Bagdad mine

Bagdad Mine
Bagdad Mine in 2016 from the International Space Station
Location
Yavapai County, near Bagdad, Arizona
CountryUnited States
Production
ProductsCopper, molybdenum
Owner
CompanyFreeport-McMoRan

The Bagdad Mine is a large copper mine located in Arizona, in the southwestern part of the United States. Bagdad represents one of the largest copper reserves in the United States and in the world, having estimated reserves of 873.6 million tonnes of ore grading 0.36% copper.[1] It is located in Yavapai County, Arizona, just west of the company town of Bagdad. It is currently owned by Freeport-McMoRan. Copper is produced from chalcopyrite and molybdenum from molybdenite. Copper oxides include chrysocolla, malachite and azurite. The mine's concentrator has a capacity of 75,000 metric tons per day using stockpile leaching, with pressure leaching for molybdenum.[2]

Copper was first mined at the site in 1882. The town of Bagdad, Arizona was built as a company town to house mine workers.[2]

Malachite on quartz-chrysocolla from Bagdad Mine

Copper production at Bagdad was 177 million pounds in 2016 and 173 million pounds in 2017, when nearly 900 people were employed there.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Bagdad Copper Mine". canadianminingjournal.com. 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  2. ^ a b "Bagdad Mine". Freeport McMoRan. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  3. ^ Bagdad mine Archived 2018-06-23 at the Wayback Machine at Freeport McMoRan. Accessed 6/23/2018

34°35′05″N 113°12′43″W / 34.58472°N 113.21194°W / 34.58472; -113.21194