The Robinson Mine is a porphyry copper deposit located in the Robinson Mining District, adjacent to Ruth in White Pine County, Nevada. Large scale copper mining began in the district in 1904 and, with some hiatuses and several changes of ownership, continues in 2012. Production from 1908 to 1978 was more than 4 billion pounds of copper and 2.7 million ounces of gold, and current annual production averages around 120 million pounds of copper plus 75,000 ounces of gold. A 1992 feasibility study found a potential 16 year mine life at these production rates [1]; since then, there have been about 9 years of full production. Published ore reserves at Robinson as of 2008 were 103 million tons containing 0.68% copper and 0.23 gm/t gold. [2]
History and current operations
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The Nevada Consolidated Copper Company (Nevada Con) began underground mining in 1904. Work on the first open pit mine began in 1907, and the underground mine closed in 1914. Future production would come from open-pit mining. [2]
In late 1906, the Guggenheim interests acquired control of Nevada Con, as a part of their rapidly-developing copper-mining business. [3] In 1932, Nevada Con became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kennecott Copper, another Guggenheim-controlled company.[4]
In September 1978, Kennecott closed its Nevada mines, and in 1983 the McGill smelter was also closed. [4] Recorded production from 1908 to 1978 was more than 4 billion pounds of copper and 2.7 million ounces of gold. [5]
Magma Copper bought Robinson in 1991 and began work on reopening the mine in 1994. BHP acquired Magma, and operated Robinson from 1996 to 1999. Magma/BHP invested around $US 480 million in the mine and plant. The mine was closed in 1999 due to low copper prices. Quadra Mining bought Robinson in 2004, and reopened the mine late that year. Since 2005, production has averaged about 125 million pounds of copper per year. [5] In 2010, Robinson produced 109 MM lbs copper and 73,000 troy oz gold. [6] In 2012, Quadra was acquired by KGHM Polska Miedź, a large Polish copper producer.[7] [8]
References
edit- ^ Magma Copper history and profile, circa 1992.
- ^ a b Robinson Mining District history
- ^ Guggenheim Mining and Smelting Empire in 1910
- ^ a b A Corporate History of the Nevada Consolidated Copper Properties, by Keith Albrandt
- ^ a b Robinson Mine at Mining Record, 2009.
- ^ Major Mines of Nevada 2010, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, SPECIAL PUBLICATION P-22
- ^ Quadra FNX sale announced February 20, 2012
- ^ Robinson Mine part of sale, Ely Times, March 2, 2012
