Toquepala mine

[1][2] The Toquepala mine and the Ilo smelter were opened in 1960 by Southern Peru Copper Corporation, then a subsidiary of ASARCO.

[5] As of the end of 2009, Toquepala reported about 13 million tons of contained copper metal in proven and probable ore reserves, at an average grade of 0.47% Cu.

[6] In October 2000, Ollanta Humala led an uprising with 50 mutineers who occupied Toquepala town for nine hours, taking four hostages.

[9] Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies for plant concentration and tailings deposit expansion were recently approved by Peruvian Ministry of Energy and Mining according to directorial resolution Nº611-2014-MEM/DGAAM given on 17 December 2014.

[10] In 2015 Geoservice Ingeniería and Walsh received mandates from Southern Copper Corporation, while the former is executing studies on surface, underground water resources and hydraulic infrastructure,[11] the latest was in charge of executing the Environmental Impact Assessment studies for plant concentration and tailings deposit expansions.

The Toquepala mine from the International Space Station on September 22, 2003. At the surface the open pit is 2.5 kilometers across, and more than 700 meters deep.