Name: Safford mine.

Location: The Safford mine is located in south-east Arizona, in the US, about 274 km east of Phoenix.

Holding and Controlling Company: Freeport-McMoRan.

Brief Description: Safford openpit mine complex is a zero-discharge facility and one of the most environmentally advanced copper mines ever built.

Brief History: The Safford mine has been in operation since 2007, with full production beginning in 2008.

Products: Copper cathodes.

Geology/Mineralisation: The Safford mine comprises two copper deposits that have oxide mineralisation overlaying primary copper sulphide mineralisation. The predominant oxide copper minerals are chrysocolla and copper-bearing iron oxides, with the predominant copper sulphide material being chalcopyrite.

Reserves: Total recoverable proven and probable reserves as at December 31, 2016, were estimated at 75-million tonnes grading 0.31% copper.

Mining Method: Openpit.

Major Infrastructure and Equipment: The operation comprises two openpits feeding a 103 000 t/d crushing facility. The crushed ore is delivered to leach pads by a series of overland and portable conveyors. Leach solutions feed a solution extraction/electrowinning (SX/EW) facility. A sulphur burner plant is also in operation at the mine, providing a cost-effective source of sulphuric acid used in SX/EW operations.

Prospects: Freeport continues to evaluate longer-term opportunities available from the significant sulphide potential in the Lone Star/Safford minerals district.

Through exploration drilling, the company has identified a significant resource at the Lone Star project located near the Safford operation. Initial production from the Lone Star oxide ores could begin in 2021 using existing infrastructure to replace oxide production from Safford.

Contact Person: Director investor relations David Joint.

Contact Details:
Freeport-McMoRan
Tel +1 602 366 8100
Email fcx_communications@fmi.com or mr@fmi.com
Website http://fcx.com/