What this place is
Collahuasi operates higher than almost any large mine on Earth, where the thin air limits how hard both people and diesel engines can work.
What comes out
Copper
The reddish metal that carries electricity better than anything except silver, and which humans have been smelting…
Molybdenum
A silvery metal added to steel so it keeps its strength at high temperature and under pressure.
Silver
The best electrical conductor there is, and the metal that has been used as money for longer than almost anything…
A “by-product” is a metal recovered because it happens to be in the same rock, not because anyone went looking for it. Its supply therefore follows the primary metal’s economics, not its own.
Who owns it
| Company | Role | Interest |
|---|---|---|
| Anglo American | Miner | Joint owner |
| Glencore | Miner | Joint owner |
As publicly reported by the operators. Ownership of large mines changes; verify against current company filings before relying on it.