{{Infobox mine | name = Spence mine | image = | width = | caption = | pushpin_map = Chile Antofagasta Region#Chile | pushpin_label = | pushpin_map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|22|47|39.9|S|69|15|11.88|W|source:wikidata|display=title,inline}} | place = Sierra Gorda | subdivision_type = Region | state/province = Antofagasta Region | country = Chile | owner = Pampa Norte (BHP) | official website = | discovery year = 1996 | products = Copper | financial year = 2024 | amount = {{Increase}} 255,600 tonnes copper | opening year = 2006 | closing year = }}
The '''Spence mine''' is an open pit copper mine located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. More precisely it lies in the commune of Sierra Gorda in the Antofagasta Region.<ref name=conspence>{{Cite web |title=Spence |url=https://consejominero.cl/nosotros/mapa-minero/spence/ |website=Consejo Minero|access-date=2025-05-09|language=Spanish}}</ref> The mine begun operations in 2006,<ref name=conspence/> and prior to 2021 it had an annual copper produce under 200,000 tonnes. From 2021 onwards the mine has produced each year more than 200,000 tonnes of copper.<ref name=anuario2024/> In 2024 it produced 255,600 tonnes of copper making it Chile's 7th most productive copper mine.<ref name=anuario2024>{{Cite report |title=Anuario de estadisticas del cobre y otros minerales |year=2025 |publisher=Chilean Copper Commission |trans-title=Yearbook: Copper and Other Mineral Statistics: 2005 2024}}</ref> The mine is together with Cerro Colorado mine operated by the company Pampa Norte which is owned by BHP.<ref name=conspence/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Reseña de Pampa Norte |url=https://www.bhp.com/es/what-we-do/global-locations/chile/pampa-norte |website=BHP |language=es|access-date=2025-08-21}}</ref> It lies {{convert|162|km|abbr=on}} northeast of the port city of Antofagasta.<ref name=conspence/>
The ores of the mine site were discovered in 1996, during a period (1995–2004) in which many medium-sized mineral deposits of gold and copper with non-mineralized cover rocks were discovered in Chile.<ref name=Camus2005>{{cite book |last=Camus |first=Francisco |date=2005|chapter=La minería y la evolución de la exploración en Chile |title=Minería y desarrollo |editor-last=Lagos |editor-first=Gustavo|editor-link=Gustavo Lagos |language=es |location=Santiago, Chile |publisher=Ediciones Universidad Católica de Chile |pages=229–270 |isbn=956-14-0844-9}}</ref>
The mine holds The Copper Mark environmental certificate.<ref name=bnamericas>{{Cite web |title=The role of the Copper Mark in responsible mining |url=https://www.bnamericas.com/en/interviews/the-role-of-the-copper-mark-in-responsible-mining |date=2022-09-09 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=Bnamericas}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spence mine}} Category:Copper mines in Chile Category:Mines in Antofagasta Region Category:Open-pit mines Category:Surface mines in Chile Category:BHP Category:Porphyry copper deposits
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