The amount of tonnes of ore extracted from the earth in a day is vast at the world’s largest mines — owned and operated by the majors of the industry.
Using data compiled by Mining Intelligence, the latest top ten list ranks the world’s biggest mines measured by millions of tonnes (mt) of ore mined, or where no data is reported, milled during Q1-Q3 2022.
Notably, all the mines on Mining Intelligence’s top ten by throughput list are open-pit, with the exception of Grasberg in Indonesia, where operations at the world’s second largest copper mine moved underground in 2020.
#1 Escondida
Commodity exposure: Copper, gold, silver// Geology: Porphyry, Supergene copper
The world’s largest copper mine, Escondida in Chile, ranks number one on the list with 97.4 mt of ore by throughput. Escondida is operated by the world’s biggest miner, BHP, who is attempting to avert a strike at a time of tight global supplies and high prices.
#2 Cobre Panama
Commodity exposure: Copper, gold, Molybdenum, silver// Geology: Porphyry, Supergene copper
Second on the list is Cobre Panama, owned by First Quantum Minerals, with 75.5 mt of ore extracted. The Canadian miner could receive a renewed contract for its flagship copper mine in Panama this month, the country’s trade and industry ministry said, after a brief hold-off over royalty payment amounts.
#3 Collahuasi
Commodity exposure: Copper, gold, molybdenum, silver // Geology: Porphyry
Coming in third is Anglo American and Glencore’s joint venture, Collahuasi in Chile, with 64.2 mt of ore by throughput. View 21 years of operations at Collahuasi compressed into 21 seconds here.
#4 Buenavista
Commodity exposure: Copper, molybdenum, silver, zinc //Geology: Porphyry, Supergene copper
Southern Copper’s Buenavista mine in Mexico ranks number 4 with 55.7 mt of ore throughput. Southern Copper spent some $1 billion expanding its flagship copper-molybdenum-zinc-silver mine five years ago.
#5 Grasberg
Commodity exposure: Copper, gold, silver//Geology: porphyry, skarn
In fifth place is the Grasberg mine in Indonesia, a joint venture between Inalum and Freeport-McMoRan with 52.1 mt of ore. When operations moved underground two years ago, it nearly doubled copper and gold output in the process.
#6 Aktogay
Commodity exposure: Copper, gold, molybdenum, silver // Geology: Porphyry
Aktogay in Kazakhstan, owned by Kaz Minerals, ranks number six with 48.3 mt of ore mined and milled.
#7 Fort Knox
Commodity exposure: Gold // Geology: Intrusion-related gold systems
Fort Knox mine in Alaska is in seventh place with 43.9 mt of ore. Kinross poured first gold from a new heap leach pad at Fort Knox last year.
#8 Sentinel
Commodity exposure: Cobalt, copper, nickel//Geology: sediment hosted copper
Sentinel mine in Zambia, owned by First Quantum Minerals, is ranked number eight with 41.5 mt of mined and milled ore.
#9 Antamina
Commodity exposure: Copper, lead, molybdenum, silver, zinc // Geology: Skarn
Jointly owned by BHP and Glencore, Antamina, Peru’s second largest copper mine is in ninth place 40.1 mt. This year, the company announced an expansion project that includes investments of $1.6 billion to extend the mine’s life, currently set to expire in 2028 — to 2036.
#10 Los Bronces
Commodity exposure: Copper, molybdenum// Geology: Porphyry
Rounding out the list is Anglo American’s Los Bronces mine in Chile with 33.6 mt of throughput. This month, Anglo secured a supply agreement to meet almost half the water requirements of Los Bronces with desalinated water from 2025.
