Name of the Project
Copper World Complex.

Location
Arizona, in the US.

Project Owner/s
Canadian diversified miner Hudbay Minerals.

Project Description
A preliminary economic assessment (PEA) has proposed a two-phased mine plan.

The project is planned to be a traditional openpit, truck-and-shovel operation, with a copper sulphide mineral processing plant and an oxide-leach processing facility producing copper cathode, molybdenum concentrate and silver doré.

Phase I proposes the production of up to 100 000 t/y of copper over a 16-year mine life, including an estimated 86 000 t of copper from mined resources.

Phase I includes a 60 000 t/d sulphide concentrator, a 20 000 t/d oxide heap-leach, a solvent-extraction electrowinning facility and a concentrate leach facility.

The concentrator is intended to expand to 90 000 t/d in Phase II.

Phase II entails the expansion of the processing facilities, which will increase average copper production up to about 125 000 t/y over the remaining mine life, including an estimated 101 000 t of copper from mined resources. Phase II will increase the life-of-mine to 44 years.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
At a copper price of $3.50/lb, the after-tax net present value of Phase I, using a 10% discount rate, is $741-million and the internal rate of return (IRR) is 17%, with a payback of 5.3 years.

Phase II has an after-tax net present value, at a 10% discount rate, of $555-million and an IRR of 49%, with a payback of 1.7 years.

Capital Expenditure
Phase 1 will cost about $1.92-billion. Phase II is estimated at $885-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Hudbay is evaluating opportunities to optimise the project, including the potential to expand Phase 1 beyond 16 years, with additions to the company’s private land package for tailings and waste rock storage and the potential to accelerate Phase II if federal permits are received earlier than outlined in the PEA.

An aquifer protection permit and air-quality permit are the remaining key state-level permits required for a private land operation, which, along with other minor permits, are expected to be advanced in the second half of 2022.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Hudbay Minerals, tel +1 416 362 8181 or email info@hudbayminerals.com.