and zinc.
The company is a major producer and refiner of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, lead, and gold, and operates mines and smelters in Mexico and in Peru, in the Andes mountains southeast of Lima.
Southern Copper saw a gain in its copper production, putting out 635,000 tonnes in 2013 and 665,000 tonnes in 2014. The company, which is over 85-percent owned by Grupo Mexico, saw higher production at its Mexican operations - specifically the Buenavista mine - as well as improvements at its Peruvian operations.
The company believes it has the largest copper reserves in the industry. However, Southern Copper and Grupo Mexico got some bad press for environmental troubles at Buenavista mine this year - a toxic leak at the mine contaminated the Bacanuchi and Sonora rivers in Northern Mexico
6. Rio Tinto ( Production: 636,000 tonnes )
Rio Tinto Group is a British-Australian multinational metals and mining corporation with headquarters in London, United Kingdom, and a management office in Melbourne, Australia. The company was founded in 1873, when a multinational consortium of investors purchased a mine complex on the Rio Tinto river, in Huelva, Spain, from the Spanish government. Since then, the company has grown through a long series of mergers and acquisitions to place itself among the world leaders in the production of many commodities, including aluminium, iron ore, copper, uranium, coal, and diamonds.
Rio Tinto produce 636,000 tonnes of copper in 2014, an increase over the 587,000 tonnes it produced in 2013. One of the largest diversified mining companies in the world behind BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto got some good news regarding its Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia this May: after two years of setbacks due to disagreements over the project with the Mongolian government, the two parties came to an agreement to move it forward.
7. KGHM Polska Miedź ( Production: 506,000 tonnes )
KGHM Polska Miedź (KGHM Kombinat Górniczo-Hutniczy Miedzi Polish Copper) (WSE: KGH) is one of the largest producers of copper and silver in the world. The mining & metallurgy company is based in Poland in Lubin. KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. owns shares in 33 entities, operating in various production and service-related areas. Their vision is to become a major global copper producer by increasing copper production to approximately 700,000 tonnes, and to remain active in activities aimed at the local community by creating jobs and protecting the environment.
Poland’s KGHM has operations in Europe, North America and South America, and says that it holds over 37.5 million tonnes of copper ore resources worldwide. In 2014, the company produced 506,000 tonnes of copper compared to 531,000 tonnes in 2013.
Despite this decrease, the company is certain its production will continue to grow, increasing its ranking as one of the world’s top copper-producing companies. In January of this year, the company released an announcement highlighting its commitment to shifting its strategy.
8. Anglo American ( Production: 504,000 tonnes )
Anglo American plc is a multinational mining company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of platinum, with around 40% of world output, and a major producer of diamonds, copper, nickel, iron ore and metallurgical and thermal coal. It has operations in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America and South America. Anglo American produced less copper in 2013 than it did in 2014 - 516,000 tonnes and 504,000 tonnes, respectively. Anglo has already said that its Q1 2015 production was lower compared to the same period in 2015 (from 202,000 tonnes vs. 171,800 tonnes). The decrease was largely due to the fact that the company took one of its Los Bronces processing plants offline to manage water reserve levels.
Antofagasta plc is a Chilean business that operates in various sectors of the economy. It is one of the most important conglomerates of Chile with equity participation in Antofagasta Minerals, the railroad from Antofagasta to Bolivia, Aguas Antofagasta in Chile, Tethian in Australia and other investments in different parts from the world. Antofagasta is one of the major international copper producers with its activities concentrated mainly in Chile where it now operates four copper mines: Pelambres, Tesoro, Michilla and Esperanza.Antofagasta Minerals, is also active in mineral exploration in Chile and Peru.. Chilean copper mining company Antofagasta produced 455,000 tonnes of copper in 2014, a decrease from 2013′s total of 466,000 tonnes. However, according to a 2014 annual report released by the company, the loss was expected as the group focused on reducing costs and positioning itself for long-term growth. “The completion of the concentrator expansion at Centinela in 2015 will increase production there, and in our two mining districts we were advancing our Encuentro Oxides, Pelambres Incremental Expansion, and Centinela Second Concentrator projects,” Chairman Jean-Paul Lukasic said. With these advancements currently underway, the company expects to see considerable growth in copper production in coming years.
10. First Quantum Minerals ( Production: 380,000 tonnes )
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. is a Vancouver, British Columbia based mining and metals company whose principal activities include mineral exploration, development and mining. First Quantum Minerals Ltd. has grown from a small mineral operation in Zambia into a multinational mining business in less than two decades, with a global portfolio of copper and nickel assets in Europe, Africa, Australia and South America. This phenomenal growth is down to FQM people who have strived to be Bolder, Smarter and Driven in everything they do.
In March 2013, First Quantum Minerals acquired Inmet Mining Corporation, a Canadian-based mining company primarily producing copper and zinc from mines in Finland, Spain and Turkey, with a major copper deposit under development in Panama, known as Cobre Panama. The combination of the First Quantum and Inmet assets has created one of the world’s leading copper producers with a geographically diversified portfolio of high-quality operations and development projects in eight countries across five continents.
With a strategic plan to produce more than 1.3 million tonnes per annum of copper within five years, the Company is poised to become the largest, widely-held pure-play copper producer and one of the top five copper producers in the world.
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