Anglo American Restructures Copper Mining Operations in South America
South African mining giant Anglo American continues to reorganize its copper mining activities across South America. One of the two copper mines at the Los Bronces complex in Chile has been temporarily closed for maintenance, as announced in late July 2024. The smaller Los Bronces mine, which contributes about 40% of the complex's total capacity, was shut down, leading to a reduction in overall production.
The closure has resulted in Los Bronces' output falling to 36,000 tons this year, which is a 20% decline compared to 2023. Total copper production from Anglo American's operations in the third quarter of 2024 dropped to 181,000 tons, representing a 13% decrease year-on-year. Despite the setbacks, the company still aims to achieve between 730,000 and 790,000 tons of copper production for the entire year.
Elsewhere, Anglo American is focusing on expanding operations at its Quellaveco mine in Peru, with expectations of increased production in the fourth quarter of 2024. The expansion will involve developing ore horizons and processing waste dumps, which should boost output.
The Los Bronces mines are also in the process of developing lower horizons with high ore hardness, a factor complicating current extraction efforts. Anglo American plans to utilize the sale of mined ore to support the expansion of capacity to new, shallower horizons with lower ore hardness. This expansion is expected to begin in early 2027, enhancing production efficiency.
