Anglo American’s (LSE: AAL) Quellaveco copper mine in southern Peru has produced 1 million tonnes of copper since operations began in 2022, marking a major milestone for one of South America’s newest copper mines.
The Quellaveco mine, which an expected mine life of 36 years and annual capacity of 300,000 tonnes in its first 10 years of operations, quickly reached its designed output. It delivered more than 300,000 tonnes of copper in both 2023 and 2024 as the company continued to ramp up performance.
With an expected 36-year mine life, Quellaveco is slated to produce between 310,000 and 340,000 tonnes in 2025. Anglo American says that level of output could supply enough copper for more than 5 million electric vehicles each year.
The company credits the mine’s performance to a strategy focused on safety, reliability, and technology. Quellaveco runs entirely on renewable electricity and is Peru’s first operation to deploy autonomous drilling and haulage fleets. A remote operations centre and advanced processing systems are designed to sharpen day-to-day control and sustain long-term efficiency.
Executives describe the output milestone as a benchmark for sustainable mining, citing the operation’s low-carbon footprint and use of automation to lift both safety and productivity.
Copper demand continues to climb as global populations grow, cities expand, and economies push to cut emissions. Anglo American estimates the world will need the equivalent of 60 new Quellaveco-scale mines by 2040 to meet future needs.
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