Located at approximately 52 kilometers northwest of Espinar in Peru, the Constancia Mine represents a premier facility in the South American mining landscape, distinguished by its position as one of the lowest-cost open-pit sulphide copper mines in South America. The facility is wholly owned and operated by Hudbay Minerals and incorporates the Constancia and Pampacancha deposits, which are geologically defined as porphyry and epithermal deposits, respectively, and are mined conventionally from an open-pit mine to supply a significant processing facility with a nameplate capacity of 31.4 million tonnes per annum.
The production capability of the facility was substantial in 2024, reflecting its considerable contribution to global metals production. Through the processing of 29.5 million tonnes of ore, the facility successfully produced 99 thousand tonnes of copper, in addition to substantial quantities of by-product metals such as 3.1 tonnes of gold, 84 tonnes of silver, and 1.3 thousand tonnes of molybdenum. This production is enabled by a flotation concentration process that maintains an average copper recovery rate of 86%, which highlights the effectiveness of the metallurgical plant in extracting value from mined materials.
Constancia has a solid financial foundation due to its rich mineral endowment and remarkably low operating costs. The mine has significant copper reserves that contain copper grades as well as considerable amounts of gold, silver, and molybdenum. The copper reserves comprise about 1.65 million tonnes of copper grades averaging 0.31% copper content. These reserves have the support of the mine’s significant copper resource base, which is classified as measured, indicated, and inferred copper reserves. This has allowed the mine to enjoy remarkably low operating costs, with copper prices standing at about $1.18 per pound.
To cut it short, the Constancia Mine is an essential part of the portfolio that Hudbay Minerals Inc. has to offer its customers and the world at large. The mine’s successful integration with the Pampacancha deposit has allowed it to have a sharp production profile and mine life, making it a significant source of essential minerals that the world needs. The mine has a high-throughput processing facility and has the longest mine life, making it an essential part of the regional economy in the south of Peru.
