Centinela mine

The Centinela mine is a large open pit copper and gold mine located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. More precisely it lies in the commune of Sierra Gorda in the Antofagasta Region.[1] The mine to its current form and name in 2014 when Antofagasta Minerals merged the operations of the adjoining mines of Esperanza and El Tesoro.[2][3]

As of 2023 Centinela mine employed on average 9,115 workers, including contractors.[1] It relies exclusively on desalinized water for its operation and mineral processing.[1] In 2023, with a gold production of 5,103 kg it ranked second on gold production in Chile after Escondida.[4] The company operating the mine, Minera Centinela emerged from the fusion of Minera Esperanza and Minera El Tesoro, and is controlled by Antofagasta Minerals[5][6] Minera Centinela holds the international certificates of; The Copper Mark, Moly Mark and ISO 9001:201.[6]

Copper in the mine is found in copper sulfide and iron-copper sulfide minerals.[3] The porphyry hosting copper and gold is mostly surrounded by andesite with some lesser volumes of dacite in the central part of the pit.[3] Most faults that cross the mine area runns NE-SW and are deeply dipping to the southeast.[3]

The mine's produce is largely exported as ore concentrate that contained as of 2020 an estimate of 34% chalcopyrite, 16% chalcocite, 35% pyrite and 1% pyrrhotite.[7]

Construction of the mine begun in 2008 and it then started to produce in 2011.[3] As of 2016 the mine had plans to remain operative until at least 2060.[3] In August 2025 the mine begun to develop a new opeen pit known as Encuentro Sulfuros.[8]