Los Pelambres
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Coquimbo Region | |
| Country | Chile |
| Coordinates | 31°43′00″S 70°29′26″W / 31.716691°S 70.490446°W |
| Production | |
| Products | Copper |
| History | |
| Opened | 1990 |
Los Pelambres mine is a copper mine located in the north-central of Chile in Coquimbo Region. It is one of the largest copper reserves in the world, having estimated reserves of 4.9 billion tonnes of ore grading 0.65% copper.
The deposit was first recognized by Willian Burford Braden in 1920. Production in 2012 was forecast at 390 tons of copper and 28,000 ounces of gold. The mine is served by Los Pelambres Airport, and by a water desalination facility at Los Vilos. A billion-dollar expansion project is underway.