Minera Hampton advances studies for US$700mn Peru copper project

Minera Hampton Perú, owned by UK-based CD Capital, is advancing documentation for its US$700mn Los Calatos greenfield copper project in Moquegua region.

The company submitted a first report, prepared by consulting firm Insideo, to environmental certification service for sustainable investments Senace, outlining the project and the components that are planned to be included in the detailed environmental impact study (EIS-d).

See the report in the Documents box in the top-right corner of the screen.

Los Calatos involves 12 major components that will be part of the EIS-d planned to be submitted in 2026.

The main components are:

• underground mine with around 160Mt of copper and molybdenum ore;
• stockpile for temporary mineral storage, transport via trucks;
• concentrator plant with recovery rate of 89% for copper and 69% molybdenum;
• infrastructure for tailings, including pumping system, filtration plant, deposit;
• energy supply via high voltage towers, use of desalinated water.

“The water will be supplied from the sea, approximately 75km southwest of the project, where a desalination plant and associated infrastructure (collection, impulsion and discharge pipes, as well as a collection chamber) will be implemented. From the plant, an impulsion pipeline will be implemented to transport the desalinated seawater to a storage tank in the mine area,” the report said.

Regarding secondary components, Los Calatos will have a water recovery and recirculation system, plus potable water treatment plants, among others.

According to the report, copper concentrates will be shipped via the ports of Ilo and Matarani.

Los Calatos is a medium-scale underground project with 24 years of useful life and processing capacity of 20,000t/d. Company executives said recently that construction should start in late 2027 and commercial operations by the end of 2029. Copper production will be 60,000t/y.

The EIA-d will be prepared between April and November next year, a citizen participation plan will be presented in December, and the study submitted in February 2026.