The Buenavista mine is an open mine found in cananea, Sonora Mexico. Its ore body is considered one of the world’s largest porphyry copper deposits. The mining process began in 1899 and its life span is expected to reach 2050(Major Mines & Projects | Buenavista Mine, n.d.).
The mining concessions for the Buenavista project spread over 93,706ha at an altitude of 1.9km above sea level.
The Buenavista mining district is situated on the southern part of the Cordilleran Orogenic Belt that stretches from southern Mexico to the north-western US. The geology of the Buenavista mining district is characterised by large, disseminated, porphyry copper deposits. The mineralised ore body at Buenavista measures 5km-long, 3km-wide, and extends more than 1km deep.
The Buenavista zinc project is in the north-western part of the Buenavista ore body. It is a skarn deposit hosting zinc, copper, silver, and lead sulphide mineralisation.
The Buenavista mine produced 965 million pounds (Mlbs) of copper in 2019 which accounted for approximately 44% of Southern Copper’s total copper production during the year. The mine also produces silver and molybdenum as by-products.
The company is also implementing a zinc project at Buenavista with an estimated investment of £315m ($413m). Scheduled for commissioning in the second half of 2022, the Buenavista zinc project is expected to produce 80,000 tonnes (t) of zinc a year and increase the annual copper production capacity of the mine by 20,000t(“Buenavista Copper Mine Expansion, Cananea, Sonora, Mexico,” n.d.).
Mexico’s Buenavista del Cobre mine is a true powerhouse in the copper industry, making a significant impact on global supply! What aspect of this immense operation, or its contribution to the copper market, do you find most notable? Share your insights!
Reference:
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Buenavista Copper Mine Expansion, Cananea, Sonora, Mexico. (n.d.). NS Energy. Retrieved July 2, 2025, from https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/buenavista-copper-mine-expansion/
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Major Mines & Projects | Buenavista Mine. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2, 2025, from https://miningdataonline.com/property/1092/Buenavista-Mine.aspx
