Minera Centinela
Minera Centinela is a Chilean copper mining company producing copper cathodes, copper concentrate, molybdenum, and gold byproducts from integrated oxide and sulfide lines, selling to global smelters, refineries, and commodity traders as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Antofagasta Minerals (Antofagasta plc).
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSantiago, Chile
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Minera Centinela does
Minera Centinela is a Chilean copper mining company formed in 2014 through the merger of Minera El Tesoro and Minera Esperanza. It operates two integrated production lines — an Óxidos line producing copper cathodes via heap leach and solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX-EW), and a Sulfuros line producing copper concentrate via flotation, with gold as a primary byproduct. The Molybdenum Plant, commissioned in 2018 with a US$125 million build, recovers more than 2,000 tonnes of fine molybdenum per year from sulfide minerals. Centinela produced approximately 247,000 tonnes of copper in 2020, and the 2024 Nueva Centinela expansion represents a US$4.4 billion investment — the largest mining capex announced in Chile in five years — with peak construction expected to generate roughly 13,000 jobs.
The company runs on 100% desalinated seawater (eliminating freshwater consumption in the Atacama Desert) and, since 2022, on 100% renewable electricity for productive processes. Minera Centinela is a documented pioneer of large-scale thickened tailings technology and operates the only Integrated Operations Center (GIO) in Chile's private mining sector, enabling real-time remote control of all processes from Antofagasta; in 2023 it also inaugurated the first open pit in Chile with autonomous trucks and drills and launched the largest electric pickup fleet in Chilean mining. It is The Copper Mark-certified (2021, second in Chile) and operates within Antofagasta Minerals' ICMM-aligned framework.
Commercially, Centinela is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Antofagasta Minerals, itself a subsidiary of Antofagasta plc (LSE: ANTO, Luksic Group). Revenue is generated through B2B sales of copper cathode, copper concentrate, molybdenum, and gold byproducts to global smelters, refineries, and commodity traders, with prices set by LME benchmarks and global commodity markets rather than by the company. The customer base is diversified across industrial copper buyers and commodity exchanges, and go-to-market is institutional/enterprise sales rather than demand generation. Headcount stands at nearly 6,000 workers (around 2,000 own employees plus 4,000+ permanent collaborators), with more than 40% drawn from the Antofagasta Region.
Minera Centinela firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Minera Centinela
- Legal name
- Minera Centinela
- Website
- https://web.mineracentinela.cl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Minera Centinela is a Chilean copper mining company producing copper cathodes, copper concentrate, molybdenum, and gold byproducts from integrated oxide and sulfide lines, selling to global smelters, refineries, and commodity traders as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Antofagasta Minerals (Antofagasta plc).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Minera Centinela industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Copper Mining
- NAICS
- Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining (212230)
- SIC
- Metal Mining (1000), Gold And Silver Ores (1040)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Copper Ore Mining (Open-Pit & Underground) (IMAKADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Copper Concentration (Crushing, Grinding, Flotation) (IMAKADAC), Copper Anode/Cathode Production & Handling (IMAKADAG), Copper By-Products Recovery (Molybdenum, Gold/Silver, Sulfuric Acid) (IMAKADAH), Copper Tailings, Waste & Water Management (IMAKADAL)
Keywords
Where Minera Centinela is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santiago
- HQ country
- Chile
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Minera Centinela business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Copper Cathodes and Concentrate: Primary revenue from copper production through two main product lines: oxide ores producing cathodes via SX-EW, and sulfide ores producing copper concentrate via flotation. Gold is produced as a key byproduct. Molybdenum is also recovered from sulfide minerals.
- Molybdenum Production: Molybdenum plant commissioned in 2018 with annual production exceeding 2,000 tonnes of fine molybdenum from sulfide mineral processing.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Minera Centinela product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Minera Centinela is a copper mining company operating two major production lines: an oxide ore line producing copper cathodes via heap leaching and solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX-EW), and a sulfide ore line producing copper concentrate via flotation. The company also recovers gold and molybdenum as byproducts from sulfide mineral processing, with its dedicated Molybdenum Plant producing over 2,000 tonnes of fine molybdenum annually.
Product overview
Minera Centinela is a copper mining company operating two major production lines (oxides producing cathodes and sulfides producing concentrate with gold and molybdenum as byproducts). The company operates through integrated facilities including its core copper production, a Molybdenum Plant for byproduct recovery, and the Gestión Integrada de Operaciones (GIO) center for remote operations control. The company utilizes pioneering technologies including thickened tailings storage and autonomous mining equipment. In 2024, the company announced the Nueva Centinela project, a US$4.4 billion expansion that represents the largest mining investment in Chile in five years.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Copper Cathodes (Óxidos Line)
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% seawater operation - zero freshwater consumption in processes
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Minera Centinela
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Minera Centinela technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Minera Centinela partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Universidad Católica de ChilecorePartnership to improve water management in Chile, specifically developing solutions for sustainable water use in mining operations and surrounding agricultural communities.
- International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM)coreAntofagasta Minerals (parent) subscribes to ICMM's 10 sustainability principles covering corporate governance, health and safety, environmental management, and community relations. Committed to zero emissions Scope 1 and 2 by 2050.
- Copper MarkcoreCentinela and Zaldívar obtained Copper Mark certification in 2021, meeting 32 sustainability criteria across five pillars: governance, business and human rights, environment, community, and labor.
- Hydra Project ConsortiumminorConsortium developing and testing hydrogen fuel cell technology to replace diesel in large-tonnage mining trucks (CAEX). Members include Engie, Mining3, Csiro Chile, Mitsui & Co., and Antofagasta Minerals. Testing conducted at Centinela operations.
- Senapred (National Emergency Office)minorPartnership for emergency response training with communities of Michilla, Hornitos, and Mejillones. Joint initiative with municipal government for disaster preparedness.
- Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental (SEA)coreGovernment agency administering Chile's Environmental Impact Assessment system. Antofagasta Minerals works with SEA for project approvals and environmental compliance.
- Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente (SMA)coreEnvironmental enforcement agency that monitors RCA compliance. Fined Centinela $775,000 in 2020 for three water management compliance failures (2019-2020 inspections).
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Minera Centinela competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses2 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Minera Centinela social profiles
Digital presenceMinera Centinela compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Minera Centinela financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Minera Centinela leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Minera Centinela funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Minera Centinela M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Minera Centinela
What does Minera Centinela do?
Minera Centinela is a copper mining company operating two major production lines: an oxide ore line producing copper cathodes via heap leaching and solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX-EW), and a sulfide ore line producing copper concentrate via flotation. The company also recovers gold and molybdenum as byproducts from sulfide mineral processing, with its dedicated Molybdenum Plant producing over 2,000 tonnes of fine molybdenum annually.
Is Minera Centinela a public or private company?
Minera Centinela is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Minera Centinela founded?
Minera Centinela was founded in 2014. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Minera Centinela based?
Minera Centinela is headquartered in Santiago, Chile, in the Latin America region.
How does Minera Centinela make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Copper Cathodes and Concentrate is the primary driver. The others are molybdenum Production.
Does Minera Centinela have an API?
No public API is recorded for Minera Centinela.
What industry is Minera Centinela in?
Minera Centinela's product category is Copper Mining. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAKADAB, Copper Ore Mining (Open-Pit & Underground), with a secondary code of IMAKADAC, Copper Concentration (Crushing, Grinding, Flotation). Its NAICS code is 212230 and its SIC code is 1000.