[2] In September 2005, as part of the deal, Phelps Dodge (which was subsequently purchased by Freeport-McMoran) transferred 3,867 acres (15.65 km2) of "environmentally sensitive" land to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and purchased from the BLM 16,297 acres (65.95 km2) located next to the site of the mine.
[2][3] The mine composes two porphyry copper deposits (the San Juan and Dos Pobres copper ore bodies) that have leachable oxide and secondary sulfide mineralization.
Freeport-McMoran estimates that it will remove 205 to 240 million pounds of copper from the deposits annually between 2008 and 2011.
In 2017, copper production was 150 million pounds, and approximately 830 people were employed there.
[5] The area where the mine is located is at an average elevation of 4,186 feet (1,276 m).