Southern Copper Corporation

What Southern Copper Corporation does

Southern Copper Corporation is an integrated mining-metallurgical producer of copper and byproducts (molybdenum, zinc, silver) incorporated in Delaware in 1952 (originally Southern Peru Copper Corporation) and listed on the NYSE under ticker SCCO since 1996, with a parallel listing on the Lima Stock Exchange. The company operates fully integrated open-pit mines, concentrators, smelters and refineries across four core production complexes — Toquepala and Cuajone in Peru, plus Buenavista del Cobre and La Caridad in Mexico — using Solvent Extraction and Electrowinning (SX-EW) technology for cathode production and reporting approximately 958,759 tonnes of total copper output in 2025. With claims to the world's largest copper reserves among listed companies at 51.1 million metric tonnes, the company derives roughly 70% of revenue from copper and the balance from molybdenum, zinc and silver byproduct credits that drive negative cash costs.

The business is a commodity producer with a sales-led, direct-to-industrial-customer go-to-market model. Copper and byproducts are sold through LME and COMEX-priced channels to industrial buyers in vertical segments including electric vehicles, AI data center infrastructure, renewable energy, defense and general grid construction. Group structure consists of the parent holding Southern Copper, the wholly-owned operating subsidiary Minera México S.A. de C.V. (covering La Caridad, Buenavista and IMMSA), and the Peruvian Branch SPCC. The controlling shareholder is Grupo México S.A.B. de C.V. (88.91% ownership via Americas Mining Corporation), with Germán Larrea Mota-Velasco as Chairman.

Strategically, the company is mid-execution on a multi-year, $10+ billion capital program — including the Tía María greenfield (Arequipa, Peru, 120,000 tpy cathode), the Michiquillay project acquired in 2018, the Los Chancas, El Pilar and El Arco pipeline assets, and a $318 million Cuajone optimization initiative — targeting 1.6 million tonnes of annual copper production by 2033. FY2025 net sales reached $13.42 billion (up ~17% YoY) with EBITDA of $7.90 billion (58.3% margin) and net income of $4.33 billion. A $1.25 billion bond issued in June 2026 at 5.350% funds the Tía María build, while the company maintains a $4.00 annualized dividend (30+ years of continuous payouts). Near-term catalysts include the new permanent CEO appointment (Leonardo Contreras Lerdo de Tejada, effective April 29, 2026), continued permitting progress on Tía María, and rising copper demand from electrification and AI infrastructure.

Name

Southern Copper Corporation

Legal name

Southern Copper Corporation

Website

https://southerncoppercorp.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Southern Copper Corporation is an integrated mining-metallurgical producer of copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver, operating open-pit mines and processing facilities in Peru and Mexico to supply global commodity markets via LME/COMEX pricing to industrial buyers in EVs, AI data centers, renewable energy and defense.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Copper Mining and Metallurgy

NAICS

Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining (212230), Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining (33141), Primary Metal Manufacturing (331)

SIC

Metal Mining (1000), Primary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3330)

akta.pro primary industry

Copper Ore Mining (Open-Pit & Underground) (IMAKADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Copper Exploration & Resource Development (IMAKADAA), Copper Pyrometallurgy (Smelting, Converting) (IMAKADAE), Copper Anode/Cathode Production & Handling (IMAKADAG), Copper By-Products Recovery (Molybdenum, Gold/Silver, Sulfuric Acid) (IMAKADAH), Copper Concentration (Crushing, Grinding, Flotation) (IMAKADAC)

Keywords

• Copper mining
• Molybdenum production
• Zinc and silver mining
• Mineral processing
• Open-pit mining operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Mexico City

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Copper Sales: Primary revenue stream from copper mining and sales. Copper accounted for approximately 70% of Q1 2026 revenue at $4.25 billion net sales. The company operates large open-pit mines in Peru and Mexico producing refined copper sold on global commodity markets.
2. Molybdenum Sales: Byproduct revenue from molybdenum production. The company produced 31,153 tonnes of molybdenum in 2025. Molybdenum prices averaged $22.01/lb in 2025.
3. Zinc and Silver Sales: Additional byproduct revenue from zinc and silver production. Zinc mined was 176,979 tonnes in 2025, and silver production was 24,188 Koz. These byproducts significantly offset copper production costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southern Copper Corporation is an integrated mining-metallurgical company that operates open-pit copper mines in Peru and Mexico (Toquepala, Cuajone, Buenavista del Cobre, La Caridad) producing copper concentrate and LME grade A cathode through concentration, smelting, and refining processes. The company also recovers and sells byproduct molybdenum, silver, and zinc, and is developing the Tía María project in Peru (120,000 tonnes/year copper cathode target by 2027).

Product overview

Southern Copper Corporation operates as a world-class mining-metallurgical company producing copper as its primary commodity along with byproducts including molybdenum, silver, and zinc. The company operates fully integrated mining operations in Peru (Toquepala, Cuajone) and Mexico (Buenavista del Cobre, La Caridad), encompassing open-pit mining, concentration, smelting, and refining into LME-grade copper cathodes. Major development projects include the Tía María copper project in Peru targeting 120,000 tonnes annual production by 2027.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Copper Primary product produced through open-pit mining operations in Peru and Mexico, including concentrate, smelting, and refining into LME grade A copper cathodes sold to industrial buyers.
• Molybdenum Byproduct commodity produced from mining operations, with dedicated molybdenum plants at the La Caridad complex in Mexico, sold on global markets.
• Silver Silver byproduct recovered through copper mining and refining processes, sold to industrial buyers.
• Zinc Zinc production through the IMMSA unit in Mexico, including refineries at San Luis Potosí, Santa Bárbara, Charcas, and San Martín.
• Tía María Project Copper mining project located in Arequipa, Peru, comprising La Tapada and Tía María deposits, expected to produce 120,000 tonnes of copper cathode annually using SX-EW technology with first production targeted for 2027.

Quantifiable outcome

• Copper production capacity expansion from ~958,000 tonnes to 1.6 million tonnes by 2033
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MetsocoreTechnology or Integration · 30 March 2026Metso secured a €100 million contract from Southern Peru Copper Corporation to provide Solvent Extraction and Electrowinning (SX-EW) technology for the Tía María copper project in Cocachacra, Peru. The new facility will have an annual production capacity of 120,000 tonnes of high-purity LME grade A copper cathodes. Metso will deliver VSF solvent extraction and electrowinning facilities including Dual Media Filters, robotic cathode stripping machines, and an acid mist capture system, along with site advisory services and start-up spare parts.
• MetsocoreTechnology or Integration · 30 March 2026Metso signed an EUR 100 million contract for SX-EW technology supply to Southern Peru Copper Corporation for the Tía María project. The order has been booked in Metso's Minerals segment's 2026 first-quarter order intake.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Glencore: A major diversified mining and trading company with substantial copper mining operations (including in South America) and an integrated marketing arm; directly competes with Southern Copper in copper concentrate, cathode, and by-product markets across global commodity channels.
• KGHM Polska Miedź: One of the world's largest copper and silver producers with integrated mining, smelting, and refining operations and significant by-product credits; comparable in scale of vertical integration and reliance on silver/other by-products to underpin low cash costs.
• Lundin Mining: A diversified base metals miner with major copper operations in the Americas, including projects in Chile and Panama; competes with Southern Copper in mid-tier copper production with by-product exposure and Latin American operating footprint.
• First Quantum Minerals: A copper-focused miner operating large open-pit mines and concentrators with by-product credits, directly comparable in business model and customer base to Southern Copper; both are mid-to-large scale integrated copper producers exposed to LME pricing and by-product margin dynamics.
• Antofagasta plc: Chile-headquartered integrated copper miner with by-product (molybdenum, gold, silver) production; directly comparable in mine-to-cathode operations, Latin American geography, and exposure to global copper and by-product commodity markets.
• Freeport-McMoRan: One of the world's largest publicly traded copper producers with integrated mining and smelting operations, comparable to Southern Copper in producing copper concentrate and cathode alongside by-products (gold, molybdenum). Both compete globally on copper reserves and low-cost production.

Emerging players

• Hudbay Minerals: A mid-tier copper miner operating open-pit and underground mines in the Americas with by-product credits; smaller in scale than Southern Copper but operates in similar mining categories (copper concentrate, by-products) in overlapping geographies.

Broad incumbents

• Anglo American: A diversified major miner with a meaningful copper business (including Quellaveco in Peru); comparable in copper concentrate/cathode production and Latin American footprint, while also producing platinum, diamonds, and iron ore across its portfolio.
• BHP Group: The world's largest mining company producing copper as one segment alongside iron ore, nickel, and coal; competes with Southern Copper in copper concentrate and cathode markets and serves overlapping industrial customers in EVs, infrastructure, and energy transition.
• Rio Tinto: A global diversified miner with one of the largest copper businesses (including Kennecott and Oyu Tolgoi); competes with Southern Copper on copper supply for electrification and infrastructure end-markets, though as part of a broader diversified portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WebmasterSPCC
• Facebookfacebook.com/southernperucoppercorporation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-peru-copper-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/southernperucoppercorporation

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southern Copper Corporation