Top 10 Global Copper Projects

We take a look at the top 10 biggest global projects going on in the world right now. Read all about them below! 

10.Glencore – El Pachon - Argentina

The El Pachon project is comprised by open pit mining and a 160kt/d concentrator that is to produce copper and molybdenum concentrates. 

Geology: Porphyry

Contained Copper (t): 8,742,385

Grade (%): 0.55

9. Guangdong Rising / Pala – Frieda River - Papua New Guinea

The Frieda River Project is a large open cast mine and associated infrastructure in the Sandaun and East Sepik Provinces of Papua New Guinea.

Geology: Porphyry, Epithermal

Contained Copper (t): 9,425,532

Grade (%): 0.50

8. First Quantum Minerals – Taca Taca - Argentina

Taca Taca is a high-potential copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry deposit in an advanced exploration phase. Overview Taca Taca is located in Salta Province in north west Argentina.

Geology: Porphyry

Contained Copper (t): 9,478,002

Grade (%): 0.43

7. SolGold / Cornerstone Capital – Cascabel - Ecuador

The Cascabel copper-gold project is a large high-grade copper-gold porphyry exploration mine located in the Cascabel region of northern Ecuador. The project is being developed by Exploraciones Novomining (ENSA), a joint venture of SolGold (85%) and Cornerstone Resources (15%).

Geology: Porphyry

Contained Copper (t): 9,873,581

Grade (%): 0.37

6.  Rio Tinto / BHP – Resolution - US

The Resolution Copper deposit ranges from 5,000 to 7,000 ft (1,500 to 2,130 m) below the surface. It is one of the largest undeveloped copper deposits and has an average grade of roughly 1.5% copper. The mine is estimated to produce as much as 40 billion pounds of copper over 40 years.

Geology: Porphyry

Contained Copper (t): 10,176,000

Grade (%): 1.92

5.  Sagittarius – Tampakan - Philippines

The Tampakan deposit is a large copper and gold orebody located in the south of the Philippines in Tampakan, South Cotabato. Tampakan represents one of the largest copper resources in the Philippines and in the world having an estimated resource of 2.94 billion tonnes of ore grading 0.6% copper.

Geology: Porphyry

Contained Copper (t): 12,566,992

Grade (%): 0.55

4.  Antofagasta / Barrick Gold – Reko Diq - Pakistan

Located in the Chaghi District of Balochistan in Pakistan, Reko Diq is a large copper and gold deposit containing 12.3 million tons of copper in inferred and indicated resources.

Geology: Porphyry, Supergene Copper

Contained Copper (t): 14,240,215

Grade (%): 0.48

3.  Udokan Copper – Udokan - Russia

Udokan represents the largest copper deposit in Russia and third largest in the world, having estimated reserves of 1.2 billion tonnes of ore grading 2% copper.

Geology: Sediment Hosted

Contained Copper (t): 18,469,997

Grade (%): 1.01

2.  Northern Dynasty Minerals – Pebble - US

Pebble Mine is the common name of a very large porphyry copper, gold, and molybdenum mine development project in the Bristol Bay region of Southwest Alaska, near Lake Iliamna and Lake Clark.

Geology: Porphyry, Supergene Copper

Contained Copper (t): 26,047,959

Grade (%): 0.40

1.  Ivanhoe Mines / Zijin Mining Group – Kamoa-Kaula - Dem. Republic of Congo

The Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project has been independently ranked as the world's largest, undeveloped, high-grade copper discovery by international mining consultant Wood Mackenzie. 

Geology: Sediment Hosted

Contained Copper (t): 37,927,729

Grade (%): 2.47