Lists of copper mines in the United States

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Mines producing copper in the US in 2003. (Alaska and Hawaii produced no copper in 2003.) Source:USGS

The following lists of copper mines in the United States:

Leading copper-producing mines[edit]

Leading copper-producing mines in the U.S. in 2015, in order of output:[1] The mines on this list accounted for more than 99% of U.S. mine production in 2015.

Rank Mine County and State Operator Source of copper Capacity (thousands of metric tons)
1 Morenci Greenlee County, Arizona Freeport-McMoRan Copper-molybdenum ore, concentrated and leached 480
2 El Chino Grant County, New Mexico Freeport-McMoRan Copper-molybdenum ore, concentrated and leached 130
3 Safford Graham County, Arizona Freeport-McMoRan Copper ore, leached 110
4 Bagdad Yavapai County, Arizona Freeport-McMoRan Copper-molybdenum ore, concentrated and leached 100
5 Bingham Canyon Salt Lake County, Utah Rio Tinto: Kennecott Utah Copper Corp.(wholly owned subsidiary) Copper-molybdenum ore, concentrated 280
6 Sierrita Pima County, Arizona Freeport-McMoRan Copper-molybdenum ore, concentrated and leached 80
7 Ray Pinal County, Arizona ASARCO Copper ore, concentrated and leached 150
8 Pinto Valley Gila County, Arizona Capstone Mining Corp. Copper-molybdenum ore, concentrated and leached 60
9 Mission Complex Pima County, Arizona ASARCO Copper-molybdenum ore, concentrated 150
10 Robinson White Pine County, Nevada Robinson Nevada Mining Co. Copper-molybdenum ore, concentrated 60
11 Tyrone Grant County, New Mexico Freeport-McMoRan Copper ore, leached 45
12 Continental Pit Silver Bow County, Montana Montana Resources LLP Copper-molybdenum ore, concentrated 40
13 Eagle Mine Marquette County, Michigan Lundin Mining Nickel-copper ore, concentrated 25
14 Phoenix Lander County, Nevada Newmont Mining Corporation Gold-copper ore, concentrated and leached 25
15 Miami Gila County, Arizona Freeport-McMoRan Copper ore, leached 90
16 Silver Bell Pima County, Arizona ASARCO Copper ore, leached 25
17 Carlota Gila County, Arizona KGHM International, Ltd. Copper ore, leached 10
18 Lisbon Valley San Juan County, Utah Lisbon Valley Mining Company Copper ore, leached 10

Other copper-producing mines[edit]

Mine County and State Operator Type of Deposit Annual Capacity (metric tons)
Mineral Park Mohave County, Arizona Mercator Minerals 4900[2]
Tohono Pinal County, Arizona Freeport-McMoRan 1360[3]
Johnson Camp Cochise County, Arizona Nord Resources Began production January 2008[2]

Copper-mining projects not yet in production[edit]

Mine County (Borough) and State Operator Type of Deposit Status
Pebble Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska Pebble Mines Corp. Porphyry copper Planning
Rosemont Pima County, Arizona Hudbay Minerals Porphyry Skarn Plan of operations filed with US Forest Service[4]
Resolution Copper Pinal County, Arizona Rio Tinto Group 55% and BHP Billiton 45% Operation stalled pending proposed land swap with federal government[2]
Northmet St. Louis County, Minnesota Polymet Mining Copper-Nickel-Platinum State and federal permits applied for an open-pit mine[5]
Rocky-Beaver Lake Beaver County, Utah Copper King Mining Porphyry Expected to start production in 2008[6]

Inactive or defunct copper mines[edit]

There are hundreds of inactive or defunct copper mines in the United States. The list below includes only those with Wikipedia articles.

Mine County and State Operator Type of Deposit Status
Copper Queen Bisbee, Cochise County, Arizona Phelps Dodge Manto (replacement) in limestone Mining stopped in 1975; now open for tours
Lavender Pit Bisbee, Cochise County, Arizona Phelps Dodge Porphyry copper Closed in 1974
New Cornelia Ajo, Pima County, Arizona Phelps Dodge Porphyry copper Inactive since 1983
Iron Mountain Shasta County, California Volcanogenic massive sulfide Operated 1860s to 1963; now a superfund site
Minesota Ontonagon County, Michigan Native copper Mined from 1848 to 1870
Nonesuch Ontonagon County, Michigan Native copper Closed since 1912
Quincy Hancock, Houghton County, Michigan Quincy Mining Co. Strataform native copper Closed since 1945. Now part of Keweenaw National Historical Park
Cliff Keweenaw County, Michigan Pittsburgh & Boston Mining Co. Vein native copper Productive 1845 to 1887
Anaconda Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana Anaconda Copper Closed since 1947
Berkeley Pit Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana Anaconda Copper Porphyry copper Closed in 1982; now a superfund site and tourist attraction
Troy Mine Troy, Lincoln County, Montana Revett Minerals, Hecla Mining Closed 2015; active between 1981 and 1983, and 2005-2015
Burra Burra Ducktown, Polk County, Tennessee Tennessee Chemical Company Volcanogenic massive sulfide Closed in 1987; now part of a state-owned historic site
Elizabeth Orange County, Vermont Volcanogenic massive sulfide Open 1809-1957; now a federal superfund site
Anaconda Lyon County, Nevada Anaconda Copper Closed since 1978
Pahaquarry Warren County, New Jersey Closed since 1928
Schuyler Bergen County, New Jersey Closed since 1901
Tubal Cain Washington Tubal-Cain Copper & Manganese Mining Co. Operated 1902-1906
Victoria Mine Victoria, Ontonagon County, Michigan Victoria Copper Mining Company Closed in 1921

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Brininstool, Mark and Flanagan, Daniel M. 2015 Minerals Yearbook: Copper - U.S. Geological Survey - U.S. Department of the Interior - October 2017 - (Adobe Acrobat *.PDF document)
  2. ^ a b c Niemuth, Nyal J. "Arizona". Mining Engineering. May 2008. p.71.
  3. ^ Niemuth, p.72.
  4. ^ "RosemontEIS - The online center of information and public participation for the Rosemont Copper Project EIS".
  5. ^ William R. Yernberg, "New projects highlight Minnesota's mining industry," Mining Engineering, July 2008, p.38.
  6. ^ Bon, R.L., and K.A Krahulec, "Utah," Mining Engineering, May 2008. p.127-128.
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