Andina mine
Interactive map of Andina | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Valparaíso Region | |
| Country | Chile |
| Coordinates | 33°07′32.04″S 70°15′27.12″W / 33.1255667°S 70.2575333°W |
| Production | |
| Products | Copper |
| Production | 177,000 tonnes fine copper |
| Financial year | 2022 |
| History | |
| Opened | 1970 |
| Owner | |
| Company | Codelco |
Andina or División Andina is a copper mine in the Andes of Central Chile located in Valparaíso Region. The mine is located in mountanious terrain at altitudes of 3,700 to 4,200 m a.s.l. and is adjacent to Los Bronces mine at the border of the regions of Valparaíso and Santiago.[1] It is both an open-pit and underground mine.[1] The mine begun operations in 1970.[1] In 2022 it was estimated by Codelco that Andina had reserves of 36.8 million tons copper and Los Bronces 12.7 million tons copper.[2] By the same estimation the joint reserves of both mines had an average ore grade of 0.78% copper.[2] Andina mine export ore concentrates of c. 28% copper at the port of Ventanas.[2] The concentrates produced in Andina contain about 40% chalcopyrite, 20% chalcocite, 20% pyrite and 8% pyrrhotite.[A]
In 1971 Andina was the last active mine to be nationalized during the Allende government's nationalization of copper.[4]
Andina is owned by Codelco and Los Bronces is owned by Anglo American Sur, a joint venture where Codelco has an indirect stake of 20%.[1][5][6][7]
In February 2025 an agreement was signed between Codelco and Anglo American to integrate the operations of both mines.[8] As part of the agreement a joint mining plan is scheduled to run from 2030 to 2051 which is expected to lead to an additional annual production during that period of 120,000 tons copper shared between both mines.[8][B]
Notes
- ^ When dry and as weight percent.[3]
- ^ This increase represents 2.8% of the total Chilean copper production as of 2023.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d "Andina". Consejo Minero (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ a b c Becerra, Mauricio (2012-03-07). "Por qué la integración de Andina y Los Bronces favorece más a Anglo American que a Codelco". El Ciudadano (in Spanish).
- ^ Alvear Flores, Gerardo; Risopatrón, Carlos; Pease, Joe (2020). "Processing of Complex Materials in the Copper Industry: Challenges and Opportunities Ahead" (PDF). JOM. 72 (10): 3447–3461. doi:10.1007/s11837-020-04255-9. PMC 7338138. PMID 32837132.
- ^ Sutulov 1975, p. 51.
- ^ "Anglo American y Codelco Ponen Fin a Disputa por AAS". equipo-minero.com (in Spanish). 2012-09-04. Retrieved 2025-07-03.
- ^ "Codelco and Mitsui form a Joint Venture to Possess 29.5% of Anglo Sur S.A." Codelco. 2012-08-23. Retrieved 2025-07-03.
- ^ Anuario de estadisticas del cobre y otros minerales [Yearbook: Copper and Other Mineral Statistics: 2005 2024] (Report). Chilean Copper Commission. 2025.
- ^ a b c Martínez, Rodrigo (2025-02-20). "Anglo American y Codelco firman histórico Memorandum de Entendimiento para plan conjunto minero en el distrito Andina-Los Bronces". Diario Financiero (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-07-13.
- Bibliography
- Sutulov, Alexander (1975). "Antecedentes históricos de la producción de cobre en Chile". In Sutulov, Alexander (ed.). El Cobre Chileno (in Spanish). Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile. pp. 1–62.