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COBRE LAS CRUCES, A TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY MINE
Cobre Las Cruces, the mining-hydrometallurgical complex located in the municipalities of Gerena, Salteras and Guillena in Seville province, is one of the principal benchmarks for international mining today. Both because of its major role in the resurgence of metal mining in Spain and its technological innovations, the company, wholly owned by the Canadian multinational First Quantum Minerals, a world leader in the sector, represents a before and after of one of the humanity’s oldest activities.
The private investment is one of the largest – almost €1,100 Million to date– made in the last 30 years in Andalusia and is also the greatest international capital investment in a single project in the province of Seville. No less significant is the local impact, in terms of job creation and the direct, indirect and induced effects on activating the economy of a markedly rural zone.
Cobre Las Cruces operates an open pit mine on the same site as a hydrometallurgical process plant that represents the principal technological innovation of the project. This is the only industrial facility of its kind operating in Europe.