Escondida

Escondida

Owner: Minera Escondida

Type of Mine: Copper

Location: Atacama Desert, Chile

Built: 1990

Escondida produces the most copper annually than any other site in the world.  In 2007 Minera Escondida produced 1.5 million tons worth $10 billion dollars.  The mine’s construction began after an exploration program found that the copper belt was likely to have copper deposits similar to that of the Chiquicamata site just 300 kms away.

Image courtesy of NASA, Earth Observatory; Escondida copper mine, 23 April 2000

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