Freeport-McMoRan Begins $7.5B Expansion of El Abra Copper Mine in Chile, Awaits Regulatory Approval

Published: Mar 20, 2026 09:17

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Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) has begun the environmental permitting process for a $7.5 billion expansion of its majority owned El Abra copper mine in ChileThe project, owned 51% by Freeport and 49% by state-owned Codelco, is the largest mining investment submitted to Chile’s Environmental Assessment Service (SEA) since at least 1992. The plan includes a new concentrator, a desalination plant, a water pumping system, expanded mine infrastructure and continued leaching. Production is expected to begin in 2033 if regulators approve the project, Diario Financiero reported.

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