Snapshot
- Asset Type Open pit mine
- Stage Producing
- Key Metals Copper, silver
- Location Andalucía, Spain
- Ownership 100%
Since the restart of operations at Proyecto Riotinto in 2016, the Cerro Colorado copper-pyrite deposit has been the primary source of ore for the Riotinto processing plant.
Cerro Colorado is mined using conventional open pit methods, with mining contractors responsible for all excavation work including drilling and blasting.
Ore from Cerro Colorado is blended with material from San Dionisio and processed at Riotinto’s 15 Mtpa concentrator using conventional froth flotation to produce copper concentrates that also contain silver by-product credits.
SUMMARY STATISTICS
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ore Mined | Mt | 7.8 | 9.3 | 10.8 | 10.4 | 13.6 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 14.9 | 15.2 | 14.8 |
| Waste mined | Mt | 14.0 | 19.8 | 17.7 | 17.7 | 24.1 | 30.5 | 24.7 | 32.2 | 32.8 | 43.0 |
| Strip ratio | Ratio | 1.8 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.9 |
RESERVES & RESOURCES
| Grade | Contained Metal | ||||||
| Tonnage | Cu | Zn | Pb | Cu | Zn | Pb | |
| Mt | Mt | Mt | Mt | ||||
| Cerro Colorado & San Dionisio O/P Cu | Cerro Colorado & San Dionisio O/P Cu | Cerro Colorado & San Dionisio O/P Cu | Cerro Colorado & San Dionisio O/P Cu | Cerro Colorado & San Dionisio O/P Cu | Cerro Colorado & San Dionisio O/P Cu | Cerro Colorado & San Dionisio O/P Cu | Cerro Colorado & San Dionisio O/P Cu |
| Proven & Probable Reserves | 132.0 | 0.40% | – | – | 0.53 | – | – |
| Measured & Indicated Resources | 188.1 | 0.35% | – | – | 0.66 | – | – |
| Inferred | 0.9 | 0.55% | – | – | 0.01 | – | – |
| Total Resources | 189.0 | 0.35% | – | – | 0.66 | – | – |
Scroll horizontally on the table to see more data.
Notes to Ore Reserves
1. Effective date of 30 June 2025. 2. The statement is reported using cut-off grade of 0.16% Cu for feeding the processing plant, based on a Cu price of US$8,818 per tonne (US$4.00/lb). 3. Modifying factors for dilution of 8% and mining recovery of 96% are based on block model regularisation to 10x10x10 m smallest mining unit. 4. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate. 5. Ore Reserves have demonstrated economic viability. 6. The pit inventories were constrained within the updated pit designs based on the updated optimised pit shell. 7. The Ore Reserve comprises a mine life of approximately nine years. 8. The Ore Reserve is given based on a 100% ownership basis. 9. Tonnages are reported in metric units, grades in percentage (%), and the contained metal in tonnes of copper. 10. The process plant closure will occur at end-of-life 2034. 11. The Reporting Standard adopted for reporting of the Ore Reserve Statement is that defined by the terms and definitions given in The 2012 Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves as published by the Joint Ore Reserves Committee of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Australian Institute of Geoscientists and Minerals Council of Australia (the JORC Code (2012)).
Notes to Mineral Resources
1. Effective date of 30 June 2025. 2. Open-pit constrained by an optimised pit shell and reported above an in situ cut-off grade of 0.11% Cu, which is based on appropriate technical parameters reflecting actuals, and a copper price of US$11,023 per tonne (US$5.00/lb). 3. Stockwork material was monetised during the Pit Optimisation. 4. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate. 5. Mineral Resources are reported as undiluted, with no mining recovery applied in the Statement. 6. Based on a 100% ownership basis. 7. Tonnages are reported in metric units, grades in percentage (%), and the contained metal in tonnes of copper.
