SOUTHERN COPPER CORP/ Business
The company's own words from the Business item of each annual report, in the filing's order. Some sections could not be read exactly.
- 2025: Section THE COMPANY; Text We believe Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico, and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina and Chile. See Item 2 “Properties—Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. The considerable scale of our operations makes us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges.; Document 10-K.
- 2024: Section THE COMPANY; Text We believe Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico, and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina and Chile. See Item 2 “Properties—Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. The considerable scale of our operations makes us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges.; Document 10-K.
- 2023: Section THE COMPANY; Text We believe Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 “Properties—Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. The considerable scale of our operations makes us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges.; Document 10-K.
- 2022: Section THE COMPANY; Text We believe Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 “Properties—Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. The considerable scale of our operations makes us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges.; Document 10-K.
Business, as filed
The company's own words from the Business item of each annual report, verbatim and in the filing's order, split at the filing's own headings. Nothing is summarised or reworded. Tables and images are not shown; the document has them.
| Fiscal year | Section | Text | Document |
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| 2025 | THE COMPANY | We believe Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico, and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina and Chile. See Item 2 “Properties—Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. The considerable scale of our operations makes us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid. Our precious metals plant at the Ilo refinery produces refined silver, gold, and other materials. Additionally, we produce refined copper using solvent extraction/electrowinning technology (“SX-EW”). We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “La Caridad” unit) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, the Pilares open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. The La Caridad refinery has a precious metals plant that produces refined silver, gold and other materials. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras, S.A de C.V. (the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, which is located on the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, two copper concentrators, a zinc concentrator and two operating SX-EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining processes. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration, which allows us to use our facilities, employees and equipment to manage the entire production process, including ore mining and production of refined copper rod and other products, and to execute most associated transport and logistics functions. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces beyond our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is on remaining profitable during periods of low copper prices and maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal Prices” in this Item 1. Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars,” “dollars,” or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “sol,” “soles” or “S/”, signify Peruvian soles; and references to “peso,” “pesos,” or “Ps.,” represent Mexican pesos. Table of Contents Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tonnes. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2025. For the purpose of clarity, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). As of December 31, 2025, Grupo Mexico, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), owned 88.9% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for the shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and in the provision of railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch,” “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises virtually all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch does not constitute a corporation that is separate from SCC, and, as such, the obligations of the SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. The SPCC Peru Branch is, however, registered as a branch of a foreign company pursuant to Peruvian law and through this entity, we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although the SPCC Peru Branch has no capital or liability that is separate from that held or applicable to SCC, the SPCC Peru Branch is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares (See Note 14 “Stockholders’ Equity” of the consolidated financial statements). In April 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit, (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.998% of Minera Mexico. Table of Contents In 2008, our Board of Directors authorized a $500 million share repurchase program that has since been increased by the Board of Directors and is currently authorized for up to $3 billion. No repurchases have been made under this program since the third quarter of 2016. Through December 31, 2025, we have repurchased an aggregate of 119.5 million shares of our common stock for an aggregate cost of $2.9 billion. These repurchased shares may be used for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares under the program from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program does not have an expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. Since the second quarter of 2024, the Board of Directors has approved quarterly stock dividends, and a portion of these repurchased shares have been used to pay these dividends to our common stockholders. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. OUR BUSINESS COPPER BUSINESS Copper is an important component in the world’s infrastructure chain. It is the third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility; malleability; thermal and electrical conductivity; and resistance to corrosion, and as such, is considered a prime material for use in electrical and electronic products, including components for power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of copper global use, and for telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, is used in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity whose prices are mainly determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or “COMEX,” in New York and the London Metal Exchange or “LME,” in London. Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced in a multi-stage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasingly larger share of copper is being produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals known to man and has contributed significantly to the development of civilization. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management divides Southern Copper into three reportable segments and manages each as a separate segment. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, product types, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar types of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Information regarding the Company’s sales is included in the segment data. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant, industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue from our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. Table of Contents 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant and a copper rod plant and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper and zinc, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, lead, silver and gold; and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue from the IMMSA unit. Financial information is periodically prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”). The CODM focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. The CODM of the Company evaluates the performance of each of the segments on a regular basis by assessing the budget-to-actual and actual to prior period variances in production, net sales and operating income. Additionally, the CODM of the Company reviews on a regular basis the execution of forecasted capital expenditures and the evolution of total asset amounts in each segment to make decisions about operating and capital resource allocation for each segment. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 18 “Segment and Related Information” of the consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Capital Investment Program” and for our exploration activities, see Item 2 “Properties—Explorations Activities.” PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries; in the power generation and transmission industry; and in the electrical and electronic products; and, to a lesser extent, in industrial machinery and equipment; consumer products; and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, photographic, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion; it is also used to make die cast parts to manufacture batteries and to form sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. As such, acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Generally, 80% to 90% of our metal production is sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on the prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing efforts to diversifying our sales both by region and customer base. We also strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is underpinned by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see “Revenue recognition” in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 18 “Segment and Related Information” of the consolidated financial statements. Table of Contents METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, with the exception of molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Metal Prices.” The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 10 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 2016 2.69 1.94 2.20 2.69 1.96 2.21 2017 3.29 2.48 2.80 3.27 2.48 2.80 2018 3.29 2.56 2.93 3.29 2.64 2.96 2019 2.98 2.51 2.72 2.98 2.51 2.72 2020 3.63 2.12 2.80 3.61 2.09 2.80 2021 4.78 3.54 4.24 4.86 3.52 4.23 2022 4.93 3.21 4.01 4.87 3.18 4.00 2023 4.27 3.54 3.86 4.28 3.54 3.85 2024 5.12 3.69 4.22 4.92 3.67 4.15 2025—1st Q 5.22 4.04 4.57 4.53 3.94 4.24 2025—2nd Q 5.07 4.13 4.72 4.59 3.87 4.32 2025—3rd Q 5.80 4.33 4.83 4.68 4.33 4.44 2025—4th Q 5.77 4.83 5.15 5.68 4.66 5.03 2025 5.80 4.04 4.82 5.68 3.87 4.51 The per pound COMEX copper price over the last 5- and 10-year periods averaged $4.23 and $3.46, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the same periods averaged $4.15 and $3.42, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average prices per pound with the exception of silver, which is priced per ounce. The market prices for our three principal by-products over the last 10 years are as follows: Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Silver (COMEX) Metals Week) Zinc (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 2016 20.67 13.74 17.10 8.60 5.10 6.42 1.32 0.73 0.95 2017 18.49 15.37 17.03 10.25 6.85 8.13 1.53 1.00 1.31 2018 17.55 13.95 15.65 13.00 10.60 11.86 1.64 1.04 1.33 2019 19.39 14.28 16.16 12.70 8.28 11.27 1.37 0.90 1.16 2020 29.25 11.74 20.62 10.90 7.00 8.57 1.29 0.72 1.03 2021 29.40 21.46 25.18 20.10 9.95 15.51 1.73 1.15 1.36 2022 26.89 17.55 21.76 31.85 13.90 18.61 2.05 1.22 1.58 2023 26.04 20.01 23.41 38.50 16.65 23.73 1.59 1.01 1.20 2024 34.83 22.10 28.25 24.13 19.18 21.21 1.47 1.04 1.26 2025—1st Q 34.90 29.81 32.31 21.15 19.55 20.43 1.35 1.22 1.29 2025—2nd Q 37.09 29.12 33.62 21.98 19.60 20.57 1.28 1.14 1.20 2025—3rd Q 46.61 36.08 39.56 26.03 21.93 24.30 1.37 1.21 1.28 2025—4th Q 77.37 46.00 54.48 25.45 21.00 22.75 1.52 1.37 1.44 2025 77.37 29.12 39.99 26.03 19.55 22.01 1.52 1.14 1.30 Table of Contents The per ounce COMEX silver price over the last 5- and 10-year periods averaged $26.75 and $22.03, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the same periods averaged $20.21 and $14.73, respectively, while the per pound LME zinc price averaged $1.33 and $1.24, respectively. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is based primarily on price and service basis, with price being the most important factor when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see Item 1A “Risk Factors—The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES As of December 31, 2025, we had 16,617 employees, approximately 64.4% of whom are covered by a Collective Labor Agreement and represented by 16 collective bargaining agreements with ten different labor unions. We believe that the labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru is favorable, which has allowed us to increase productivity as we advance the goals of our capital expansion program. Furthermore, approximately 12,400 contractors support our operations. In alignment with our commitment to community development, over 70% of our workforce is hired locally. Talent Development, Training and Retention We value the talent and passion of our team members, and we offer numerous opportunities for professional development to our workforce in both Peru and Mexico. During 2025, we delivered more than 573,000 hours of formal instruction relative to occupational safety, health and wellness, technical competencies, professional development, and regulatory compliance in accordance with our Code of Ethics. We believe that employee development is strengthened through formal and on-the-job learning. All employees receive initial training as part of their onboarding program and are offered opportunities for development, which facilitates talent retention. Company Culture We are committed to fostering a cohesive and high-performance organizational culture grounded in our mission, vision, and values, while continuously strengthening our position as an employer of choice. As part of this commitment, in 2025 we undertook a comprehensive assessment of our organizational culture to deepen our understanding of employee engagement and to inform targeted actions that enhance employee experience. This approach enables us to create sustainable value for our people within a safe, inclusive, and collaborative work environment, where individuals feel genuinely connected to the Company’s purpose and values. Integrity, respect, and accountability remain central to our culture and are embedded in our everyday decisions and operations. We place a strong emphasis on the continuous development of our employees by recognizing their contributions, while maintaining a disciplined, results-driven focus. Our initiatives are designed to generate long-term value for key stakeholders and the communities in which we operate by enhancing productivity and innovation, advancing human development, promoting environmental stewardship, and implementing forward-looking, sustainable solutions. Compensation and Benefits Our recruitment strategy focuses on attracting and retaining employees by providing market-competitive remuneration packages, tailored to position requirements, geographical considerations, and local statutory requirements in the countries where we operate. Our compensation practices consider many factors, including individual performance and responsibilities; years of service; elements of compensation mandated by Peruvian and Mexican law; future challenges and objectives; contributions to the future success of our Company; the employee’s total compensation and our financial performance. We may also look at the compensation levels of comparable companies. We offer productivity bonuses to our employees, which motivates them to grow the Company’s results. Table of Contents Health and Safety Our Comprehensive Health Program, in coordination with our safety department, focuses on risk prevention and the promotion of well-being through periodic medical evaluations and health education initiatives. Our objective is to protect our employees; strengthen a culture of self-care; and ensure operational continuity, productivity, and organizational sustainability. During 2025, over 34,000 health initiatives were carried out, including campaigns, workshops, talks, self-help groups, and early detection activities, among others. In Mexico, we conducted 223 health campaigns that benefited 5,007 employees, focused on the early detection of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, as well as various cancers, including breast, cervical, and prostate cancer, alongside other preventive screenings. Additionally, over 11,000 vaccines against influenza, pneumococcus, yellow fever, tetanus, and COVID-19 were administered, and 300 food handlers were vaccinated against typhoid fever and hepatitis A, strengthening preventive and comprehensive health care. Preventive and self-care initiatives were bolstered through over 9,200 health workshops, talks, and training sessions focusing on promoting well-being and preventing key occupational diseases. These efforts reached over 69,000 participants, contributing to risk reduction, health protection, and operational continuity. Additionally, 4,529 specialized medical examinations and 5,196 periodic medical evaluations were conducted, with occupationally exposed personnel (“OEP”) representing 85% of those evaluated. In terms of promoting healthy lifestyles for our employees, we promoted the adoption of good nutrition and exercise habits through more than 4,500 specialized talks and sessions, reaching over 19,800 participants. Additionally, we distributed over 19,000 informational materials. These initiatives contributed to consolidating the Wellness Program, with the active participation from nearly 14,000 employees. This fosters a culture of health and well-being within the organization. The “Add Steps, Lose Weight” challenge engaged 2,036 employees, with notable health outcomes. Participants accumulated over 340 million steps and achieved a combined weight loss of 1,692 kilograms, which is proof of their desire to develop sustainable healthy lifestyle habits. In communities in Mexico where we operate, we collaborated with the Mexican Social Security Institute (“IMSS”) and the Ministry of Health to conduct health campaigns for employees’ families and the general public. These initiatives focused on detecting chronic disease, administering vaccinations, cancer screenings, and providing preventive care, thereby bolstering our social impact, community health, and relationships with key stakeholders. By the end of 2025, all mining operations in Mexico and Peru maintained ISO 45001 certification. The Safe and Healthy Work Environments certification (ELSSA) issued by the Mexican Social Security Institute (“IMSS”) was renewed for operations in Mexico, reinforcing our strong commitment to health, safety, and overall employee well-being. Talent Attraction and Recruiting As part of our talent attraction strategy, we have enhanced our employer brand through targeted initiatives in an effort to reinforce our reputation as an employer of choice across the regions where we operate. We recognize the strategic role of digital platforms in modern talent acquisition and stakeholder engagement. Accordingly, we expanded our LinkedIn presence, boosting followers by 30% last year and achieving a 22% engagement rate in 2025—among the highest in the mining industry, while actively participating in job fairs, reinforcing our presence at leading universities across the countries in which we operate. We run structured recruitment and development programs to attract, develop, and retain high-potential early-career talent, integrating university trainees and young professionals into our operations. In 2025, we recruited over 216 university trainees from diverse academic disciplines in Mexico and 196 trainees in Peru, supporting long-term workforce sustainability and strategic Human Resources planning. Table of Contents Over 48% of the roles are filled by internal employees and we have a retention rate of approximately 90% as of December 31, 2025. We boosted visibility of our internal career opportunities by leveraging internal platforms to promote employee development and professional growth. We maintain transparent recruitment processes and are committed to upholding the principles of human rights, inclusivity, equity, merit, and equal employment opportunity in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Employee Engagement Every year we make concerted efforts to enhance employee engagement; foster a positive organizational environment; and strengthen our culture. Our employees’ perspective is essential to gauging loyalty, satisfaction, and engagement across the organization. In 2025, we conducted our “ECO” opinion survey across all operating units, evaluating 18 key factors to shape two-year, targeted action plans. Employee engagement is measured on a five-point Likert scale, with the aggregate score reflecting overall engagement levels. In 2025, 13,373 employees completed the survey (81% participation), yielding an overall engagement score of 4.12. For the fifth consecutive year, in 2025, our Sonora Metallurgical Complex was certified as one of the best places to work by Great Place to Work Mexico. This award acknowledges our organization's dedication to fostering an inclusive and innovative work culture that prioritizes the well-being of its employees. In 2025, our Metallurgical Complex in Sonora won the following awards, competing against over 100 organizations in Mexico and Latin America in the 500 to 5,000 employees category: • 8th place in The Best Workplaces in Mexico 2025 • 7th place in The Best Workplaces for Women in Mexico 2025 • 4th place in The Best Workplace Regional Northwest 2025. • 94th place in The Best Workplaces in Latin America 2025 • Recognition among the 100 Best Chief Human Resources Officers in Mexico 2025 • Recognition among the 100 Best Chief Executive Officers in Mexico 2025 The Company has a corporate social responsibility policy that is designed to integrate its operations with local communities in our areas of influence. This policy focuses on creating permanent and positive relationships to generate optimal social conditions and promote sustainable development in the area. We continue to make significant expenditures for community programs. For additional information on our community programs, refer to Corporate Social Responsibility under Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” to the consolidated financial statements. 2026 Strategic Workplace Plan We strive to create a workplace culture where our personnel feel included, welcomed and valued for their personal and professional contributions. This vision is grounded in our core values of respect, honesty and responsibility. In line with our Code of Conduct and Human Rights Policy, our objectives are to (i) cultivate an organizational culture that fosters equality and well-being, emphasizing excellence, equal opportunity, inclusivity and non-discrimination, (ii) enhance the sensitivity, knowledge and skills in our leaders and employees to build diverse and inclusive teams and promote a culture of respect, and (iii) extend this inclusive culture to the communities in which we operate. We developed our 2026 Strategic Workplace Plan with six strategic initiatives: 1. Communication: to implement awareness initiatives on inclusivity, equity, and non-discrimination to foster diverse, inclusive, and safe work environments. 2. Training: to deliver comprehensive training programs to strengthen awareness, understanding, and respect for inclusivity and equity, while promoting collaborative practices that support inclusive and equitable teams. 3. Data generation and statistics: to establish and maintain robust data collection and reporting mechanisms to measure, analyze, and monitor inclusivity and equity indicators and strategic outcomes. Table of Contents 4. Modifications of infrastructure: to adapt workplace infrastructure to ensure accessibility and alignment with the diverse needs of our workforce. 5. Hiring: to strategically leverage inclusivity and equity data to design recruitment practices and promote fair representation, equity, and excellence across all organizational levels and business units. 6. Retention: to implement initiatives that foster an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and safe, promoting engagement and long-term retention. We have established and implemented formal procedures to uphold a Zero Tolerance Policy for workplace harassment in Mexico and Peru, reinforcing our commitment to a safe, respectful, and violence-free work environment. These procedures, disclosed in Mexico in 2025, foster fair and equitable resolution processes; encourage good faith reporting through a strict non-retaliation policy; provide secure and confidential reporting channels for submitting complaints; and ensure timely investigation and responses to allegations, all while prioritizing the well-being of our employees. To further strengthen the effective application of this policy in Mexico, we conducted specialized training for organizational leaders, who are designated as first responders, to equip them with the skills to prevent, identify, and address workplace violence. In total, 1,400 leaders were trained across our operating units. In 2025, as part of a company-wide effort across Grupo Mexico, we launched the “Women Who Inspire” program to showcase the success stories of our female talent and highlight opportunities for growth and development within the Company. This initiative reinforces our commitment to inclusion and gender equity, celebrating role models who strengthen our organizational culture and motivate future generations of women across the organization. CODE OF ETHICS All of our employees, including our new hires, must certify compliance with the Code of Ethics yearly by reviewing and signing this principal document, which serves as our primary guidance tool for professional conduct in terms of ethical obligations, both in our business dealings and our interpersonal relationships. LABOR MATTERS For additional discussion of labor matters, refer to the information contained in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. Peru As of December 31, 2025, 50.8% of our 5,432 Peruvian employees were unionized. Currently, there are six separate unions, none of which represents the majority of workers, as defined by current Peruvian labor legislation. The Company maintains regular dialogue with union representatives to ensure labor harmony and proper management of labor relations. The Company has collective bargaining agreements with each of the six unions, the earliest of which expires in 2027 and the latest, in 2033. These agreements govern benefits related to compensation and working conditions. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the Company signed long-term extensions of the collective bargaining agreements with five of its six unions, each for a term of six years, with such term commencing on the day after the expiration of the prior agreements, in accordance with the law. As a result of entering into these agreements, in the fourth quarter of 2024, the Company paid signing bonuses to each worker belonging to the corresponding unions, totaling approximately $62 million. In February 2025, the Company signed a three-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement with the remaining union. The Company paid signing bonuses to each worker belonging to the union, totaling approximately $6.3 million. The extensions to each collective bargaining agreement allow the Company to ensure that economic benefits and working conditions are consistently applied to all unionized workers. Additionally, the Company reached an agreement with each of the six unions to ensure uninterrupted operation of its facilities, preventing stoppages by unions and unionized workers during the extension periods agreed to in each extension agreement. Table of Contents In the second quarter of 2025, the Company began implementing the collective bargaining agreements with each of the six unions. Meetings with union representatives have been held to coordinate the execution of the agreed provisions and to agree on additional measures, ensuring that operations can proceed normally through at least 2027. Our employees at the Toquepala and Cuajone mining units reside in the 3,700 houses and apartments that we have built at the townsites. We also have 90 houses in Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, maintenance and utility services are provided to most of our employees for a nominal cost. Our townsite and housing complexes provide schools, medical facilities, churches, banks, shops, social clubs, recreational facilities and other services. Mexico As of December 31, 2025, 71.2% of our 11,156 Mexican employees were unionized. These individuals are represented by ten collective bargaining agreements with four labor unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions on an annual basis and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. Our Taxco mine in Mexico has been on strike since July 2007. For further discussion of this labor matter, refer to the information contained under the caption “Labor matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 1,800 houses and apartments. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes where we have built 356 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at nominal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit provided health care services to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own on-site hospital. In 2010, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to provide these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista receive health services through the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuel, gas, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators and utilize diesel fuel to power mining equipment for metallurgical processes at our operations. We believe that sufficient sources of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. Fluctuations may occur in the prices of these raw materials that are beyond our control; as such, we focus our efforts on reducing costs through cost and energy-saving measures. Energy generates the main cost in mining, so concern for its conservation and efficient usage is critical. We have energy management committees at most of our mines, which meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures aimed at saving energy. Alternative sources are also being analyzed at the corporate level, including both traditional and renewable energy sources. This approach has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at ensuring the sustainability of our operations. Peru: Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from Valero Peru, a local subsidiary of Valero Energy Corporation, a U.S. producer of fuel and power. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available for its operations in Peru. Electricity: In June 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120 megawatts (“MW”) with the state owned company Electroperu S.A., which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for a twenty-year period that started on April 17, 2017. In July 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120MW with a private power generator Kallpa Generacion S.A. (“Kallpa”), which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for a ten-year Table of Contents period that started on April 17, 2017. In May 2016, we signed an additional power purchase agreement for a maximum of 80MW with Kallpa, under which Kallpa began supplying energy to the operations related to the Toquepala expansion and to other minor projects for a period starting on May 1, 2017, and ending on April 30, 2029. We feel confident that additional power can be obtained from the Peruvian national grid, should the need arise. Additionally, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating facilities at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer transmission line circuit, which is connected to the Peruvian network. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 2,011 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire-Gentilar, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and surface water rights from Lake Suches. Three additional water sources are: Quebrada Honda, Quebrada Tacalaya and a smaller resource from the Cuajone mine pit. We believe these water sources are sufficient to supply the water demands of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. Additionally, we have permits in Ilo to use water at three desalination plants that generate water for industrial use and domestic consumption; we believe these facilities will produce sufficient water to cover the requirements of both current and projected needs. Additionally, we have two licenses for the use of non-desalinated seawater for the Ilo smelter plant. The Branch has a surface water permit for the Locumba river, which will facilitate the conservation and maintenance of a portion of the wetlands in Ite. The Branch also has a wastewater permit (agricultural drainage water) for the San Camilo artificial lagoon, which will be used in the construction stage of the Tia Maria Project. The Company has also been granted a permit to use small volumes of surface water for exploration purposes at the Michiquillay Project. The Company has also been studying alternative sources of water to cover future needs as operations expand and our mining projects grow. Mexico: Fuel: In Mexico, since 2018, we have purchased fuel from Petroleos Mexicanos (“PEMEX”), the state producer, and from private suppliers. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora). This allows us to import natural gas at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly or daily fixed prices for our natural gas purchases. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes and to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup method for all these uses. We use diesel oil to power mining equipment at our operations. Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase most of our electricity from Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L. (“MGE”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico which has two power plants designed to supply power to La Caridad and Buenavista units. In 2025, MGE supplied 11.5% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In 2012, we entered into a power supply agreement with MGE that will last until 2032. The first plant was completed in 2013 and the second in 2014. The first plant began to supply power to the Company in December 2013, and the second plant in June 2015. We also purchase electricity from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (the Federal Electricity Commission or the “CFE”), the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico is dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE and PEMEX, which are affected by political and regulatory environments, international market prices for crude oil and natural gas; and conditions in the refinery markets. Some IMMSA mining operations also purchase electricity from Eolica el Retiro, S.A.P.I de C.V. (“Eolica”), a windfarm energy producer that is an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico. In August 2013, IMMSA and other of the Company’s Table of Contents mining operations entered into a purchase agreement and in late 2014 started to purchase electricity from Eolica. Due to the nature of the production process, there is not a fixed power capacity contracted. In 2025, Eolica el Retiro supplied approximately 16.5% of its power output to IMMSA and Mexcobre. On February 20, 2020, the Company signed a power purchase agreement with Parque Eolico de Fenicias, S. de R.L. de C.V., and indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, to supply 611,400 MWh of power per year to some of the Company´s Mexican operations for 20 years. This agreement commenced in the third quarter of 2024. In 2025, Parque Eolico de Fenicias supplied approximately 98.1% of its power output to IMMSA. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed public property and industries that are not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the National Water Commission or the “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Rights Law), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established at each plant to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been on the rise in recent years. LEGAL AND REGULATORY MATTERS To the Company's knowledge, during the period from January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2025, no legal, environmental, labor or tax regulations came into effect in the jurisdictions where the Company operates that (i) required the Company to incur material costs of compliance, (ii) had a material adverse effect on the Company’s operations, or (iii) materially impacted the execution of the Company’s projects. As of the date of this report, the Company believes that its facilities in Peru and Mexico are in material compliance with all applicable environmental, mining and other laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions. On September 15, 2024, the Mexican Congress approved a constitutional reform to the Judicial Branch that replaces the existing appointment-based system for selecting judges with a system of popular election of Congress pre-selected judges. The implementation of this reform is ongoing, and the Company cannot currently assess its potential impact on the Mexican federal judicial system or the Company's operations. For a discussion of environmental and labor matters, reference is made to the information contained in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. For more information on tax matters, refer to Note 7 “Income taxes” of the consolidated financial statements. MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru: We have 164,805 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and production operations, at various sites, as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Mine concessions 27,413 27,431 4,670 105,291 164,805 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and effect under applicable Peruvian laws and as such, comply with all material terms and requirements applicable to said concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2025, 2024 and 2023, were approximately $6.3 million, $5.2 million and $3.4 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we make efforts to acquire the land related to our Peruvian concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Peruvian operations and the land on which they are built. Table of Contents Mexico: In Mexico we have 505,788 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined on the table below: IMMSA La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 223,124 103,966 93,706 84,993 505,788 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Our mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.52 to $11.43 per hectare depending on the start date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2025, 2024 and 2023 were approximately $11.4 million, $11.6 million and $11.7 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are built. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our website is www.southerncoppercorp.com. The first document on the list of materials available on this website is Form 8-K, dated March 14, 2003. We offer, free of charge, downloads of our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as they can be reasonably made available following electronic or physical filing with the SEC. Our website also includes the Company’s Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our main Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT This report contains forward-looking statements in which we discuss our potential future performance, operations and projects. Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements are all statements other than statements of historical facts, such as plans, projections, or expectations relating to business outlook, strategy, goals or targets; global market conditions, production and sales volumes, expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report. We caution readers that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated, expected, projected or assumed in the forward-looking statements. Table of Contents CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING DISCLOSURE OF MINERAL PROPERTIES Mineral Reserves and Resources In our public filings in the U.S. and Peru and in certain other announcements not filed with the SEC, we disclose proven and probable reserves and measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources, each as defined in Item 1300 of Regulation S-K (“S-K 1300”). The estimation of measured mineral resources and indicated mineral resources implies greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves, and therefore investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated resources will ever be converted into S-K 1300-compliant reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. Therefore, investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of inferred resources exist, or that they can be mined legally or economically. Technical Report Summaries and Qualified Persons The scientific and technical information concerning our mineral projects in this Form 10-K have been reviewed and approved by third-party “qualified persons” pursuant to S-K 1300. For a description of the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate mineral reserves and mineral resources included in this Form 10-K, as well as data verification procedures and a general discussion of the extent to which the estimates may be affected by any known environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing or other relevant factors, please review the Technical Report Summaries for each of the Company’s material properties which are included as exhibits to, and incorporated by reference in this report. | 10-K |
| 2024 | THE COMPANY | We believe Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico, and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina and Chile. See Item 2 “Properties—Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. The considerable scale of our operations makes us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid. Our precious metals plant at the Ilo refinery produces refined silver, gold, and other materials. Additionally, we produce refined copper using solvent extraction/electrowinning technology (“SX-EW”). We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “La Caridad” unit) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, the Pilares open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. The La Caridad refinery has a precious metals plant that produces refined silver, gold and other materials. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras, S.A de C.V. (the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, which is located on the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, two copper concentrators, a zinc concentrator and two operating SX-EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining processes. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration, which allows us to use our facilities, employees and equipment to manage the entire production process, including ore mining and production of refined copper rod and other products, and to execute most associated transport and logistics functions. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces beyond our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is on remaining profitable during periods of low copper prices and maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal Prices” in this Item 1. Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars,” “dollars,” or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “sol,” “soles” or “S/”, signify Peruvian soles; and references to “peso,” “pesos,” or “Ps.,” represent Mexican pesos. Table of Contents Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tonnes. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2024. For the purpose of clarity, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). As of December 31, 2024, Grupo Mexico, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), owned 88.9% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for the shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and in the provision of railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch,” “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises virtually all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch does not constitute a corporation that is separate from SCC, and, as such, the obligations of the SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. The SPCC Peru Branch is, however, registered as a branch of a foreign company pursuant to Peruvian law and through this entity, we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although the SPCC Peru Branch has no capital or liability that is separate from that held or applicable to SCC, the SPCC Peru Branch is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares (See Note 14 “Stockholders’ Equity” of the consolidated financial statements). In April 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit, (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.96% of Minera Mexico. Table of Contents In 2008, our Board of Directors (“BOD”) authorized a $500 million share repurchase program that has since been increased by the BOD and is currently authorized to $3 billion. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2024 we have purchased 119.5 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $2.9 billion. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. Please see Note 7 of the consolidated financial statements for a discussion of the Inflation Reduction Act effective in 2023, including a 1% excise tax on certain stock repurchases. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. OUR BUSINESS COPPER BUSINESS Copper is an important component in the world’s infrastructure chain. It is the third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility; malleability; thermal and electrical conductivity; and resistance to corrosion, and as such, is considered a prime material for use in electrical and electronic products, including components for power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of copper global use, and for telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, is used in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity whose prices are mainly determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or “COMEX,” in New York and the London Metal Exchange or “LME,” in London. Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced in a multi-stage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasingly larger share of copper is being produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals known to man and has contributed significantly to the development of civilization. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management divides Southern Copper into three reportable segments and manages each as a separate segment. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, product types, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar types of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Information regarding the Company’s sales is included in the segment data. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant, industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue from our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. Table of Contents 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad-Pilares and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant and a copper rod plant and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper and zinc, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, lead, silver and gold; and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue from the IMMSA unit. Financial information is periodically prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) on a segment basis. The CODM focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 19 “Segment and Related Information” of the consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Capital Investment Program” and for our exploration activities, see Item 2 “Properties—Explorations Activities.” PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries; in the power generation and transmission industry; and in the electrical and electronic products; and, to a lesser extent, in industrial machinery and equipment; consumer products; and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, photographic, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion; it is also used to make die cast parts to manufacture batteries and to form sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. As such, acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Generally, 80% to 90% of our metal production is sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on the prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing efforts to diversifying our sales both by region and customer base. We also strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is underpinned by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see “Revenue recognition” in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 19 “Segment and Related Information” of the consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, with the exception of molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. Table of Contents From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Metal Prices.” The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 10 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 2015 2.95 2.02 2.51 2.92 2.05 2.50 2016 2.69 1.94 2.20 2.69 1.96 2.21 2017 3.29 2.48 2.80 3.27 2.48 2.80 2018 3.29 2.56 2.93 3.29 2.64 2.96 2019 2.98 2.51 2.72 2.98 2.51 2.72 2020 3.63 2.12 2.80 3.61 2.09 2.80 2021 4.78 3.54 4.24 4.86 3.52 4.23 2022 4.93 3.21 4.01 4.87 3.18 4.00 2023 4.27 3.54 3.86 4.28 3.54 3.85 2024—1st Q 4.11 3.69 3.86 4.07 3.67 3.83 2024—2nd Q 5.12 4.19 4.55 4.92 4.05 4.42 2024—3rd Q 4.66 3.94 4.23 4.47 3.91 4.17 2024—4th Q 4.60 3.99 4.22 4.48 3.95 4.16 2024 5.12 3.69 4.22 4.92 3.67 4.15 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5- and 10-year periods averaged $3.83 and $3.23, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5- and 10-year periods averaged $3.81 and $3.22, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average prices per pound with the exception of silver, which is priced per ounce. The market prices for our three principal by-products over the last 10 years are as follows: Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Silver (COMEX) Metals Week) Zinc (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 2015 18.35 13.67 15.68 9.40 4.30 6.59 1.09 0.66 0.88 2016 20.67 13.74 17.10 8.60 5.10 6.42 1.32 0.73 0.95 2017 18.49 15.37 17.03 10.25 6.85 8.13 1.53 1.00 1.31 2018 17.55 13.95 15.65 13.00 10.60 11.86 1.64 1.04 1.33 2019 19.39 14.28 16.16 12.70 8.28 11.27 1.37 0.90 1.16 2020 29.25 11.74 20.62 10.90 7.00 8.57 1.29 0.72 1.03 2021 29.40 21.46 25.18 20.10 9.95 15.51 1.73 1.15 1.36 2022 26.89 17.55 21.76 31.85 13.90 18.61 2.05 1.22 1.58 2023 26.04 20.01 23.41 38.50 16.65 23.73 1.59 1.01 1.20 2024—1st Q 25.20 22.10 23.35 20.85 19.18 19.84 1.18 1.04 1.11 2024—2nd Q 32.21 24.95 28.84 24.13 19.45 21.69 1.40 1.10 1.29 2024—3rd Q 32.11 26.83 29.43 23.25 20.63 21.68 1.40 1.14 1.26 2024—4th Q 34.83 28.94 31.36 22.18 21.05 21.61 1.47 1.32 1.38 2024 34.83 22.10 28.25 24.13 19.18 21.21 1.47 1.04 1.26 The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5- and 10-year periods averaged $23.84 and $20.08, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5- and 10-year periods averaged $17.53 and $13.19, respectively. The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5- and 10-year periods averaged $1.29 and $1.20, respectively. Table of Contents COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is based primarily on price and service basis, with price being the most important factor when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see Item 1A “Risk Factors—The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES As of December 31, 2024, we had 16,133 employees, approximately 66% of whom are covered by a Collective Labor Agreement and represented by 16 collective bargaining agreements with nine different labor unions. We believe that the labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru is favorable, which has allowed us to increase productivity as we advance the goals of our capital expansion program. In addition, around 12,400 people were working as contractors in support of our operations. In accordance with our Community Development commitment, more than 70% of our workforce is hired locally. Talent Development, Training and Retention We value the talent and passion of our team members, and we offer numerous opportunities for professional development to our workforce in both Peru and Mexico. During 2024, we invested over $4.8 million in employee development, delivering more than 646,000 hours of formal instruction relative to occupational safety, health and wellness, technical competencies, professional development, and regulatory compliance in accordance with our Code of Ethics. We believe that employee development is strengthened through formal and on-the-job learning. All employees receive initial training as part of their onboarding program and are offered opportunities for development, which facilitates talent retention. Company Culture We are committed to cultivating a unified organizational culture through our mission, vision, and values while strengthening our position as an employer of choice. Our objective is to generate value for our team by providing an exceptional working experience. This involves fostering a safe, collaborative workplace culture where employees feel connected to the Company’s values. We prioritize honesty, respect and responsibility, and these core values are embedded in our daily operations. As part of our commitment to corporate culture, we prioritize the ongoing development of our employees. We acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of our workforce while emphasizing goal-oriented principles to deliver results that benefit key stakeholders and the communities we serve. Our focus is on enhancing productivity and innovation, supporting human development, promoting environmental stewardship, and implementing forward-thinking solutions. Compensation and Benefits Our recruitment strategy focuses on attracting and retaining employees by providing market-competitive remuneration packages, tailored to position requirements, geographical considerations, and local statutory requirements in the countries where we operate. Our compensation practices consider many factors, including individual performance and responsibilities; years of service; elements of compensation mandated by Peruvian and Mexican law; future challenges and objectives; contributions to the future success of our Company; the employee’s total compensation and our financial performance. We may also look at the compensation levels of comparable companies. We offer productivity bonuses to our employees, which motivates them to grow the Company’s results. Health and Safety Our comprehensive occupational health and safety program, administered jointly our Medical and Human Resources departments, encompasses preventive care, periodic health assessments, wellness education, and an integrated digital wellness platform for our employees. Table of Contents In 2024, we launched 178 health campaigns in Mexico, supported by 6,787 collaborators to promote early detection of diseases such as diabetes mellitus, subarachnoid hemorrhage, dyslipidemia, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. These campaigns were also focused on administering vaccines and providing dental health services. We conducted 8,413 health talks on various promotional topics, reaching 50,476 attendees. Additionally, we also held 4,569 occupational health talks and conducted workshops on the proper use of personal protection equipment (PPE) to mitigate occupational risks and diseases. We also provided 657 nutrition talks to 8,541 participants. In partnership with health institutions, we offered campaigns for workers and their families in the communities where we operate providing general screenings; dental care; vaccinations; imaging studies; and laboratory tests, with an emphasis on breast and prostate cancer screening. As of 2024, the occupational health and safety management systems at all our mining operations in Mexico and Peru had been certified under the ISO 45001 standards and through ELSSA certification, awarded by the Social Security Institute (“IMSS”) in Mexico. Our health and safety programs are supported by comprehensive annual training plans. We comply with regulations at each site and implement risk management and Behavior Based Safety programs in collaboration with our contractors to foster a shared safety culture. Talent Attraction and Recruiting As part of our talent attraction strategy, we have enhanced our employer brand through initiatives designed to solidify our status as an employer of choice in the regions where we operate. We recognize social media's strategic importance in modern talent acquisition and community engagement. Therefore, we have strengthened our presence on LinkedIn, where our number of followers has risen 110% in the last two years with an engagement rate of 59% (2024), one of the highest in the mining industry. We continue to participate in job fairs to leverage our presence at the most important universities in the countries where we operate. To attract and develop high-potential university graduates, we implement structured recruitment and development programs designed to integrate young professionals into operational divisions. In 2024, we attracted more than 228 graduates from different academic disciplines in Mexico. These strategies consolidate Human Resources Planning. More than 48% of the positions are covered by internal employees and our retention rate is around 90%. We maintain transparent recruitment processes and are committed to upholding the principles of human rights, inclusivity, equity, merit, and equal employment opportunity in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Employee Engagement Every year we make concerted efforts to enhance employee engagement; foster a positive organizational environment; and strengthen our culture. We encourage participation from all employees, both unionized and non-unionized, in our human talent initiatives. One noteworthy example is our “Family Day” held in Mexico, which attracted over 14,700 attendees (employees with their families). This one-day event introduced participants to our Company’s values; showcased our processes; highlighted our culture; and provided opportunities for colleagues to socialize in a positive and enjoyable environment. For the fourth consecutive year, Great Place to Work Mexico has certified our Sonora Metallurgical Complex as one of the best places to work. This award acknowledges our organization's dedication to fostering an inclusive and innovative work culture that prioritizes the well-being of its people. In 2024, our Metallurgical Complex in Sonora obtained the following awards after competing with more than 100 organizations in Mexico and Latin America in the category of 500 to 5,000 employees: •1st place in The Best Workplaces Regional – Northwest 2024 •3rd place in The Best Workplaces for Women Mexico 2024 •4th place in The Best Workplaces Mexico 2024 Table of Contents •23rd place in The Best Workplaces in Latin America 2024 •Recognition among the 100 Best Chief Human Resources Officers in Mexico •Recognition among the 100 Best Chief Executive Officers in Mexico The Company has a corporate social responsibility policy that is designed to integrate its operations with local communities in our areas of influence. This policy focuses on creating permanent and positive relationships to generate optimal social conditions and promote sustainable development in the area. We continue to make significant expenditures for community programs. For additional information on our community programs, refer to Corporate Social Responsibility under Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” to the consolidated financial statements. 2025 Strategic Workplace Plan We strive to create a workplace culture where our personnel feel included, welcomed and valued for their personal and professional contributions. This vision is grounded in our core values of respect, honesty and responsibility. In line with our Code of Conduct and Human Rights Policy, our objectives are to (i) cultivate an organizational culture that fosters equality and well-being, emphasizing excellence, equal opportunity, inclusivity and non-discrimination, (ii) enhance the sensitivity, knowledge and skills in our leaders and employees to build diverse and inclusive teams and promote a culture of respect, and (iii) extend this inclusive culture to the communities in which we operate. We developed our 2025 Strategic Workplace Plan with six strategic initiatives: 1. Communication: Awareness campaigns on inclusivity, equity and non-discrimination to promote diverse, inclusive and safe work environments. 2. Training: Implement comprehensive education programs to strengthen understanding of and respect for workplace inclusivity and equity, while promoting collaborative practices that foster inclusive and equitable team environments. 3. Data generation and statistics: Establish and maintain comprehensive data collection systems to measure, analyze, and monitor inclusivity and equity metrics and strategic outcomes. 4. Adaptations to infrastructure: Adapt the workplace to be compatible with and inclusive of the needs of our personnel. 5. Hiring: Strategically utilize data from inclusivity and equity metrics to promote inclusivity, equity and excellence representation across all organizational levels and business units. 6. Retention: Implement actions that foster an environment where people feel valued, supported, and safe. In 2024, we implemented a comprehensive online training program for non-unionized personnel in Mexico and Peru with the aim of fostering workplace culture and enhance our employees’ understanding of workplace inclusivity and equity principles. We have established procedures to uphold a Zero Tolerance policy for workplace harassment in Mexico and Peru. These procedures were disclosed in Mexico in 2024 and aim to foster a violence-free environment; promote fair and equitable dispute resolution; support good faith complaints with a policy of non-retaliation; establish secure and confidential channels for reporting incidents; implement measures to investigate and address allegations; and ensure the safety and well-being of all employees. CODE OF ETHICS All our employees, including our new hires, must certify compliance with the Code of Ethics yearly by reviewing and signing this principal document, which serves as our primary guidance tool for professional conduct in terms of ethical obligations, both in our business dealings and our interpersonal relationships. Peru As of December 31, 2024, 56.9% of our 5,120 Peruvian employees were unionized. Currently, there are six separate unions, none of which represents the majority of workers, as defined by current Peruvian labor legislation. The Company maintains regular dialogue with union representatives to ensure labor harmony and proper management of labor Table of Contents relations. The Company has collective bargaining agreements with each of the six unions, the earliest of which expires in 2027 and the latest, in 2033. These agreements govern benefits related to compensation and working conditions. From 2021 to 2022, the Company signed collective bargaining agreements with the six unions with durations between three to six years. These agreements were executed in 2022. In the first quarter of 2023, the Company began applying the terms of the agreements entered into with the six unions pursuant to Law 31632, which stipulates new conditions for compensation of leaves granted during COVID-19. Within the current framework of labor regulations and the agreements with all six unions, this compensation has been adapted to align with current working hours in the mining sector. These conditions were in effect until December 1, 2023. In the second and third quarter of 2024, the Company held meetings with five of its six unions to discuss collective bargaining agreements. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the Company signed long-term extensions of the collective bargaining agreements with these five unions, each lasting six years and commencing on the day after the expiration of the prior agreements, in accordance with the law. This allows the Company to maintain consistency in economic benefits and working conditions for over 2,000 workers. Additionally, the Company reached agreements with these five unions to ensure the uninterrupted operation of its facilities, preventing stoppages by unions and workers for a period of six years. As a result of these agreements, the Company made a signing payment to each worker, totaling $62 million approximately. Meetings with the remaining union were held in accordance with the established collective bargaining procedure, as required by labor law. In February 2025, the Company signed a three-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement with this union. The Company made a signing payment to each worker of the union, totaling approximately $6.3 million. Our employees at the Toquepala and Cuajone mining units reside in the 3,700 houses and apartments that we have built at the townsites. We also have 90 houses in Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, maintenance and utility services are provided to most of our employees for a nominal cost. Our townsite and housing complexes provide schools, medical facilities, churches, banks, shops, social clubs, recreational facilities and other services. Mexico As of December 31, 2024, 71% of our 10,988 Mexican employees were unionized and represented by ten collective bargaining agreements distributed among three labor unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions on an annual basis and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. Our Taxco mine in Mexico has been on strike since July 2007. For a discussion of labor matters, refer to the information contained under the caption “Labor matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 1,800 houses and apartments. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes where we have built 356 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at nominal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit provided health care services to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own on-site hospital. In 2010, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to provide these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista receive health services through the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. Table of Contents FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuel, gas, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators and utilize diesel fuel to power mining equipment for metallurgical processes at our operations. We believe that sufficient sources of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. Fluctuations may occur in the prices of these raw materials that are beyond our control; as such, we focus our efforts on reducing costs through cost and energy-saving measures. Energy generates the main cost in mining, so concern for its conservation and efficient usage is critical. We have energy management committees at most of our mines, which meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Alternative sources are also being analyzed at the corporate level, including both traditional and renewable energy sources. This approach has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at ensuring the sustainability of our operations. Peru: Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from Valero Peru, a local subsidiary of Valero Energy Corporation, a U.S. producer of fuel and power. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available for its operations in Peru. Electricity: In June 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120 megawatts (“MW”) with the state owned company Electroperu S.A., which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for a twenty-year period that started on April 17, 2017. In July 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120MW with a private power generator Kallpa Generacion S.A. (“Kallpa”), which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for a ten-year period that started on April 17, 2017. In May 2016, we signed an additional power purchase agreement for a maximum of 80MW with Kallpa, under which Kallpa began supplying energy to the operations related to the Toquepala expansion and to other minor projects for a period starting on May 1, 2017, and ending on October 31, 2029. We feel confident that additional power can be obtained from the Peruvian national grid, should the need arise. Additionally, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating facilities at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer transmission line circuit, which is connected to the Peruvian network. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 2,011 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire-Gentilar, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and surface water rights from Lake Suches. Three additional water sources are: Quebrada Honda, Quebrada Tacalaya and a smaller resource from the Cuajone mine pit. We believe these water sources are sufficient to supply the water demands of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. Additionally, we have permits in Ilo to use water at three desalination plants that generate water for industrial use and domestic consumption; we believe these facilities will produce sufficient water to cover the requirements of both current and projected needs. Additionally, we have two licenses for the use of non-desalinated seawater for the Smelter. The Branch has a surface water permit for the Locumba river, which will facilitate the conservation and maintenance of a portion of the wetlands in Ite. The Company has also been studying alternative sources of water to cover future needs as operations expand and our mining projects grow. Mexico: Fuel: In Mexico, since 2018, we have purchased fuel from Petroleos Mexicanos (“PEMEX”), the state producer, and from private suppliers. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora). This allows us to import natural gas at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly or daily fixed prices for our natural gas purchases. Table of Contents Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes and to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup method for all these uses. We use diesel oil to power mining equipment at our operations. Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase most of our electricity from Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L. (“MGE”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico which has two power plants designed to supply power to La Caridad and Buenavista units. In 2024, MGE supplied 20.2% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In 2012, we entered into a power supply agreement with MGE that will last until 2032. The first plant was completed in 2013 and the second in 2014. The first plant began to supply power to the Company in December 2013, and the second plant in June 2015. We also purchase electricity from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (the Federal Electricity Commission or the “CFE”), the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico is dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE and PEMEX, which are affected by political and regulatory environments, international market prices for crude oil and natural gas; and conditions in the refinery markets. Some IMMSA mining operations also purchase electricity from Eolica el Retiro, S.A.P.I de C.V. (“Eolica”), a windfarm energy producer that is an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico. In August 2013, IMMSA and other of the Company’s mining operations entered into a purchase agreement and in late 2014 started to purchase electricity from Eolica. Due to the nature of the production process there is not a fixed power capacity contracted. In 2024, Eolica el Retiro supplied approximately 25.5% of its power output to IMMSA and Mexcobre. On February 20, 2020, the Company signed a power purchase agreement with Parque Eolico de Fenicias, S. de R.L. de C.V., and indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, to supply 611,400 MWh of power per year to some of the Company´s Mexican operations for 20 years. This agreement commenced in the third quarter of 2024. In 2024, Parque Eolico de Fenicias supplied approximately 58.6% of its power output to IMMSA. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed public property and industries that are not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the National Water Commission or the “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Rights Law), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established at each plant to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been on the rise in recent years. LEGAL AND REGULATORY MATTERS To the Company's knowledge, during the period from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2024, no legal, environmental, labor or tax regulations came into effect in the jurisdictions where the Company operates that (i) required the Company to incur material costs of compliance, (ii) had a material adverse effect on the Company’s operations, or (iii) materially impacted the execution of the Company’s projects. As of the date hereof, the Company believes that its facilities in Peru and Mexico are in material compliance with all applicable environmental, mining and other laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions. On September 15, 2024, the Mexican Congress approved a constitutional reform to the Judicial Branch that replaces the existing appointment-based system for selecting judges with a system of popular election of Congress pre-selected Table of Contents judges. The implementation of this reform is ongoing, and the Company cannot currently assess its potential impact on the Mexican federal judicial system or the Company's operations. For a discussion of environmental and labor matters, reference is made to the information contained in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. For more information on tax matters, refer to Note 7 “Income taxes” of the consolidated financial statements. MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru: We have 154,535 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and production operations, at various sites, as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Mine concessions 22,783 27,380 4,670 99,702 154,535 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and effect under applicable Peruvian laws and as such, comply with all material terms and requirements applicable to said concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2024, 2023 and 2022, were approximately $5.2 million, $3.4 million and $2.5 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. Mexico: In Mexico we have 502,688 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined on the table below: IMMSA La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 223,313 103,821 93,706 81,848 502,688 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.53 to $11.60 per hectare depending on the start date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2024, 2023 and 2022 were approximately $11.6 million, $11.7 million and $8.7 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are built. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our website is www.southerncoppercorp.com. The first document on the list of materials available on this website is Form 8-K, dated March 14, 2003. We offer, free of charge, downloads of our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as they can be reasonably made available following electronic or physical filing with the SEC. Our website also includes the Company’s Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our main Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. Table of Contents CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include information regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING DISCLOSURE OF MINERAL PROPERTIES Mineral Reserves and Resources In our public filings in the U.S. and Peru and in certain other announcements not filed with the SEC, we disclose proven and probable reserves and measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources, each as defined in Item 1300 of Regulation S-K (“S-K 1300”). The estimation of measured mineral resources and indicated mineral resources implies greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves, and therefore investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated resources will ever be converted into S-K 1300-compliant reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. Therefore, investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of inferred resources exist, or that they can be mined legally or economically. Technical Report Summaries and Qualified Persons The scientific and technical information concerning our mineral projects in this Form 10-K have been reviewed and approved by third-party “qualified persons” pursuant to S-K 1300. For a description of the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate mineral reserves and mineral resources included in this Form 10-K, as well as data verification procedures and a general discussion of the extent to which the estimates may be affected by any known environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing or other relevant factors, please review the Technical Report Summaries for each of the Company’s material properties which are included as exhibits to, and incorporated by reference in this report. | 10-K |
| 2023 | THE COMPANY | We believe Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 “Properties—Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. The considerable scale of our operations makes us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid. Our precious metals plant at the Ilo refinery produces refined silver, gold, and other materials. Additionally, we produce refined copper using solvent extraction/electrowinning technology (“SX-EW”). We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “La Caridad” unit) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. The La Caridad refinery has a precious metals plant that produces refined silver, gold and other materials. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras, S.A de C.V. (the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, which is located on the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, two copper concentrators and two operating SX-EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining processes. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration, which allows us to use our facilities, employees and equipment to manage the entire production process, including ore mining and production of refined copper rod and other products, and to execute most associated transport and logistics functions. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces beyond our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is on remaining profitable during periods of low copper prices and maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal Prices” in this Item 1. Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars,” “dollars,” or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “sol,” “soles” or “S/”, signify Peruvian soles; and references to “peso,” “pesos,” or “Ps.,” represent Mexican pesos. Table of Contents Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tonnes. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2023. For the purpose of clarity, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). As of December 31, 2023, Grupo Mexico, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), owned 88.9% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for the shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and in the provision of railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch,” “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises virtually all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch does not constitute a corporation that is separate from SCC, and, as such, the obligations of the SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. The SPCC Peru Branch is, however, registered as a branch of a foreign company pursuant to Peruvian law and through this entity, we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although the SPCC Peru Branch has no capital or liability that is separate from that held or applicable to SCC, the SPCC Peru Branch is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares (See Note 14 “Stockholders´ Equity” of the consolidated financial statements). In April 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.96% of Minera Mexico. Table of Contents In 2008, our Board of Directors (“BOD”) authorized a $500 million share repurchase program that has since been increased by the BOD and is currently authorized to $3 billion. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2023 we have purchased 119.5 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $2.9 billion. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. Please see Note 7 for a discussion of the Inflation Reduction Act effective in 2023, including a 1% excise tax on certain stock repurchases. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. OUR BUSINESS COPPER BUSINESS Copper is an important component in the world’s infrastructure chain. It is the third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility; malleability; thermal and electrical conductivity; and resistance to corrosion, and as such, is considered a prime material for use in electrical and electronic products, including components for power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of copper global use, and for telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, is used in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity whose prices are mainly determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or “COMEX,” in New York and the London Metal Exchange or “LME,” in London. Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced in a multi-stage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasingly larger share of copper is being produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals known to man and has contributed significantly to the development of civilization. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management divides Southern Copper into three reportable segments and manages each as a separate segment. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, product types, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar types of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Information regarding the Company’s sales is included in the segment data. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant, industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue from our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. Table of Contents 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant and a copper rod plant and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, lead, silver and gold; and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue from the IMMSA unit. Financial information is periodically prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) on a segment basis. The CODM focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 19 “Segment and Related Information” of the consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Capital Investment Program” and for our exploration activities, see Item 2 “Properties—Explorations Activities.” PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries; in the power generation and transmission industry; and in the electrical and electronic products; and, to a lesser extent, in industrial machinery and equipment; consumer products; and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, photographic, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion; it is also used to make die cast parts to manufacture batteries and to form sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. As such, acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Generally, 80% to 90% of our metal production is sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on the prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing efforts to diversifying our sales both by region and customer base. We also strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is underpinned by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see “Revenue recognition” in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 19 “Segment and Related Information” of the consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, with the exception of molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. Table of Contents From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Metal Prices.” The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 10 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 2014 3.43 2.84 3.12 3.37 2.86 3.11 2015 2.95 2.02 2.51 2.92 2.05 2.50 2016 2.69 1.94 2.20 2.69 1.96 2.21 2017 3.29 2.48 2.80 3.27 2.48 2.80 2018 3.29 2.56 2.93 3.29 2.64 2.96 2019 2.98 2.51 2.72 2.98 2.51 2.72 2020 3.63 2.12 2.80 3.61 2.09 2.80 2021 4.78 3.54 4.24 4.86 3.52 4.23 2022 4.93 3.21 4.01 4.87 3.18 4.00 2023—1st Q 4.27 3.74 4.09 4.28 3.72 4.05 2023—2nd Q 4.12 3.55 3.85 4.12 3.59 3.85 2023—3rd Q 3.99 3.63 3.77 3.96 3.64 3.79 2023—4th Q 3.94 3.54 3.72 3.87 3.54 3.71 2023 4.27 3.54 3.86 4.28 3.54 3.85 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $3.53 and $3.12, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $3.52 and $3.12, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average prices per pound with the exception of silver, which is priced per ounce. The market prices for our three principal by-products over the last 10 years are as follows: Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Silver (COMEX) Metals Week) Zinc (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 2014 22.05 15.39 19.04 15.05 8.75 11.30 1.10 0.88 0.98 2015 18.35 13.67 15.68 9.40 4.30 6.59 1.09 0.66 0.88 2016 20.67 13.74 17.10 8.60 5.10 6.42 1.32 0.73 0.95 2017 18.49 15.37 17.03 10.25 6.85 8.13 1.53 1.00 1.31 2018 17.55 13.95 15.65 13.00 10.60 11.86 1.64 1.04 1.33 2019 19.39 14.28 16.16 12.70 8.28 11.27 1.37 0.90 1.16 2020 29.25 11.74 20.62 10.90 7.00 8.57 1.29 0.72 1.03 2021 29.40 21.46 25.18 20.10 9.95 15.51 1.73 1.15 1.36 2022 26.89 17.55 21.76 31.85 13.90 18.61 2.05 1.22 1.58 2023—1st Q 24.23 20.01 22.53 38.50 24.00 32.04 1.59 1.30 1.42 2023—2nd Q 26.04 22.33 24.26 23.50 16.65 20.87 1.33 1.01 1.15 2023—3rd Q 25.22 22.24 23.60 26.25 21.98 23.59 1.20 1.03 1.10 2023—4th Q 25.50 20.85 23.25 22.50 16.73 18.41 1.20 1.08 1.13 2023 26.04 20.01 23.41 38.50 16.65 23.73 1.59 1.01 1.20 The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $21.43 and $19.16, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $15.54 and $12.20, respectively. The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $1.27 and $1.18, respectively. Table of Contents COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is based primarily on price and service basis, with price being the most important factor when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see Item 1A “Risk Factors—The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES As of December 31, 2023, we had 15,810 employees, approximately 67% of whom are covered by a Collective Labor Agreement and are represented by 16 different labor unions. We believe that the labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru is favorable, which has allowed us to increase productivity as we advance the goals of our capital expansion program. In addition, around 13,066 people were working as contractors in support of our operations. In accordance with our Community Development commitment, more than 46% of our workforce is hired locally. Talent Development, Training and Retention As a large integrated copper producer, we have a wide range of employees, including management professionals, technicians, engineers, and production employees. We believe in our people, and we provide a wide variety of opportunities for professional growth for all employees in Peru and Mexico. In 2023 we made a training investment of over $4.4 million, which resulted in more than 440,000 training hours that focused on safety and health, rquipment operations and maintenance certifications, technical training, soft skills development (primarily in Leadership Competencies, code of ethics and compliance training. We also seek to enhance institutional knowledge through on-the-job training experiences, and designed more than 400 Individual Development Plans, as part of our succession planning. All of our employees receive initial training and opportunities for continuous development throughout their careers, which we believe favors talent retention. More than 65% of the positions are covered by internal employees and our retention rate is around 92%. Voluntary turnover indicators in all of the countries in which we operate remain at single digits year-over-year. We believe this suggests our employees have a strong desire to continue working with us. Company Culture We believe in a shared mission, vision, values and improving our employer brand for existing and future employees. The Company seeks to create value for its employees to help ensure that their working experience is optimal. Various efforts are made on this front, including promoting a safe and collaborative work environment and culture and ensuring employees continue to be engaged with the Company’s values and principles. We live and promote our core values of honesty, respect, and responsibility in our day-to-day. In terms of corporate culture, the Company is committed to the continuous growth and development of its employees and surrounding communities. The Company recognizes the effort of our employees and works to strengthen institutional values. We prize creativity, honesty and equality and we ensure that our employees are aligned with the same work ethic to standardize culture across the Company. The Company also seeks to promote goal-oriented principles to obtain results that positively affect our main stakeholders and communities to drive productivity, innovation, human growth and wellbeing, environmental protection and forward thinking. Compensation and Benefits We also focus on attracting and retaining employees by providing compensation and benefit packages that are competitive within the applicable market, considering the location of the position, responsibilities and compensation requirements in the countries where we operate. Our compensation practices consider many factors, including individual performance and responsibilities; years of service; elements of compensation mandated by Peruvian and Mexican law; future challenges and objectives; contributions to the future success of our Company; the employee’s total compensation and our financial performance. We may also look at the compensation levels of comparable companies. We offer productivity bonuses to our employees, which motivates them to grow the Company’s results. Table of Contents Health and Safety Our focus on health and safety includes prevention and wellness programs, through the Medical and HR departments, such as clinical attention and periodical revisions, wellness training and a wellness platform for our employees. During 2023, we carried out 50 health campaigns with the participation of 1,894 collaborators in early detections of diseases such as breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, and tuberculosis. Additionally, we conducted 3,877 health promotion talks with 22,804 attendees and delivered 4,569 occupational health talks, focused on preventing occupational risks and diseases. Health campaigns were held in collaboration with healthcare institutions for workers and their families within the communities where we operate, offering general consultations with comprehensive examinations including imaging studies and laboratory tests, with a special focus on breast and prostate cancer screenings. In 2023, the environmental and occupational health and safety management systems from all our mining operations are certified under the respective ISO 140001 and ISO 45001 standards. Health and safety programs include a strong annual training plan, compliance with the regulators at each site, risk management and Behavior Based Safety programs that extend our safety culture to contractors. Talent Attraction and Recruiting We deploy several talent attraction programs, which entail leveraging organizational relations; establishing links with national and regional institutions of higher education in the countries where we operate; and participating in job fairs. We also have a job opportunities section in our webpage and use several local and international job boards to publish openings. We offer professional internship programs to attract students before they graduate from universities or centers for vocational training. We attract over 500 graduates from different academic disciplines and universities in Mexico and Peru with our Intern Development Programs. These strategies consolidate Human Resource Planning. Additionally, we believe that we are a first-choice employer in the countries where we operate. This reflects our efforts to strengthen relationships with our stakeholders, including employees, and engage in community development. We have transparent selection processes and are committed to upholding principles for human rights and diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination. Employee Engagement Additionally, we conduct a biannual Employee Opinion Survey to measure employees’ perceptions of the Company and take actions intended to increase employee engagement, develop a positive organizational environment, and strengthen our culture. We measure the employee engagement level with 18 sub-factors, grouped into two major sets of factors: loyalty and satisfaction. The first factor represents the degree to which an individual identifies with the organization and its business goals, and the second reflects the individual’s degree of satisfaction with his/her working conditions and draws a line between satisfaction levels and performance at work. The average of these factors indicates the level of engagement on a scale of 1 to 5 (a Likert scale). In 2023, we had an engagement rating of 4.17, an increase of 2% in the good perception of our employees regarding our Company. We believe this positive trend suggests a continuous improvement on the engagement level of our people year to year. The survey also included sociodemographic elements, in order to consider the opinions of our diverse groups within our Company and respond with our “ECO Action Plan” for the next two years. All employees, both unionized and non-unionized, are invited to participate in all of our human talent initiatives. This reflects our belief that it is in the Company’s best interest to listen to all of our people and create open communications channels. 85% of our employees participated in 2023’s survey, which is an increase of 9% compared to 2021. This number Table of Contents exceeds that registered by other companies that apply similar surveys, consolidating the trust our employees have in this instrument. We have adopted a corporate social responsibility policy that is designed to integrate the Company´s operations with local communities in areas influenced by our operations. This policy focuses on creating permanent and positive relationships to generate optimal social conditions and promote sustainable development in the area. We continue to make significant expenditures for community programs. For additional information on our community programs, refer to Corporate Social Responsibility under Note 13 “Commitments and contingencies” to the consolidated financial statements. DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) Our vision of DEI is to ensure that our people always feel included, welcomed and valued for their personal and professional contributions. This vision is based on our core values of respect, honesty and responsibility. Consistent with our Code of Conduct and Human Rights Policy, our goal is to (i) build an organizational culture of total equality and well-being, focusing on diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination, (ii) increase sensitivity, knowledge and skills in our leaders and employees in order to build diverse and inclusive teams and promote a culture of respect, and (iii) extend this culture to the communities in which we operate. Based on the results of a DEI survey in Mexico and Peru, we aligned our diversity and inclusion 2020-2023 Strategic Plan with five strategic initiatives: 1. Awareness campaigns, training and communication on diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination. 2. Incorporate a gender equality and diversity approach into our human resources policies and procedures (focused both on hiring and retention). 3. Physical modifications at our operations for the inclusion of women. 4. Promote diversity and equal opportunities in our neighbor communities. 5. Define specific processes on awareness, prevention and handling potential incidents of sexual and/or workplace harassment. In 2022, we disclosed our Policy on Diversity, Inclusion, Non-Discrimination, and Zero Tolerance for Workplace or Sexual Harassment for Grupo México and the Mining Division. The latter describes the reporting mechanisms available in Mexico, Peru and the United States, and the protection for the person reporting. In 2023 we provided training about diversity and inclusion to more than 5700 employees. We have the goal to increase participation of women by 2% yearly in the organization. We increased our female workforce from 1,090 to 1,221, which represents an increase of 12% in our female headcount year-over-year. We also increased our female workforce on Leadership positions by 12%. Additionally, this year 34% of our female workforce hold a STEM position (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). We now have a better understanding of our diversity distribution, which we believe allows us design efforts for each group, and advance towards inclusion. CODE OF ETHICS We certify our employees in our Code of Ethics yearly. Every employee, starting with new hires, commit and sign agreement with our main document and guidance tool for our conduct in terms of our legal, professional and ethical obligations, both in our business dealings and our interpersonal relationships. Peru The Company maintains ongoing communication with union representatives with the aim of ensuring labor harmony and proper management of labor relations. The Company has collective bargaining agreements with each of the six unions, the earliest expiration of which is in 2024 and the latest of which is in 2027. These agreements regulate benefits related to remuneration and working conditions. Table of Contents 60.9% of the Company’s 4,979 Peruvian employees were unionized as of December 31, 2023. Currently, there are six separate unions, none of which represents the majority of workers, as defined by current Peruvian labor legislation. During 2021, the Company held talks with the six unions to sign collective bargaining agreements prior to their effective dates. As a result, between the duration of the agreement, a long-term agreement bonus of S/10,000 (approximately $2,670) was granted in June and December 2021, the Company signed collective bargaining agreements with the six unions with durations between three to six years. All of them granted annual salary increases of 5%. Additionally, each agreement granted, among other things, a signing bonus of between S/45,000 (approximately $12,013) and S/90,000 (approximately $24,026), depending on the union that signed a six-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement. All these concepts were recorded as labor expense. In 2022, these collective bargaining agreements were executed and the Company does not have any collective agreement pending to be negotiated with the unions. In December 2022, the Company reached a settlement with one of the unions regarding compliance with an 2018-2019 Arbitration Award. As part of this settlement, the Company made a one-time payment to each union member of S/4,000 (approximately $1,068) as a compensation bonus and also paid a signing bonus of S/1,000 (approximately $267). In the first quarter of 2023, the Company began applying the terms of the agreements entered into with the six unions pursuant to Law 31632, which stipulates new conditions for compensation of leaves granted during COVID-19. Within the current framework of labor regulations and the agreements with all six unions, this compensation has been adapted to align with current working hours in the mining sector. These conditions were in effect until December 1, 2023. In June 2023, the Company held two meetings with the unions to discuss different issues of collective interest. At these meetings, the unions expressed concerns regarding the current economic situation, including the rise in the cost of living in Peru, as well as issues related to services provided by the Company. In the third quarter of 2023, the Company released a formal response to each union confirming that there are collective labor agreements in force with each union that regulate all benefits related to salaries and working conditions. The Company has been complying with all its obligations under such collective labor agreements and is committed to maintaining on-going communication with the unions to ensure harmony. In the last quarter of 2023, one of the unions which represents 24.7% of affiliated workers in the Company’s three productive units, held elections for 2023-2025. Another union, which represents 25.7% of affiliated workers, is in the process of electing its new representatives. An important development in labor relations with the Company’s unions stems from a ruling by the Peruvian Supreme Court that was notified to the Company on October 23, 2023. After 12 years of litigation, the Court ruled in favor of the Company to settle a suit involving a worker payment in the amount of S/11,000 (approximately $2,936) that a lower court had ordered the Company to pay to one of the unions in 2011. The Company had been legally pursuing recovery of the total amount of this worker payment. The union has expressed its intention to comply with the court order and to reach an agreement to return the amount paid by the Company. Our employees at the Toquepala and Cuajone mining units reside in the 3,700 houses and apartments that we have built at the townsites. We also have 90 houses in Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, maintenance and utility services are provided to most of our employees for a nominal cost. Our townsite and housing complexes provide schools, medical facilities, churches, banks, shops, social clubs, recreational facilities and other services. Mexico 69.8% of our 10,802 Mexican employees were unionized as of December 31, 2023 and are represented by ten different unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions on an annual basis and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. Table of Contents Our Taxco mine in Mexico has been on strike since July 2007. For a discussion of labor matters, refer to the information contained under the caption “Labor matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 1,800 houses and apartments. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes where we have built 356 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at nominal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit provided health care services to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own on-site hospital. In 2010, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to provide these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista receive health services through the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuel, gas, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators and utilize diesel fuel to power mining equipment for metallurgical processes at our operations. We believe that sufficient sources of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. Fluctuations may occur in the prices of these raw materials that are beyond our control; as such, we focus our efforts on reducing costs through cost and energy-saving measures. Energy generates the main cost in mining, so concern for its conservation and efficient usage is critical. We have energy management committees at most of our mines, which meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Alternative sources are also being analyzed at the corporate level, including both traditional and renewable energy sources. This approach has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at ensuring the sustainability of our operations. Peru: Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from Valero Peru, a local subsidiary of Valero Energy Corporation, a U.S. producer of fuel and power. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available for its operations in Peru. Electricity: In June 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120 megawatts (“MW”) with the state owned company Electroperu S.A., which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for a twenty-year period that started on April 17, 2017. In July 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120MW with a private power generator Kallpa Generacion S.A. (“Kallpa”), which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for a ten-year period that started on April 17, 2017. In May 2016, we signed an additional power purchase agreement for a maximum of 80MW with Kallpa, under which Kallpa will supply energy to the operations related to the Toquepala expansion and to other minor projects for a period starting on May 1, 2017 and ending after ten years of commercial operations at the Toquepala Expansion or until April 30, 2029; whichever occurs first. We feel confident that additional power can be obtained from the Peruvian national grid, should the need arise. Additionally, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating facilities at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is connected to the Peruvian network. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire-Gentilar, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and surface water rights from Lake Suches. Three additional water sources are: Quebrada Honda, Quebrada Tacalaya and a smaller resource from the Cuajone mine pit. We believe these water sources are sufficient to supply the water demands of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. Additionally, we have permits in Ilo to use water at three desalination plants that generate water for industrial use and domestic consumption; Table of Contents we believe these facilities will produce sufficient water to cover the requirements of both current and projected needs. Additionally, we have two licenses for the use of non-desalinated seawater for the Smelter. The Branch has a surface water permit for the Locumba river, which will facilitate the conservation and maintenance of a portion of the wetlands in Ite. Mexico: Fuel: In Mexico, since 2018, we have purchased fuel from Petroleos Mexicanos (“PEMEX”), the state producer, and from private suppliers. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora). This allows us to import natural gas at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly or daily fixed prices for our natural gas purchases. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes and to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup method for all these uses. We use diesel oil to power mining equipment at our operations. Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase most of our electricity from Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L. (“MGE”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico which has two power plants designed to supply power to La Caridad and Buenavista units. Currently, MGE supplies 7.6% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In 2012, we entered into a power supply agreement with MGE that will last until 2032. The first plant was completed in 2013 and the second in 2014. The first plant began to supply power to the Company in December 2013, and the second plant in June 2015. We also purchase electricity from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (the Federal Electricity Commission or the “CFE”), the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico is dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE and PEMEX, which are affected by political and regulatory environments, international market prices for crude oil and natural gas; and conditions in the refinery markets. Some IMMSA mining operations also purchase electricity from Eolica el Retiro, S.A.P.I de C.V. (“Eolica”), a windfarm energy producer that is an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico. In August 2013, IMMSA and other of the Company’s mining operations entered into a purchase agreement and in late 2014 started to purchase electricity from Eolica. Due to the nature of the production process there is not a fixed power capacity contracted. Currently, Eolica el Retiro is supplying approximately 12% of its power output to IMMSA and Mexcobre. On February 20, 2020, the Company signed a power purchase agreement with Parque Eolico de Fenicias, S. de R.L. de C.V., and indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, to supply 611,400 MWh of power per year to some of the Company´s Mexican operations for 20 years. This agreement is expected to become effective during the second quarter of 2024. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed public property and industries that are not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the National Water Commission or the “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Rights Law), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established at each plant to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been on the rise in recent years. Table of Contents LEGAL AND REGULATORY MATTERS In 2022 and 2023, no legal, environmental, labor or tax regulations came into effect that required the Company to incur material costs of compliance, had material adverse effects on the Company’s operations, or affected normal execution of the Company’s projects. Additionally, we believe that all our facilities in Peru and Mexico are in material compliance with applicable environmental, mining and other applicable laws and regulations. For a discussion of environmental and labor matters, reference is made to the information contained in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. For more information on tax matters, refer to Note 7 “Income taxes” of the consolidated financial statements. MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru: We have 156,818 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and production operations, at various sites, as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Plants 360 919 421 — 1,700 Operations 22,423 26,461 4,249 36,733 89,866 Projects and water resources — — — — — Exploration — — — 65,251 65,251 Total 22,783 27,380 4,670 101,985 156,818 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and effect under applicable Peruvian laws and as such, comply with all material terms and requirements applicable to said concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2023, 2022 and 2021, were approximately $3.4 million, $2.5 million and $2.3 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. Mexico: In Mexico we have 502,688 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined on the table below: IMMSA La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 223,313 103,821 93,706 81,848 502,688 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 25 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.52 to $11.48 per hectare depending on the start date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2023, 2022 and 2021 were approximately $11.7 million, $8.7 million and $7.7 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are built. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current Table of Contents reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our website is www.southerncoppercorp.com. The first document on the list of materials available on this website is Form 8-K, dated March 14, 2003. We offer, free of charge, downloads of our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as they can be reasonably made available following electronic or physical filing with the SEC. Our website also includes the Company’s Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our main Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include information regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING DISCLOSURE OF MINERAL PROPERTIES Mineral Reserves and Resources In our public filings in the U.S. and Peru and in certain other announcements not filed with the SEC, we disclose proven and probable reserves and measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources, each as defined in Item 1300 of Regulation S-K (“S-K 1300”). The estimation of measured mineral resources and indicated mineral resources implies greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves, and therefore investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated resources will ever be converted into S-K 1300-compliant reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. Therefore, investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of inferred resources exist, or that they can be mined legally or economically. Technical Report Summaries and Qualified Persons The scientific and technical information concerning our mineral projects in this Form 10-K have been reviewed and approved by third-party “qualified persons” pursuant to S-K 1300. For a description of the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate mineral reserves and mineral resources included in this Form 10-K, as well as data verification procedures and a general discussion of the extent to which the estimates may be affected by any known environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing or other relevant factors, please review the Technical Report Summaries for each of the Company’s material properties which are included as exhibits to, and incorporated by reference in this report. Table of Contents | 10-K |
| 2022 | THE COMPANY | We believe Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 “Properties—Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. The considerable scale of our operations makes us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid. Our precious metals plant at the Ilo refinery produces refined silver, gold, and other materials. Additionally, we produce refined copper using solvent extraction/electrowinning technology (“SX-EW”). We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “La Caridad” unit) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. The La Caridad refinery has a precious metals plant that produces refined silver, gold and other materials. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras, S.A de C.V. (the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, which is located on the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, two copper concentrators and two operating SX-EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining processes. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration, which allows us to use our facilities, employees and equipment to manage the entire production process, including ore mining and production of refined copper rod and other products, and to execute most associated transport and logistics functions. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces beyond our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is on remaining profitable during periods of low copper prices and maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal Prices” in this Item 1. Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars,” “dollars,” or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “sol,” “soles” or “S/”, signify Peruvian soles; and references to “peso,” “pesos,” or “Ps.,” represent Mexican pesos. Table of Contents Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tonnes. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2022. For the purpose of clarity, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). As of December 31, 2022, Grupo Mexico, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), owned 88.9% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for the shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and in the provision of railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch,” “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises virtually all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch does not constitute a corporation that is separate from SCC, and, as such, the obligations of the SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. The SPCC Peru Branch is, however, registered as a branch of a foreign company pursuant to Peruvian law and through this entity, we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although the SPCC Peru Branch has no capital or liability that is separate from that held or applicable to SCC, the SPCC Peru Branch is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares (See Note 14 “Stockholders´ Equity” of the consolidated financial statements). In April 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.96% of Minera Mexico. Table of Contents In 2008, our Board of Directors (“BOD”) authorized a $500 million share repurchase program that has since been increased by the BOD and is currently authorized to $3 billion. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2022 we have purchased 119.5 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $2.9 billion. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. Please see Note 7 for a discussion of the Inflation Reduction Act effective in 2023, including a 1% excise tax on certain stock repurchases. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. OUR BUSINESS COPPER BUSINESS Copper is an important component in the world’s infrastructure chain. It is the third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility; malleability; thermal and electrical conductivity; and resistance to corrosion, and as such, is considered a prime material for use in electrical and electronic products, including components for power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of copper global use, and for telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, is used in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity whose prices are mainly determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or “COMEX,” in New York and the London Metal Exchange or “LME,” in London. Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced in a multi-stage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasingly larger share of copper is being produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals known to man and has contributed significantly to the development of civilization. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management divides Southern Copper into three reportable segments and manages each as a separate segment. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, product types, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar types of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Information regarding the Company’s sales is included in the segment data. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant, industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue from our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. Table of Contents 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant and a copper rod plant and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, lead, silver and gold; and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue from the IMMSA unit. Financial information is periodically prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) on a segment basis. The CODM focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 19 “Segment and Related Information” of the consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Capital Investment Program” and for our exploration activities, see Item 2 “Properties—Explorations Activities.” PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries; in the power generation and transmission industry; and in the electrical and electronic products; and, to a lesser extent, in industrial machinery and equipment; consumer products; and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, photographic, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion; it is also used to make die cast parts to manufacture batteries and to form sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. As such, acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Generally, 80% to 90% of our metal production is sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on the prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing efforts to diversifying our sales both by region and customer base. We also strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is underpinned by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see “Revenue recognition” in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 19 “Segment and Related Information” of the consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, with the exception of molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. For a further discussion of our products Table of Contents market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Metal Prices.” The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 10 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 2013 3.78 3.03 3.34 3.74 3.01 3.32 2014 3.43 2.84 3.12 3.37 2.86 3.11 2015 2.95 2.02 2.51 2.92 2.05 2.50 2016 2.69 1.94 2.20 2.69 1.96 2.21 2017 3.29 2.48 2.80 3.27 2.48 2.80 2018 3.29 2.56 2.93 3.29 2.64 2.96 2019 2.98 2.51 2.72 2.98 2.51 2.72 2020 3.63 2.12 2.80 3.61 2.09 2.80 2021 4.78 3.54 4.24 4.86 3.52 4.23 2022—1st Q 4.93 4.30 4.54 4.87 4.34 4.53 2022—2nd Q 4.80 3.71 4.34 4.73 3.74 4.32 2022—3rd Q 3.71 3.21 3.50 3.77 3.18 3.51 2022—4th Q 3.95 3.36 3.66 3.87 3.37 3.63 2022 4.93 3.21 4.01 4.87 3.18 4.00 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $3.34 and $3.07, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $3.34 and $3.06, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average prices per pound with the exception of silver, which is priced per ounce. The market prices for our three principal by-products over the last 10 years are as follows: Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Silver (COMEX) Metals Week) Zinc (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 2013 32.41 18.53 23.82 11.95 9.12 10.26 0.99 0.81 0.87 2014 22.05 15.39 19.04 15.05 8.75 11.30 1.10 0.88 0.98 2015 18.35 13.67 15.68 9.40 4.30 6.59 1.09 0.66 0.88 2016 20.67 13.74 17.10 8.60 5.10 6.42 1.32 0.73 0.95 2017 18.49 15.37 17.03 10.25 6.85 8.13 1.53 1.00 1.31 2018 17.55 13.95 15.65 13.00 10.60 11.86 1.64 1.04 1.33 2019 19.39 14.28 16.16 12.70 8.28 11.27 1.37 0.90 1.16 2020 29.25 11.74 20.62 10.90 7.00 8.57 1.29 0.72 1.03 2021 29.40 21.46 25.18 20.10 9.95 15.51 1.73 1.15 1.36 2022—1st Q 26.89 22.17 24.05 19.33 18.70 18.99 1.93 1.60 1.70 2022—2nd Q 26.14 20.28 22.65 19.30 17.08 18.30 2.05 1.47 1.78 2022—3rd Q 20.72 17.55 19.10 18.58 13.90 16.00 1.76 1.28 1.48 2022—4th Q 24.09 18.02 21.25 31.85 17.95 21.17 1.49 1.22 1.36 2022 26.89 17.55 21.76 31.85 13.90 18.61 2.05 1.22 1.58 The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $19.88 and $19.20, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $13.16 and $10.85, respectively. The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $1.29 and $1.14, respectively. Table of Contents COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is based primarily on price and service basis, with price being the most important factor when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see Item 1A “Risk Factors—The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES As of December 31, 2022, we had 15,018 employees, approximately 73% of whom are covered by a Collective Labor Agreement and are represented by ten different labor unions. We believe that the labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru is favorable, which has allowed us to increase productivity as we advance the goals of our capital expansion program. In addition, around 14,000 people were working as contractors in support of our operations. In accordance with our Community Development commitment, more than 55% of our workforce is hired locally. Talent Development, Training and Retention As a large integrated copper producer, we have a wide range of employees, including management professionals, technicians, engineers, and production employees. We believe in our people, and we provide a wide variety of opportunities for professional growth for all employees in Peru and Mexico. In 2022 we had a training investment of over $2.5 million, which resulted in more than 408,000 training hours, focused on safety and health, technical training, soft skills development, code of ethics and compliance training. We also seek to enhance institutional knowledge through on-the-job training experiences, and designed more than 400 Individual Development Plans, as part of our succession planning. All of our employees receive initial training and opportunities for continuous development throughout their careers, which we believe favors talent retention. More than 65% of the positions are covered by internal employees and our retention rate is around 92%. Voluntary turnover indicators in all of the countries in which we operate remain at single digits year-over-year. We believe this suggests our employees have a strong desire to continue working with us. Company Culture We believe in a shared mission, vision, values and improving our employer brand for existing and future employees. The Company seeks to create value for its employees to help ensure that their working experience is optimal. Various efforts are made on this front, including promoting a safe and collaborative work environment and culture and ensuring employees continue to be engaged with the Company’s values and principles. We live and promote our core values of honesty, respect, and responsibility in our day-to-day. In terms of corporate culture, the Company is committed to the continuous growth and development of its employees and surrounding communities. The Company recognizes the effort of our employees and works to strengthen institutional values. We prize creativity, honesty and equality and we ensure that our employees are aligned with the same work ethic to standardize culture across the Company. The Company also seeks to promote goal-oriented principles to obtain results that positively affect our main stakeholders and communities to drive productivity, innovation, human growth and wellbeing, environmental protection and forward thinking. Compensation and Benefits We also focus on attracting and retaining employees by providing compensation and benefit packages that are competitive within the applicable market, considering the location of the position, responsibilities and compensation requirements in the countries where we operate. Our compensation practices consider many factors, including individual performance and responsibilities; years of service; elements of compensation mandated by Peruvian and Mexican law; future challenges and objectives; contributions to the future success of our Company; the employee’s total compensation and our financial performance. We may also look at the compensation levels of comparable companies. We offer productivity bonuses to our employees, which motivates them to grow the Company’s results. Table of Contents Health and Safety During 2022, we intensified our COVID-19 related communication to the entire organization, with a view to strengthening the application of the health safety protocols in all of the Company’s operations and offices, which include: a) Increase of the application of antigen and PCR tests per day, including those prescribed at the homes of our employees. b) Decrease in capacity to 30% in offices and common spaces, keeping well-ventilated areas, and restriction of meetings. c) Promoting "home office" in those positions that allow it, applying sanitary filters and safety protocols. We hired special Infirmary staff in all sites and offices, for prevention and medical care. d) Continuous sanitization and prevention equipment for employees. e) Limitation of access to company camps, where our employees´ families live. f) Medical and psychological counseling line for our employees and our communities. g) Functioning of health committees at each business center. h) Coordinated actions with the municipal health committees. i) Donations of supplies and diagnostic tests to local communities. j) Accommodations for our employees in their complete vaccination schedule and booster applications. Our focus on health and safety includes prevention and wellness programs, through the Medical and HR departments, such as clinical attention and periodical revisions, wellness training and a wellness platform for our employees. We are committed to have our operations audited and certified under the ISO 45001 standards. In the first quarter of 2022, the Santa Barbara and San Martin mines obtained ISO 45001 Certification for the environmental management system while La Caridad Mine and the Lime Plant in Sonora obtained ISO 14001 Certification. In the second quarter of 2022, the Maritime Terminal of Guaymas also received ISO 45001 Certification and the Charcas unit became the first of our underground mines to obtain ISO 14001 Certification. Health and safety programs include a strong annual training plan, compliance with the regulators at each site, risk management and Behavior Based Safety programs that extend our safety culture to contractors. Talent Attraction and Recruiting We deploy several talent attraction programs, which entail leveraging organizational relations; establishing links with national and regional institutions of higher learning in the countries where we operate; and participating in job fairs. We also have a job opportunities section in our webpage and use several local and international job boards to publish openings. We offer professional internship programs to attract students before they graduate from universities or centers for vocational training. We attract over 500 graduates from different academic disciplines and universities in Mexico and Peru with our Intern Development Programs. These strategies consolidate Human Resource Planning. Additionally, we believe that we are a first-choice employer in the countries where we operate. This reflects our efforts to strengthen relationships with our stakeholders, including employees, and engage in community development. We have transparent selection processes and are committed to upholding principles for human rights and diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination. Employee Engagement Additionally, we conduct a biannual Employee Opinion Survey to measure employees’ perceptions of the Company and take actions intended to increase employee engagement, develop a positive organizational environment, and strengthen our culture. We measure the employee engagement level with 18 sub-factors, grouped into two major sets of factors: loyalty and satisfaction. The first factor represents the degree to which an individual identifies with the organization and its business goals, and the second reflects the individual’s degree of satisfaction with his/her working conditions and draws a line between satisfaction levels and performance at work. Table of Contents The average of these factors indicates the level of engagement on a scale of 1 to 5 (a Likert scale). In 2017, we had an engagement rating of 3.71 and in 2019, our rating was at 3.77. In 2021 the rating increased to 4.09. We believe this positive trend suggests a continuous improvement on the engagement level of our people. For the 2021 survey, we added and measured the COVID-19 factor to better understand the opinion of our people about the actions taken by SCC in favor of our employees’ health and prevention, and we obtained a very high rating for this particular factor. The survey also included new sociodemographic elements, in order to consider the opinions of our diverse groups within our Company and respond with our “ECO Action Plan” for the next two years. All employees, both unionized and non-unionized, are invited to participate in all of our human talent initiatives. This reflects our belief that it is in the Company’s best interest to listen to all of our people and create open communications channels. 76% of our employees participated in 2021’s survey, which is an increase of 6% compared to 2019. This number exceeds that registered by other companies that apply similar surveys. We have adopted a corporate social responsibility policy that is designed to integrate the Company´s operations with local communities in areas influenced by our operations. This policy focuses on creating permanent and positive relationships to generate optimal social conditions and promote sustainable development in the area. We continue to make significant expenditures for community programs. For additional information on our community programs, refer to Corporate Social Responsibility under Note 13 “Commitments and contingencies” to the consolidated financial statements. DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) Our vision on DEI is to ensure that our people always feel included, welcomed and valued for their personal and professional contributions. This vision is based on our core values of respect, honesty and responsibility. Consistent with our Code of Conduct and Human Rights Policy, our goal is to (i) build an organizational culture of total equality and well-being with focus on diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination, (ii) increase sensitivity, knowledge and skills in our leaders and employees in order to integrate diverse and inclusive teams and promote a culture of respect, and (iii) extend this culture to the communities in which we operate. Based on the results of a DEI survey in Mexico and Peru, we aligned our diversity and inclusion Strategic Plan with six strategic initiatives to create Key Performance Indicators and increase participation of women by 2% in the organization, reinforce our human resources policies for inclusion, consolidate the executive level commitment and implement continuous training and communication campaigns at all levels in the organization. In 2022, we disclosed our DEI Corporate Policy, originally issued in 2021, and trained our total workforce on DEI fundamental principles through the Training Program “Towards an Inclusive Grupo Mexico.” We are committed to inclusion and to honor our diversity. We increased our female workforce from 944 to over 1,090, which represents an increase of 15% in our female headcount year-over-year. Additionally, 30% of our female workforce hold a STEM position (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). We now have a better understanding of our diversity distribution, which we believe allows us design efforts for each group, and advance towards inclusion. CODE OF ETHICS We certify our employees in our Code of Ethics yearly. Every employee, starting with new hires, commit and sign agreement with our main document and guidance tool for our conduct in terms of our legal, professional and ethical obligations, both in our business dealings and our interpersonal relationships. Table of Contents Peru 76.5% of the Company’s 4,947 Peruvian employees were unionized as of December 31, 2022. Currently, there are six separate unions, none of which represents the majority of workers, as defined by current Peruvian labor legislation. During 2021, the Company held talks with the six unions to sign collective agreements prior to their effective dates. As a result, from June to December 2021, the Company signed six collective agreements ranging from three to six year terms. All of the agreements granted annual salary increases of 5% and a signing bonus ranging S/45,000 (approximately $11,780) to S/90,000 (approximately $23,560), depending on the duration of the agreement, among other benefits. A long-term agreement bonus of S/10,000 (approximately $2,618) was granted to the union that agreed to six-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement. All these concepts were recorded as labor expense. There were no other collective agreements pending negotiation with the unions in 2022. Additionally, the Company reached a settlement agreement with one of the unions regarding compliance with an 2018-2019 Arbitration Award. In February 2022, the Company´s railway from Cuajone to Ilo was blocked and the Viña Blanca water reservoir facilities were seized, cutting off the water supply to some residents of the Cuajone mining camp. The six unions came together during the first half of 2022 to defend their rights to work in the Cuajone mining unit in response to the action carried out by this small group of residents from the community of Tumilaca, Pocata, Coscore and Tala, Moquegua, which directly affected the health and safety of workers and their families and the production process. The National Federation of Metallurgical and Steel Mining Workers of Peru (“Federacion Nacional de Trabajadores Mineros Metalurgicos y Siderurgicos del Peru”) condemned the actions against the Cuajone unit and ratified its collective agreements with the Company. Our employees at the Toquepala and Cuajone mining units reside in the 3,700 houses and apartments that we have built at the townsites. We also have 90 houses in Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, maintenance and utility services are provided to most of our employees for a nominal cost. Our townsite and housing complexes provide schools, medical facilities, churches, banks, shops, social clubs, recreational facilities and other services. Mexico 72.4% of our 10,005 Mexican employees were unionized as of December 31, 2022 and are represented by four different unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions on an annual basis and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. Our Taxco mine in Mexico has been on strike since July 2007. For a discussion of labor matters, refer to the information contained under the caption “Labor matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 1,800 houses and apartments. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes where we have built 356 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at nominal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit provided health care services to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own on-site hospital. In 2010, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to provide these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista receive health services through the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuel, gas, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators and utilize diesel fuel to power mining equipment for metallurgical processes at our operations. Table of Contents We believe that sufficient sources of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. Fluctuations may occur in the prices of these raw materials that are beyond our control; as such, we focus our efforts on reducing costs through cost and energy-saving measures. Energy generates the main cost in mining, so concern for its conservation and efficient usage is critical. We have energy management committees at most of our mines, which meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Alternative sources are also being analyzed at the corporate level, including both traditional and renewable energy sources. This approach has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at ensuring the sustainability of our operations. Peru: Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from Valero Peru, a local subsidiary of Valero Energy Corporation, a U.S. producer of fuel and power. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available for its operations in Peru. Electricity: In June 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120 megawatts (“MW”) with the state owned company Electroperu S.A., which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for a twenty-year period that started on April 17, 2017. In July 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120MW with a private power generator Kallpa Generacion S.A. (“Kallpa”), which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for a ten-year period that started on April 17, 2017. In May 2016, we signed an additional power purchase agreement for a maximum of 80MW with Kallpa, under which Kallpa will supply energy to the operations related to the Toquepala expansion and to other minor projects for a period starting on May 1, 2017 and ending after ten years of commercial operations at the Toquepala Expansion or until April 30, 2029; whichever occurs first. We feel confident that additional power can be obtained from the Peruvian national grid, should the need arise. Additionally, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating facilities at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is connected to the Peruvian network. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 1,964 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire-Gentilar, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and surface water rights from Lake Suches. Three additional water sources are: Quebrada Honda, Quebrada Tacalaya and a smaller resource from the Cuajone mine pit. We believe these water sources are sufficient to supply the water demands of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. Additionally, we have permits in Ilo to use water at three desalination plants that generate water for industrial use and domestic consumption; we believe these facilities will produce sufficient water to cover the requirements of both current and projected needs. Additionally, we have two licenses for the use of non-desalinated seawater for the Smelter. The Branch has a surface water permit for the Locumba river, which will facilitate the conservation and maintenance of a portion of the wetlands in Ite. Mexico: Fuel: In Mexico, since 2018, we have purchased fuel from Petroleos Mexicanos (“PEMEX”), the state producer, and from private suppliers. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora). This allows us to import natural gas at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly or daily fixed prices for our natural gas purchases. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes and to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup method for all these uses. We use diesel oil to power mining equipment at our operations. Table of Contents Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase most of our electricity from Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L. (“MGE”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico which has two power plants designed to supply power to La Caridad and Buenavista units. Currently, MGE supplies 1.42% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In 2012, we entered into a power supply agreement with MGE that will last until 2032. The first plant was completed in 2013 and the second in 2014. The first plant began to supply power to the Company in December 2013, and the second plant in June 2015. We also purchase electricity from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (the Federal Electricity Commission or the “CFE”), the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico is dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE and PEMEX, which are affected by political and regulatory environments, international market prices for crude oil and natural gas; and conditions in the refinery markets. Some IMMSA mining operations also purchase electricity from Eolica el Retiro, S.A.P.I de C.V. (“Eolica”), a windfarm energy producer that is an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico. In August 2013, IMMSA and other of the Company’s mining operations entered into a purchase agreement and in late 2014 started to purchase electricity from Eolica. Due to the nature of the production process there is not a fixed power capacity contracted. Currently, Eolica el Retiro is supplying approximately 26.58% of its power output to IMMSA and Mexcobre. On February 20, 2020, the Company signed a power purchase agreement with Parque Eolico de Fenicias, S. de R.L. de C.V., and indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, to supply 611,400 MWh of power per year to some of the Company´s Mexican operations for 20 years. This agreement is expected to become effective in the first semester of 2023. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed public property and industries that are not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the National Water Commission or the “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Rights Law), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established at each plant to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been on the rise in recent years. LEGAL AND REGULATORY MATTERS In 2021 and 2022, no legal, environmental, labor or tax regulations came into effect that required the Company to incur material costs of compliance, had material adverse effects on the Company’s operations, or affected normal execution of the Company’s projects. Additionally, we believe that all our facilities in Peru and Mexico are in material compliance with applicable environmental, mining and other applicable laws and regulations. For a discussion of environmental and labor matters, reference is made to the information contained in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. For more information on tax matters, refer to Note 7 “Income taxes” of the consolidated financial statements. Table of Contents MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru: We have 237,102 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and production operations, at various sites, as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Plants 360 919 421 — 1,700 Operations 22,423 30,261 4,249 — 56,933 Projects and water resources — — — 36,333 36,333 Exploration — — — 142,136 142,136 Total 22,783 31,180 4,670 178,469 237,102 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and effect under applicable Peruvian laws and as such, comply with all material terms and requirements applicable to said concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2022, 2021 and 2020, were approximately $2.5 million, $2.3 million and $1.4 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. Mexico: In Mexico we have 493,117 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined on the table below: IMMSA La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 223,313 103,821 93,706 72,277 493,117 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.39 to $8.67 per hectare depending on the start date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2022, 2021 and 2020 were approximately $8.7 million, $7.7 million and $6.6 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are built. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our website is www.southerncoppercorp.com. The first document on the list of materials available on this website is Form 8-K, dated March 14, 2003. We offer, free of charge, downloads of our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as they can be reasonably made available following electronic or physical filing with the SEC. Our website also includes the Company’s Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our main Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. Table of Contents CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include information regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING DISCLOSURE OF MINERAL PROPERTIES Mineral Reserves and Resources In our public filings in the U.S. and Peru and in certain other announcements not filed with the SEC, we disclose proven and probable reserves and measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources, each as defined in Item 1300 of Regulation S-K (“S-K 1300”). The estimation of measured mineral resources and indicated mineral resources implies greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves, and therefore investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated resources will ever be converted into S-K 1300-compliant reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. Therefore, investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of inferred resources exist, or that they can be mined legally or economically. Technical Report Summaries and Qualified Persons The scientific and technical information concerning our mineral projects in this Form 10-K have been reviewed and approved by third-party “qualified persons” pursuant to S-K 1300. For a description of the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate mineral reserves and mineral resources included in this Form 10-K, as well as data verification procedures and a general discussion of the extent to which the estimates may be affected by any known environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing or other relevant factors, please review the Technical Report Summaries for each of the Company’s material properties which are included as exhibits to, and incorporated by reference in this report. | 10-K |
| 2021 | THE COMPANY | We believe Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 “Properties—Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. The considerable scale of our operations makes us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid. Our precious metals plant at the Ilo refinery produces refined silver, gold, and other materials. Additionally, we produce refined copper using solvent extraction/electrowinning technology (“SX-EW”). We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “La Caridad” unit) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. The La Caridad refinery has a precious metals plant that produces refined silver, gold and other materials. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras, S.A de C.V. (the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, which is located on the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, two copper concentrators and two operating SX-EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining processes. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration, which allows us to use our facilities, employees and equipment to manage the entire production process, including ore mining and production of refined copper rod and other products, and to execute most associated transport and logistics functions. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces beyond our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is on remaining profitable during periods of low copper prices and maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal Prices” in this Item 1. Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars,” “dollars,” or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “sol,” “soles” or “S/”, signify Peruvian soles; and references to “peso,” “pesos,” or “Ps.,” represent Mexican pesos. Table of Contents Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tonnes. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2021. For clarity purposes, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). As of December 31, 2021, Grupo Mexico, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), owned 88.9% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for the shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and in the provision of railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch”, “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises virtually all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch does not constitute a corporation that is separate from SCC, and, as such, the obligations of the SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. The SPCC Peru Branch is, however, registered as a branch of a foreign company pursuant to Peruvian law and through this entity, we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although the SPCC Peru Branch has no capital or liability that is separate from that held or applicable to SCC, the SPCC Peru Branch is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares (See Note 14 “Stockholders´ Equity” of the consolidated financial statements). In April 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.96% of Minera Mexico. Table of Contents In 2008, our Board of Directors (“BOD”) authorized a $500 million share repurchase program that has since been increased by the BOD and is currently authorized to $3 billion. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2021 we have purchased 119.5 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $2.9 billion. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. OUR BUSINESS COPPER BUSINESS Copper is an important component in the world’s infrastructure chain. It is the third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility; malleability; thermal and electrical conductivity; and resistance to corrosion, and as such, is considered a prime material for use in electrical and electronic products, including components for power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of copper global use, and for telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, is used in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity whose prices are mainly determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or “COMEX,” in New York and the London Metal Exchange or “LME,” in London. Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced in a multi-stage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasingly larger share of copper is being produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals known to man and has contributed significantly to the development of civilization. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management divides Southern Copper into three reportable segments and manages each as a separate segment. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, product types, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar types of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Information regarding the Company’s sales is included in the segment data. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant, industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue from our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. Table of Contents 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant and a copper rod plant and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, lead, silver and gold; and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue from the IMMSA unit. Financial information is periodically prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) on a segment basis. The CODM focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 19 “Segment and Related Information” of the consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Capital Investment Program” and for our exploration activities, see Item 2 “Properties—Explorations Activities.” PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries; in the power generation and transmission industry; and in the electrical and electronic products; and, to a lesser extent, in industrial machinery and equipment; consumer products; and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, photographic, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion; it is also used to make die cast parts to manufacture batteries and to form sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. As such, acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Generally, 80% to 90% of our metal production is sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on the prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing efforts to diversifying our sales both by region and customer base. We also strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is underpinned by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see “Revenue recognition” in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 19 “Segment and Related Information” of the consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, with the exception of molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. For a further discussion of our products Table of Contents market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Metal Prices.” The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 10 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 2012 3.97 3.28 3.61 3.93 3.29 3.61 2013 3.78 3.03 3.34 3.74 3.01 3.32 2014 3.43 2.84 3.12 3.37 2.86 3.11 2015 2.95 2.02 2.51 2.92 2.05 2.50 2016 2.69 1.94 2.20 2.69 1.96 2.21 2017 3.29 2.48 2.80 3.27 2.48 2.80 2018 3.29 2.56 2.93 3.29 2.64 2.96 2019 2.98 2.51 2.72 2.98 2.51 2.72 2020 3.63 2.12 2.80 3.61 2.09 2.80 2021—1st Q 4.30 3.54 3.86 4.36 3.52 3.85 2021—2nd Q 4.78 4.03 4.43 4.86 3.98 4.40 2021—3rd Q 4.59 4.04 4.30 4.44 3.98 4.25 2021—4th Q 4.76 4.16 4.38 4.83 4.12 4.40 2021 4.78 3.54 4.24 4.86 3.52 4.23 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $3.10 and $3.03, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $3.10 and $3.02, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average prices per pound with the exception of silver, which is priced per ounce. The market prices for our three principal by-products over the last 10 years are as follows: Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Silver (COMEX) Metals Week) Zinc (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 2012 37.14 26.25 31.19 14.80 10.90 12.62 0.99 0.80 0.88 2013 32.41 18.53 23.82 11.95 9.12 10.26 0.99 0.81 0.87 2014 22.05 15.39 19.04 15.05 8.75 11.30 1.10 0.88 0.98 2015 18.35 13.67 15.68 9.40 4.30 6.59 1.09 0.66 0.88 2016 20.67 13.74 17.10 8.60 5.10 6.42 1.32 0.73 0.95 2017 18.49 15.37 17.03 10.25 6.85 8.13 1.53 1.00 1.31 2018 17.55 13.95 15.65 13.00 10.60 11.86 1.64 1.04 1.33 2019 19.39 14.28 16.16 12.70 8.28 11.27 1.37 0.90 1.16 2020 29.25 11.74 20.62 10.90 7.00 8.57 1.29 0.72 1.03 2021—1st Q 29.40 24.12 26.29 12.50 9.95 11.19 1.31 1.15 1.25 2021—2nd Q 28.31 24.76 26.78 20.03 10.93 13.89 1.39 1.25 1.32 2021—3rd Q 26.48 21.46 24.28 20.10 17.70 18.43 1.41 1.32 1.36 2021—4th Q 25.34 21.51 23.36 19.40 18.40 18.53 1.73 1.37 1.53 2021 29.40 21.46 25.18 20.10 9.95 15.51 1.73 1.15 1.36 The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $18.93 and $20.15, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $11.07 and $10.25, respectively. The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $1.24 and $1.07, respectively. Table of Contents COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is based primarily on price and service basis, with price being the most important factor when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see Item 1A “Risk Factors—The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES As of December 31, 2021, we had 14,700 employees, approximately 75% of whom are covered by a Collective Labor Agreement and are represented by nine different labor unions. We believe that the labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru is favorable, which has allowed us to increase productivity as we advance the goals of our capital expansion program. In addition, around 14,000 people were working as contractors in support of our operations. In accordance with our Community Development commitment, more than 55% of our workforce is hired locally. Talent Development, Training and Retention As a large integrated copper producer, we have a wide range of employees, including management professionals, technicians, engineers, and production employees. We believe in our people, and we provide a wide variety of opportunities for professional growth for all employees in Peru and Mexico. In 2021 we had a training investment of over $1.7 million, which resulted in more than 274,000 training hours, focused on safety and health, technical training, soft skills development, and compliance training. We also seek to enhance institutional knowledge through on-the-job training experiences, and designed more than 400 Individual Development Plans, as part of our succession planning. All of our employees receive initial training and opportunities for continuous development throughout their careers, which we believe favors talent retention. More than 65% of the positions are covered by internal employees and our retention rate is around 92%. Voluntary turnover indicators in all of the countries in which we operate remain at single digits year-over-year. We believe this suggests our employees have a strong desire to continue working with us. Company Culture We believe in a shared mission, vision, values and improving our employer brand for existing and future employees. The Company seeks to create value for its employees to help ensure that their working experience is optimal. Various efforts are made on this front, including promoting a safe and collaborative work environment and culture and ensuring employees continue to be engaged with the Company’s values and principles. In terms of corporate culture, the Company is committed to the continuous growth and development of its employees and surrounding communities. Through values such as creativity, honesty, equality and respect, we ensure that our employees are aligned with the same principles and work ethics, which in turn results in a standardized culture across the Company. The Company also seeks to promote goal-oriented principles to obtain results that positively affect our main stakeholders and communities and which focus on innovation, human growth and wellbeing, environmental care, and forward thinking. Compensation and Benefits We also focus on attracting and retaining employees by providing compensation and benefit packages that are competitive within the applicable market, considering the location of the position, responsibilities and compensation requirements in the countries where we operate. Our compensation practices consider many factors, including individual performance and responsibilities; years of service; elements of compensation mandated by Peruvian and Mexican law; future challenges and objectives; contributions to the future success of our Company; the employee’s total compensation and our financial performance. We may also look at the compensation levels of comparable companies. Health and Safety During 2021, we intensified our COVID-19 related communication to the entire organization, with a view to strengthening the application of the health safety protocols in all of the Company’s operations and offices, which include: Table of Contents a) Increase of the application of antigen and PCR tests per day, including those prescribed at the homes of our employees. b) Decrease in capacity to 30% in offices and common spaces, keeping well-ventilated areas, and restriction of meetings. c) Promoting "home office" in those positions that allow it, applying sanitary filters and safety protocols. We hired special Infirmary staff in all sites and offices, for prevention and medical care. d) Continuous sanitization and prevention equipment for employees. e) Limitation of access to company camps, where our employees´ families live. f) Medical and psychological counseling line for our employees and our communities. g) Functioning of health committees at each business center. h) Coordinated actions with the municipal health committees. i) Donations of supplies and diagnostic tests to local communities. j) Accommodations for our employees in their complete vaccination schedule and booster applications. Our focus on health and safety includes prevention and wellness programs, through the Medical and HR departments, such as clinical attention and periodical revisions, wellness training and a wellness platform for our employees. We are committed to having our operations audited and certified under the ISO 45001 standards, which we expect to be completed in 2022. Health and safety programs include annual training, compliance with the regulators at each site, risk management and Behavior Based Safety programs that extend our safety culture to contractors. Talent Attraction and Recruiting We deploy several talent attraction programs, which entail leveraging organizational relations; establishing links with national and regional institutions of higher learning in the countries where we operate; and participating in job fairs. We also have a job opportunities section in our webpage and use several local and international job boards to publish openings. We offer professional internship programs to attract students before they graduate from universities or centers for vocational training. Additionally, we believe that we are a first-choice employer in the countries where we operate. This reflects our efforts to strengthen relationships with our stakeholders, including employees, and engage in community development. We have transparent selection processes and are committed to upholding principles for human rights and diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination. Employee Engagement Additionally, we conduct a biannual Employee Opinion Survey to measure employees’ perceptions of the Company and take actions intended to increase employee engagement, develop a positive organizational environment, and strengthen our culture. We measure the employee engagement level with 18 sub-factors, grouped into two major sets of factors: loyalty and satisfaction. The first factor represents the degree to which an individual identifies with the organization and its business goals, and the second reflects the individual’s degree of satisfaction with his/her working conditions and draws a line between satisfaction levels and performance at work. The average of these factors indicates the level of engagement on a scale of 1 to 5 (a Likert scale). In 2017, we had an engagement rating of 3.71 and in 2019, our rating was at 3.77. In 2021 the rating increased to 4.09. We believe this positive trend suggests a continuous improvement on the engagement level of our people. For this year’s survey, we added and measured the COVID-19 factor to better understand the opinion of our people about the actions taken by SCC in favor of our employees’ health and prevention, and we obtained a very high rating for this particular factor. The survey also included new sociodemographic elements, in order to consider the opinions of our diverse groups within our Company and respond with our “ECO Action Plan” for the next two years. All employees, both unionized and non-unionized, are invited to participate in all of our human talent initiatives. This reflects our belief that it is in the Company’s best interest to listen to all of our people and create open communications Table of Contents channels. 76% of our employees participated during 2021, which is an increase of 6% compared to 2019. This number exceeds that registered by other companies that apply similar surveys. We have adopted a corporate social responsibility policy that is designed to integrate the Company´s operations with local communities in areas influenced by our operations. This policy focuses on creating permanent and positive relationships to generate optimal social conditions and promote sustainable development in the area. We continue to make significant expenditures for community programs. For additional information on our community programs, refer to Corporate Social Responsibility under Note 13 “Commitments and contingencies” to the consolidated financial statements. DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) Our vision on DEI is to ensure that our people always feel included, welcomed and valued for their personal and professional contributions. This vision is based on our core values of respect, honesty and responsibility. Consistent with our Code of Conduct and Human Rights Policy, our goal is to (i) build an organizational culture of total quality and well-being with focus on diversity, inclusion and non-discrimination, (ii) increase sensitivity, knowledge and skills in our leaders and employees in order to integrate diverse and inclusive teams and promote a culture of respect, and (iii) extend this culture to the communities in which we operate. Based on the results of a DEI survey in Mexico and Peru, we aligned our diversity and inclusion Strategic Plan with six strategic initiatives to create Key Performance Indicators and increase participation of women by 2% in the organization, reinforce our human resources policies for inclusion, consolidate the executive level commitment and implement continuous training and communication campaigns at all levels in the organization. During 2021, we issued and distributed our DEI Corporate Policy and trained 3,280 leaders end employees on DEI fundamental principles through the Training Capsule “Let´s talk about Diversity, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination.” We are committed to inclusion and to honor our diversity. We increased our female workforce from 854 to over 940, which represents an increase of 10%. Additionally, 30% of our female workforce hold a STEM position (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). We now have a better understanding of our diversity distribution, which we believe allows us to direct special efforts for each group, such as parents with children under 12. CODE OF ETHICS We yearly certify our employees in our Code of Ethics. Every employee, starting with new hires, commit and sign agreement with our main document and guidance tool for our conduct in terms of our legal, professional and ethical obligations, both in our business dealings and our interpersonal relationships. Peru 73% of the Company’s 4,675 Peruvian employees were unionized as of December 31, 2021. Currently, there are six separate unions, none of which represents the majority of workers, as defined by current Peruvian labor legislation. During 2021, the Company decided to hold talks with the six unions to sign collective agreements prior to their effective dates. As a result, between June and December 2021, the Company signed collective agreements with the six unions with durations between three to six years. All of them granted annual salary increases of 5%. Additionally, each agreement granted, among other things, a signing bonus of between S/ 45,000 (approximately $ 11,256) and S/ 90,000 (approximately $ 22,511), depending on the duration of the agreement. A long-term agreement bonus of S/ 10,000 (approximately $ 2,501) was granted to the union that signed a six-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement. All these concepts have been recorded as labor expense. As of December 31, 2021, the Company has no pending negotiations with Peruvian unions. Table of Contents Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 3,700 houses and apartments. We also have 90 houses in Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs and recreational facilities. We also provide shopping, banking and other services at the townsites. Mexico 73% of our 9,677 Mexican employees were unionized as of December 31, 2021 and are represented by four separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions on an annual basis and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. Our Taxco mine in Mexico has been on strike since July 2007. For a discussion of labor matters, refer to the information contained under the caption “Labor matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 1,800 houses and apartments. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes where they work. We have built 356 houses and apartments on these sites. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit provided health care services to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own on-site hospital. In 2010, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to provide these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista receive health services through the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuel, gas, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers as well as generators and for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and utilize diesel fuel to power mining equipment. We believe that sufficient sources of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. Fluctuations may occur in the prices of these raw materials that are beyond our control; as such, we focus our efforts on reducing costs through cost and energy-saving measures. Energy generates the main cost in mining, so concern for its conservation and efficient usage is critical. We have energy management committees at most of our mines, which meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Also, alternative sources are being analyzed at the corporate level, including both traditional and renewable energy sources. This approach has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at ensuring the sustainability of our operations. Peru: Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from Valero Peru, a local subsidiary of Valero Energy Corporation, a U.S. producer of fuel and power. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available for its operations in Peru. Electricity: In June 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120 megawatt (“MW”) with the state company Electroperu S.A., which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for a twenty-year period that started on April 17, 2017. In July 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120MW with a private power generator Kallpa Generacion S.A. (“Kallpa”), which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for a ten-year period that started on April 17, 2017. In May 2016, we signed an additional power purchase agreement for a maximum of 80MW with Kallpa, under which Kallpa will supply energy to the operations related to the Toquepala expansion and to other minor projects for a period starting on May 1, 2017 and ending after ten years of commercial operations at the Table of Contents Toquepala Expansion or until April 30, 2029; whichever occurs first. We feel confident that additional power can be obtained from the Peruvian national grid, should the need arise. Additionally, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is connected to the Peruvian network. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and surface water rights from Lake Suches and two small water sources, Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya. We believe these water sources are sufficient to supply the needs of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone, including the Toquepala expansion. In Ilo, we have two desalination plants that produce water for industrial use and domestic consumption that we believe will produce sufficient water for both current and projected needs. Mexico: Fuel: In Mexico, since 2018, we have purchased fuel from Petroleos Mexicanos (“PEMEX”), the state producer, and from private suppliers. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora). This allows us to import natural gas at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly or daily fixed prices for our natural gas purchases. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes and to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup method for all these uses. We use diesel oil to power mining equipment at our operations. Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase most of our electricity from Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L. (“MGE”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico which has two power plants designed to supply power to La Caridad and Buenavista units. MGE supplies 2.0% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In 2012, we entered into a power supply agreement with MGE that will last until 2032. The first plant was completed in 2013 and the second in 2014. The first plant began to supply power to the Company in December 2013, and the second plant in June 2015. We also purchase electricity from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (the Federal Electricity Commission or the “CFE”), the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico is dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE and PEMEX, which are affected by political and regulatory environments, international market prices for crude oil and natural gas; and conditions in the refinery markets. Some IMMSA mining operations also purchase electricity from Eolica el Retiro, S.A.P.I de C.V. (“Eolica”), a windfarm energy producer that is an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico. In August 2013, IMMSA and other of the Company’s mining operations entered into a purchase agreement and in late 2014 started to purchase electricity from Eolica. Due to the nature of the production process there is not a fixed power capacity contracted. Currently, Eolica el Retiro is supplying approximately 61.0% of its power output to IMMSA and Mexcobre. On February 20, 2020, the Company signed a power purchase agreement with Parque Eolico de Fenicias, S. de R.L. de C.V., and indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, to supply 611,400 MWh of power per year to some of the Company´s Mexican operations for 20 years. This agreement is expected to begin in July 2022. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed public property and industries that are not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the National Water Commission or the Table of Contents “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Rights Law), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established at each plant to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been on the rise in recent years. LEGAL AND REGULATORY MATTERS In 2020 and 2021, no legal, environmental, labor or tax regulations came into effect that required the Company to incur material costs of compliance, had material adverse effects on the Company’s operations, or affected normal execution of the Company’s projects. Additionally, we believe that all our facilities in Peru and Mexico are in material compliance with applicable environmental, mining and other applicable laws and regulations. For a discussion of environmental and labor matters, reference is made to the information contained in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. For more information on tax matters, refer to Note 7 “Income taxes” of the consolidated financial statements. MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru: We have 171,743 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and production operations, at various sites, as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Plants 360 919 421 — 1,700 Operations 26,081 21,555 4,683 — 52,319 Projects and water resources — — — 35,590 35,590 Exploration — — — 82,134 82,134 Total 26,441 22,474 5,104 117,724 171,743 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and effect under applicable Peruvian laws and as such, comply with all material terms and requirements applicable to said concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2021, 2020 and 2019, were approximately $2.3 million, $1.4 million and $1.8 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. In 2011, the Peruvian Congress approved an amendment to the mining royalty charge. The new mining royalty charge is based on operating income margins with graduated rates ranging from 1% to 12% of operating profits; the minimum royalty charge is equivalent to 1% of net sales. If the operating income margin is 10% or less, the royalty charge is 1% and for each 5% increment in the operating income margin, the royalty charge rate increases by 0.75%, up to a maximum of 12%. In 2021, 2020 and 2019, we made provisions of $140.8 million, $60.6 million and $42.3 million, respectively. At the same time the Peruvian Congress amended the mining royalty charge, it enacted a new tax for the mining industry. This tax is also based on operating income and its rates range from 2% to 8.4%. For additional information see Note 7 “Income Taxes” to the consolidated financial statements. Table of Contents Mexico: In Mexico we have 493,533 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined on the table below: IMMSA La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 176,643 103,820 93,706 119,364 493,533 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.39 to $8.67 per hectare depending on the start date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2021, 2020 and 2019 were approximately $7.7 million, $6.6 million and $7.1 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are built. In December 2013, the Mexican government enacted a new law which, among other things, established a mining royalty charge of 7.5% on earnings before taxes as defined by Mexican tax regulations and an additional royalty charge of 0.5% over gross income from sales of gold, silver and platinum. These charges were effective January 2014 and are deductible for income tax purposes. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our website is www.southerncoppercorp.com. The first document on the list of materials available on this website is Form 8-K, dated March 14, 2003. We offer, free of charge, downloads of our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as they can be reasonably made available following electronic or physical filing with the SEC. Our website also includes the Company’s Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our main Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include information regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Table of Contents CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING DISCLOSURE OF MINERAL PROPERTIES Mineral Reserves and Resources In our public filings in the U.S. and Peru and in certain other announcements not filed with the SEC, we disclose proven and probable reserves and measured, indicated and inferred resources, each as defined in Item 1300 of Regulation S-K (“S-K 1300”). The estimation of measured resources and indicated resources involve greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves, and therefore investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated resources will ever be converted into S-K 1300-compliant reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources, and therefore it cannot be assumed that all or any part of inferred resources will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Therefore, investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of inferred resources exist, or that they can be mined legally or economically. Technical Report Summaries and Qualified Persons The scientific and technical information concerning our mineral projects in this Form 10-K have been reviewed and approved by third-party “qualified persons” under S-K 1300. For a description of the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate mineral reserves and mineral resources included in this Form 10-K, as well as data verification procedures and a general discussion of the extent to which the estimates may be affected by any known environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing or other relevant factors, please review the Technical Report Summaries for each of the Company’s material properties which are included as exhibits to, and incorporated by reference into, this report. | 10-K |
| 2020 | THE COMPANY | We believe Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 “Properties—Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. The considerable scale of our operations makes us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid. Our precious metals plant at the Ilo refinery produces refined silver, gold, and other materials. Additionally, we produce refined copper using solvent extraction/electrowinning technology (“SX-EW”). We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “La Caridad” unit) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. The La Caridad refinery has a precious metals plant that produces refined silver, gold and other materials. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras, S.A de C.V. (the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, which is located on the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, two copper concentrators and two operating SX-EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining processes. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration, which allows us to use our facilities, employees and equipment to manage the entire production process, including ore mining and production of refined copper rod and other products, and to execute most associated transport and logistics functions. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces beyond our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is on remaining profitable during periods of low copper prices and maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal Prices” in this Item 1. Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars,” “dollars,” or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “sol,” “soles” or “S/”, signify Peruvian soles; and references to “peso,” “pesos,” or “Ps.,” represent Mexican pesos. Table of Contents Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tons. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2020. For clarity purposes, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). As of December 31, 2020, Grupo Mexico, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), owned 88.9% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for the shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and in the provision of railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch”, “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises virtually all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch does not constitute a corporation that is separate from SCC, and, as such, the obligations of the SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. The SPCC Peru Branch is, however, registered as a branch of a foreign company pursuant to Peruvian law and through this entity, we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although the SPCC Peru Branch has no capital or liability that is separate from that held or applicable to SCC, the SPCC Peru Branch is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares (See Note 14 “Stockholders´ Equity” of the consolidated financial statements). In April 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.96% of Minera Mexico. Table of Contents In 2008, our Board of Directors (“BOD”) authorized a $500 million share repurchase program that has since been increased by the BOD and is currently authorized to $3 billion. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2020 we have purchased 119.5 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $2.9 billion. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our website is www.southerncoppercorp.com. The first document on the list of materials available on this website is Form 8-K, dated March 14, 2003. We offer, free of charge, downloads of our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as they can be reasonably made available following electronic or physical filing with the SEC. Our website also includes the Company’s Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our main Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include information regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Additional business information follows: COPPER BUSINESS Copper is an important component in the world’s infrastructure chain. It is the third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility; malleability; thermal and electrical conductivity; and resistance to corrosion, and as such, is considered a prime material for use in electrical and electronic products, including components for power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of copper global use, and for telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, is used in many industrial and consumer applications. Table of Contents Copper is an internationally traded commodity whose prices are mainly determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or “COMEX,” in New York and the London Metal Exchange or “LME,” in London. Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced in a multi-stage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasingly larger share of copper is being produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals known to man and has contributed significantly to the development of civilization. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management divides Southern Copper into three reportable segments and manages each as a separate segment. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, product types, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar types of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Information regarding the Company’s sales is included in the segment data. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant, industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue from our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant and a copper rod plant and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, lead, silver and gold; and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue from the IMMSA unit. Financial information is periodically prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) on a segment basis. The CODM focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties,” under the captions—“Metal Production by Segments” and “Ore Reserves.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 18 “Segment and Related Information” of the consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Capital Investment Program” and for our exploration activities, see Item 2 “Properties—Explorations Activities.” Table of Contents PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries; in the power generation and transmission industry; and in the electrical and electronic products; and, to a lesser extent, in industrial machinery and equipment; consumer products; and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for photographic, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion; it is also used to make die cast parts to manufacture batteries and to form sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. As such, acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Generally, 80% to 90% of our metal production is sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on the prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing efforts to diversifying our sales both by region and customer base. We also strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is underpinned by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see “Revenue recognition” in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 18 “Segment and Related Information” of the consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, with the exception of molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Metal Prices.” The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 10 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 2011 4.62 3.05 4.01 4.60 3.08 4.00 2012 3.97 3.28 3.61 3.93 3.29 3.61 2013 3.78 3.03 3.34 3.74 3.01 3.32 2014 3.43 2.84 3.12 3.37 2.86 3.11 2015 2.95 2.02 2.51 2.92 2.05 2.50 2016 2.69 1.94 2.20 2.69 1.96 2.21 2017 3.29 2.48 2.80 3.27 2.48 2.80 2018 3.29 2.56 2.93 3.29 2.64 2.96 2019 2.98 2.51 2.72 2.98 2.51 2.72 2020—1st Q 2.88 2.12 2.57 2.86 2.09 2.56 2020—2nd Q 2.71 2.21 2.43 2.74 2.16 2.42 2020—3rd Q 3.11 2.72 2.94 3.10 2.73 2.96 2020—4th Q 3.63 2.86 3.26 3.61 2.91 3.25 2020 3.63 2.12 2.80 3.61 2.09 2.80 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $2.69 and $3.00, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $2.70 and $3.00, respectively. Table of Contents The table below shows the high, low and average prices per pound with the exception of silver, which is priced per ounce. The market prices for our three principal by-products over the last 10 years are as follows: Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Silver (COMEX) Metals Week) Zinc (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 2011 48.58 26.81 35.18 17.88 12.70 15.33 1.15 0.79 0.99 2012 37.14 26.25 31.19 14.80 10.90 12.62 0.99 0.80 0.88 2013 32.41 18.53 23.82 11.95 9.12 10.26 0.99 0.81 0.87 2014 22.05 15.39 19.04 15.05 8.75 11.30 1.10 0.88 0.98 2015 18.35 13.67 15.68 9.40 4.30 6.59 1.09 0.66 0.88 2016 20.67 13.74 17.10 8.60 5.10 6.42 1.32 0.73 0.95 2017 18.49 15.37 17.03 10.25 6.85 8.13 1.53 1.00 1.31 2018 17.55 13.95 15.65 13.00 10.60 11.86 1.64 1.04 1.33 2019 19.39 14.28 16.16 12.70 8.28 11.27 1.37 0.90 1.16 2020—1st Q 18.87 11.74 16.87 10.90 7.80 9.56 1.12 0.72 0.97 2020—2nd Q 18.77 13.93 16.54 9.10 7.33 8.24 0.94 0.84 0.89 2020—3rd Q 29.25 18.13 24.59 8.45 7.00 7.57 1.16 0.91 1.06 2020—4th Q 26.49 22.53 24.50 10.03 8.20 8.93 1.29 1.04 1.19 2020 29.25 11.74 20.62 10.90 7.00 8.57 1.29 0.72 1.03 The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $17.31 and $21.15, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $9.25 and $10.23, respectively. The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $1.15 and $1.04, respectively. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is based primarily on price and service basis, with price being the most important factor when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see Item 1A “Risk Factors—The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES As of December 31, 2020, we had 13,777 employees, approximately 71% of whom are unionized and represented by nine different labor unions. We believe that the labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru is favorable, which has allowed us to increase productivity as we advance the goals of our capital expansion program. As a large integrated copper producer, we have a wide range of employees, including management professionals, technicians, engineers, and production employees. In Peru and Mexico we provide a wide variety of opportunities for professional growth for all employees with trainings and on-the-job experience. As of December 31, 2020, approximately 6.5% of our total workforce was female. The Company seeks to create value for its employees to ensure that their working experience is optimal. Various efforts are made on this front, including promoting a safe and collaborative work environment and culture and ensuring employees continue to be engaged with the Company’s values and principles. We believe that this generates the bases for shared values and improves our employer brand for existing and future employees. We also focus on attracting and retaining employees by providing compensation and benefit packages that are competitive within the applicable market, taking into account the location of the position, responsibilities and compensation requirements in the countries where we operate. Our compensation practices consider many factors, including individual performance and responsibilities; years of service; elements of compensation mandated by Peruvian and Mexican law; future challenges and objectives; contributions to the future success of our Company; the employee’s total compensation and our financial performance. We may also look at the compensation levels of comparable companies. Table of Contents In 2020, in response to COVID-19, we incurred $27.6 million in COVID-19 related production costs, which included protective equipment and labor costs to support employees where operations were impacted; expanding, where possible, options for remote work; and enhancing safety protocols. For additional information, refer to Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Note 1 “Description of the Business, COVID-19 Pandemic” to the consolidated financial statements. In terms of corporate culture, the Company is committed to the continuous growth and development of its employees and surrounding communities. Through values such as creativity, honesty, equality and respect, we ensure that our employees are aligned with the same principles and work ethics, which in turn results in a standardized culture across the Company. The Company also seeks to promote goal-oriented principles to obtain results that positively affect our main stakeholders and communities and which focus on innovation, human growth and wellbeing, environmental care, and forward thinking. We deploy several talent attraction programs, which entail leveraging organizational relations; establishing links with national and regional institutions of higher learning in the countries where we operate; and participating in job fairs. We also have a careers page and use several local and international job boards to publish openings. We offer professional internship programs to attract students before they graduate from universities or centers for vocational training. Additionally, we believe that we are a first-choice employer in the countries where we operate. This reflects our efforts to strengthen relationships with our stakeholders, including employees, and engage in community development. We have transparent selection processes and are committed to upholding principles for Human Rights and Diversity, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination. All our employees receive initial training and opportunities for continuous development throughout their careers, which favors talent retention. We also prioritize recruiting from our ranks and 60% of our vacant positions, on average, are filled by current employees looking to make career moves. Voluntary turnover indicators in all of the countries in which we operate remain at single digits year-over-year. We believe that this is proof that our employees have a strong desire to continue working with us. In addition, we conduct a biannual Employee Opinion Survey to measure employees’ perceptions of the Company to take actions that will increase employee engagement. We have decided to measure the factors that affect our organizational climate, which entails assessing how people perceive of the environment inside the organization, and how internal and/or external factors generate impact, and focuses on culture, which reflects the aggregate of behaviors, experiences, habits, practices, values, procedures and policies inside the organization. All employees, both unionized and non-unionized, are invited to participate in all of our human talent initiatives. This reflects our belief that it is in the Company’s best interest to listen to all of our people and create an open communications channel. We apply surveys every two years and approximately 70% of our employees participate. This number far exceeds that registered by other companies that apply similar surveys. We measure the employee engagement level with 18 sub-factors, which are grouped into two major sets of factors: loyalty and satisfaction. The first factor represents the degree to which an individual identifies with the organization and its business goals, whereas the second reflects the individual’s degree of satisfaction with his/her working conditions and draws a line between satisfaction levels and performance at work. The average of these factors indicates the level of engagement on a scale of 1 to 5 (a Likert scale). In 2017, we had an engagement rating of 3.71 and in 2019, our rating was situated at 3.77. This represents a 1.6% improvement from 2017 to 2019. We have adopted a corporate social responsibility policy that is designed to integrate the Company´s operations with local communities in areas influenced by our operations. This policy focuses on creating permanent and positive relationships to generate optimal social conditions and promote sustainable development in the area. We continue to make significant expenditures for community programs. For additional information on our community programs, refer to Corporate Social Responsibility under Note 13 “Commitments and contingencies” to the consolidated financial statements. Table of Contents Peru 66% of the Company’s 4,739 Peruvian employees were unionized as of December 31, 2020. Currently, there are six separate unions, one large union and five small unions. In June 2018, the Company signed a three-year collective bargaining agreement with one of the smaller unions. This agreement includes, among other things, annual salary increases of 5% for each year starting September 2018, and a signing bonus of S/45,000 (approximately $13,600) which was recorded as labor expense. In August 2018, the Company signed a three-year collective bargaining agreement with three additional unions. This agreement includes, among other things, annual salary increases of 5% for each year starting December 2018, and a signing bonus of S/45,000 (approximately $13,600) which was recorded as labor expense. In March 2019, the Company resolved pending issues through arbitration with one additional union. The arbitral award included annual salary increases of 5% for each year starting September 2018 and a signing bonus of S/45,000 (approximately $13,600), which was recorded as a labor expense in the first quarter of 2019. In May 2019, arbitration resolved pending issues with the remaining union. The arbitral award included a salary increase of 5.5% beginning in September 2018 and a bonus of S/16,000 (approximately $4,800) for the one-year agreement, which was recorded as a labor expense in the second quarter of 2019. In November 2019, the Company signed a collective bargaining agreement for three years with the same union. This agreement included, among other things, a salary increase of 5% for each year starting in September 2019 and a bonus of S/45,000 (approximately $13,300), which was recorded as labor expenses in the fourth quarter of 2019. Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 3,700 houses and apartments. We also have 90 houses in Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs and recreational facilities. We also provide shopping, banking and other services at the townsites. Mexico 74% of our 8,962 Mexican employees were unionized as of December 31, 2020 and are represented by three separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions on an annual basis and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. Our Taxco mine in Mexico has been on strike since July 2007. For a discussion of labor matters, refer to the information contained under the caption “Labor matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 1,800 houses and apartments. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes where they work. We have built 356 houses and apartments on these sites. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit provided health care services to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own on-site hospital. In 2010, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to provide these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista receive health services through the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuel, gas, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers as well as generators and for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and utilize diesel fuel to power mining equipment. We believe that sufficient sources of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. Fluctuations Table of Contents may occur in the prices of these raw materials that are beyond our control; as such, we focus our efforts on reducing costs through cost and energy-saving measures. Energy generates the main cost in mining, so concern for its conservation and efficient usage is critical. We have energy management committees at most of our mines, which meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Also, alternative sources are being analyzed at the corporate level, including both traditional and renewable energy sources. This approach has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at ensuring the sustainability of our operations. Peru: Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from local companies. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available in Peru. Electricity: In June 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120 megawatt (“MW”) with the state company Electroperu S.A., which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for a twenty-year period that started on April 17, 2017. In July 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120MW with a private power generator Kallpa Generacion S.A. (“Kallpa”), which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for a ten-year period that started on April 17, 2017. In May 2016, we signed an additional power purchase agreement for a maximum of 80MW with Kallpa, under which Kallpa will supply energy to the operations related to the Toquepala expansion and to other minor projects for a period starting on May 1, 2017 and ending after ten years of commercial operations at the Toquepala Expansion or until April 30, 2029; whichever occurs first. We feel confident that additional power can be obtained from the Peruvian national grid, should the need arise. Additionally, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is connected to the Peruvian network. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and surface water rights from Lake Suches and two small water sources, Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya. We believe these water sources are sufficient to supply the needs of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone, including the Toquepala expansion. In Ilo, we have two desalination plants that produce water for industrial use and domestic consumption that we believe will produce sufficient water for both current and projected needs. Mexico: Fuel: In Mexico, since 2018, we have purchased fuel from Petroleos Mexicanos (“PEMEX”), the state producer, and from private suppliers. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora). This allows us to import natural gas at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly or daily fixed prices for our natural gas purchases. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes and to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup method for all these uses. We use diesel oil to power mining equipment at our operations. Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase most of our electricity from Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L. (“MGE”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico which has two power plants designed to supply power to La Caridad and Buenavista units. MGE supplies 2.3% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In 2012, we entered into a power supply agreement with MGE that will last until 2032. The first plant was Table of Contents completed in 2013 and the second in the second quarter of 2014. The first plant began to supply power to the Company in December 2013, and the second plant in June 2015. We also purchase electricity from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (the Federal Electricity Commission or the “CFE”), the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico is dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE and PEMEX, which are affected by political and regulatory environments, international market prices for crude oil and natural gas; and conditions in the refinery markets. Some IMMSA mining operations also purchase electricity from Eolica el Retiro, S.A.P.I de C.V. (“Eolica”), a windfarm energy producer that is an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico. In August 2013, IMMSA and other of the Company’s mining operations entered into a purchase agreement and in late 2014 started to purchase electricity from Eolica. Due to the nature of the production process there is not a fixed power capacity contracted. In 2020, total purchases were approximately 12.1 million kilowatt hours. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed public property and industries that are not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the National Water Commission or the “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Rights Law), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established at each plant to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been on the rise in recent years. LEGAL AND REGULATORY MATTERS In 2019 and 2020, no legal, environmental, labor or tax regulations came into effect that required the Company to incur material costs of compliance, had material adverse effects on the Company’s operations, or affected normal execution of the Company’s projects. Additionally, we believe that all our facilities in Peru and Mexico are in material compliance with applicable environmental, mining and other applicable laws and regulations. For a discussion of environmental and labor matters, reference is made to the information contained in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. For more information on tax matters, refer to Note 7 “Income taxes” of the consolidated financial statements. MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru: We have 150,321 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and production operations, at various sites, as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Plants 360 919 421 — 1,700 Operations 27,342 21,555 4,882 35,590 89,369 Exploration — — — 59,252 59,252 Total 27,702 22,474 5,303 94,842 150,321 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and effect under applicable Peruvian laws and as such, comply with all material terms and requirements applicable to said concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2020, 2019 and 2018, were approximately Table of Contents $1.4 million, $1.8 million and $1.5 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. In 2011, the Peruvian Congress approved an amendment to the mining royalty charge. The new mining royalty charge is based on operating income margins with graduated rates ranging from 1% to 12% of operating profits; the minimum royalty charge is equivalent to 1% of net sales. If the operating income margin is 10% or less, the royalty charge is 1% and for each 5% increment in the operating income margin, the royalty charge rate increases by 0.75%, up to a maximum of 12%. In 2020, 2019 and 2018, we made provisions of $60.6 million, $42.3 million and $32.9 million, respectively. At the same time the Peruvian Congress amended the mining royalty charge, it enacted a new tax for the mining industry. This tax is also based on operating income and its rates range from 2% to 8.4%. For additional information see Note 7 “Income Taxes” to the consolidated financial statements. Mexico: In Mexico we have 503,104 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined on the table below: IMMSA La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 176,643 103,821 93,706 128,934 503,104 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.36 to $7.92 per hectare depending on the start date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2020, 2019 and 2018 were approximately $6.6 million, $7.1 million and $6.3 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are built. In December 2013, the Mexican government enacted a new law which, among other things, established a mining royalty charge of 7.5% on earnings before taxes as defined by Mexican tax regulations and an additional royalty charge of 0.5% over gross income from sales of gold, silver and platinum. These charges were effective January 2014 and are deductible for income tax purposes. | 10-K |
| 2019 | THE COMPANY | Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 “Properties—Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. Our operations make us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid. Our precious metals plant at the Ilo refinery produces refined silver, gold, and other materials. Additionally, we produce refined copper using solvent extraction/electrowinning technology (“SX-EW”). We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “La Caridad” unit) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. The La Caridad refinery has a precious metals plant which produces refined silver, gold and other materials. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras, S.A de C.V. (the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, which is located at the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, two copper concentrators and three SX-EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining processes. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration that allows us to manage the entire production process, from the mining of the ore to the production of refined copper rod and other products and most related transport and logistics functions, using our own facilities, employees and equipment. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces beyond our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is to remain profitable during periods of low copper prices and on maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal Prices” in this Item 1. Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars”, “dollars”, or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “sol”, “soles” or “S/”, are to Peruvian soles; and references to “peso”, “pesos”, or “Ps.”, are to Mexican pesos. Table of Contents Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tons. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2019. For clarity of presentation, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). At December 31, 2019, Grupo Mexico through its wholly-owned subsidiary Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”) owned 88.9% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for the shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch”, “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises substantially all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch is not a corporation separate from us and, therefore, obligations of SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. It is, however, an establishment, registered pursuant to Peruvian law, through which we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although it has neither its own capital nor liability separate from us, it is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares (See Note 14 “Stockholders´ Equity” of our consolidated financial statements). In April 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.96% of Minera Mexico. Table of Contents In 2008, our Board of Directors (“BOD”) authorized a $500 million share repurchase program that has since been increased by the BOD and is currently authorized to $3 billion. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2019 we have purchased 119.5 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $2.9 billion. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our website is www.southerncoppercorp.com. Beginning with the Form 8-K dated March 14, 2003, we have made available on this website, free of charge, our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our website also includes the Company’s Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our principal Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include information regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Additional business information follows: COPPER BUSINESS Copper is an important component in the world’s infrastructure. It is the third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility, malleability, thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to corrosion that has made it a superior material for use in electrical and electronic products, including power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of copper global use, telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, in many industrial and consumer applications. Table of Contents Copper is an internationally traded commodity with prices principally determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or “COMEX”, in New York and the London Metal Exchange or “LME.” Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced from a multistage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasing share of copper is produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals ever used and has been one of the most important materials in the development of civilization. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management views Southern Copper as having three reportable segments and manages it on the basis of these segments. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, type of products, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar types of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Added to the segment data is information regarding the Company’s sales. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant, industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant and a copper rod plant and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, lead, silver and gold, a coal mine that produces coal and coke, and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue of the IMMSA unit. Financial information is regularly prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to Senior management on a segment basis. Senior management focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties,” under the captions—“Metal Production by Segments” and “Ore Reserves.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 18 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Capital Investment Program” and for our exploration activities, see Item 2 “Properties—Explorations Activities.” Table of Contents PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries, in the power generation and transmission industry, in electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in industrial machinery and equipment, consumer products and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for photographic, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion and is also used to make die cast parts, in the manufacturing of batteries and in the form of sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. Thus acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Generally, 80% to 90% of our metal production is sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on the prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on the ultimate end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing efforts to diversifying our sales both by region and by customer base. We also strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is supported by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see “Revenue recognition” in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 18 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, with the exception of molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Metal Prices.” The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 10 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 2010 4.44 2.76 3.43 4.42 2.76 3.42 2011 4.62 3.05 4.01 4.60 3.08 4.00 2012 3.97 3.28 3.61 3.93 3.29 3.61 2013 3.78 3.03 3.34 3.74 3.01 3.32 2014 3.43 2.84 3.12 3.37 2.86 3.11 2015 2.95 2.02 2.51 2.92 2.05 2.50 2016 2.69 1.94 2.20 2.69 1.96 2.21 2017 3.29 2.48 2.80 3.27 2.48 2.80 2018 3.29 2.56 2.93 3.29 2.64 2.96 2019—1st Q 2.96 2.57 2.81 2.98 2.64 2.82 2019—2nd Q 2.98 2.63 2.78 2.95 2.61 2.77 2019—3rd Q 2.74 2.51 2.62 2.75 2.51 2.63 2019—4th Q 2.86 2.55 2.68 2.82 2.54 2.67 2019 2.98 2.51 2.72 2.98 2.51 2.72 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $2.63 and $3.07, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $2.64 and $3.06, respectively. Table of Contents The table below shows the high, low and average per-pound, except silver, which is per ounce, market prices for our three principal by-products during the last 10 years: Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Silver (COMEX) Metals Week) Zinc (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 2010 30.91 14.82 20.18 18.60 11.75 15.60 1.14 0.72 0.98 2011 48.58 26.81 35.18 17.88 12.70 15.33 1.15 0.79 0.99 2012 37.14 26.25 31.19 14.80 10.90 12.62 0.99 0.80 0.88 2013 32.41 18.53 23.82 11.95 9.12 10.26 0.99 0.81 0.87 2014 22.05 15.39 19.04 15.05 8.75 11.30 1.10 0.88 0.98 2015 18.35 13.67 15.68 9.40 4.30 6.59 1.09 0.66 0.88 2016 20.67 13.74 17.10 8.60 5.10 6.42 1.32 0.73 0.95 2017 18.49 15.37 17.03 10.25 6.85 8.13 1.53 1.00 1.31 2018 17.55 13.95 15.65 13.00 10.60 11.86 1.64 1.04 1.33 2019—1st Q 16.16 14.92 15.52 12.70 10.70 11.70 1.27 0.90 1.23 2019—2nd Q 15.47 14.28 14.85 12.38 11.85 12.13 1.37 1.14 1.25 2019—3rd Q 19.39 14.92 16.98 12.00 11.53 11.76 1.15 1.00 1.06 2019—4th Q 18.01 16.48 17.27 11.70 8.28 9.49 1.18 1.01 1.08 2019 19.39 14.28 16.16 12.70 8.28 11.27 1.37 0.90 1.16 The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $16.32 and $21.10, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $8.85 and $10.94, respectively. The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $1.12 and $1.03, respectively. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is based primarily on price and service basis, with price being the most important factor when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see Item 1A “Risk Factors—The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” LABOR FORCE As of December 31, 2019, we had 14,301 employees, approximately 71% of whom are unionized and represented by nine different labor unions. Despite the three strikes in 2017 at our Peruvian operations, we believe the Company has a positive labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru, which is allowing us to increase productivity as well as helping us achieve the goals of our capital expansion program. Peru 65% of our 4,890 Peruvian employees were unionized at December 31, 2019. Currently, there are six separate unions, one large union and five smaller unions. In June 2018, the Company signed a three-year collective bargaining agreement with one of the smaller unions. This agreement includes, among other things, annual salary increases of 5% for each year starting September 2018, and a signing bonus of S/ 45,000 (approximately $13,600) which was recorded as labor expense. In August 2018, the Company signed a three-year collective bargaining agreement with three additional unions. This agreement includes, among other things, annual salary increases of 5% for each year starting December 2018, and a signing bonus of S/ 45,000 (approximately $13,600) which was recorded as labor expense. In March 2019, the Company signed an agreement with one additional union. The agreement also included annual salary increases of 5% for each year starting September 2018, and a signing bonus of S/45,000 (approximately $13,600) which was recorded as labor expense in the first quarter of 2019. In November 2019, the Company signed two agreements with the remaining union, one of them for one year and the other one consisting of a three-year collective bargaining agreement. The agreements also included annual salary Table of Contents increases of 5% for each year starting September 2018, and a signing bonus of S/15,000 (approximately $4,500) for the one-year agreement and S/45,000 for the three-year agreement (approximately $13,600), which were recorded as labor expense in the fourth quarter of 2019. Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 3,700 houses and apartments. We also have 90 houses at Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs and recreational facilities. We also provide shopping, banking and other services at the townsites. Mexico 73.9% of our 9,358 Mexican employees were unionized at December 31, 2019, represented by three separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions annually and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. Our Taxco mine in Mexico has been on strike since July 2007. For a discussion of labor matters, refer to the information contained under the caption “Labor matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 1,800 houses and apartments. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes in which they work and where we have built approximately 356 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit provided health care services to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own hospital at the Buenavista unit. In 2010, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to provide these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista receive health services through the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuel, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators, and for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and diesel fuel to power mining equipment. We believe that sources of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. The prices of these raw materials may fluctuate outside of our control, therefore we focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. Energy is the principal cost in mining, so the concern for its conservation and efficient usage is critical. We have energy management committees at most of our mines, which meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Also, alternative sources are being analyzed at the corporate level, from both traditional and renewable energy sources. This has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at the sustainability of our operations. Peru: Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from local companies. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available in Peru. Electricity: In June 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120 megawatt (“MW”) with the state company Electroperu S.A., which began supplying energy for our Peruvian operations for twenty years starting on April 17, 2017. In July 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120MW with a private power generator Table of Contents Kallpa Generacion S.A. (“Kallpa”), which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for ten years starting on April 17, 2017. In May 2016, we signed an additional power purchase agreement for a maximum of 80MW with Kallpa, under which Kallpa will supply energy for the operations related to the Toquepala Expansion and other minor projects for ten years starting on May 1, 2017 and ending after ten years of commercial operation of the Toquepala Expansion or on April 30, 2029; whichever occurs first. In addition, we feel confident that additional power can be obtained from the Peruvian national grid, should the need arise. Additionally, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is interconnected with the Peruvian network. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and surface water rights from the Suches lake and two small water courses, Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya. We believe these water sources are sufficient to supply the needs of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone, including the Toquepala expansion. At Ilo, we have two desalination plants that produce water for industrial use and domestic consumption that we believe are sufficient for our current and projected needs. Mexico: Fuel: In Mexico, since 2018, we have purchased fuel from Petroleos Mexicanos (“PEMEX”), the state producer, and from private suppliers. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora), which allows us to import natural gas from the United States at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly or daily fixed price for our natural gas purchases. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes, to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup for all these uses. We use diesel oil to power mining equipment at our operations. Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase most of our electricity from Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L. (“MGE”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico which has two power plants designed to supply power to La Caridad and Buenavista units. MGE is supplying 5.2% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In 2012, we entered into a power supply agreement with MGE through 2032. The first plant was completed in 2013 and the second was completed in the second quarter of 2014. The first plant began to supply power to the Company in December 2013, and the second plant began to supply power in June 2015. We also purchase electricity from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (the Federal Electricity Commission or the “CFE”), the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico is dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE, as well as PEMEX, which reflect government policy, as well as international market prices for crude oil, natural gas and conditions in the refinery markets. Some mining operations of IMMSA also purchase electricity from Eolica el Retiro, S.A.P.I de C.V. (“Eolica”), a windfarm energy producer that is an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico. In August 2013, IMMSA and other of the mining operations of the Company entered into a purchase agreement and in late 2014 started to purchase electricity from Eolica. Due to the nature of the production process there is not a fixed power capacity contracted. In 2019, the total purchases were approximately 28.64 million kilowatt hours. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed a public property and industries not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the National Water Commission or the “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Rights Law), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Table of Contents Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established in each plant in order to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been increasing in recent years. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS For a discussion of environmental matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption “Environmental matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru: We have 159,430 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and production operations, at various sites, as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Plants 360 919 421 — 1,700 Operations 23,781 21,555 4,483 36,759 86,578 Exploration — — — 71,152 71,152 Total 24,141 22,474 4,904 107,911 159,430 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Peruvian laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2019, 2018 and 2017, were approximately $1.8 million, $1.5 million and $1.2 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. In 2011, the Peruvian Congress approved an amendment to the mining royalty charge. The new mining royalty charge is based on operating income margins with graduated rates ranging from 1% to 12% of operating profits, with a minimum royalty charge assessed at 1% of net sales. If the operating income margin is 10% or less, the royalty charge is 1% and for each 5% increment in the operating income margin, the royalty charge rate increases by 0.75%, up to a maximum of 12%. In 2019, 2018 and 2017, we made provisions of $42.3 million, $32.9 million and $23.4 million, respectively. At the same time the Peruvian Congress amended the mining royalty charge, it enacted a new tax for the mining industry. This tax is also based on operating income and its rates range from 2% to 8.4%. For additional information see Note 7 “Income Taxes” to the consolidated financial statements. Mexico: In Mexico we have 534,400 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined on the table below: IMMSA La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 188,899 103,821 93,706 147,974 534,400 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.39 to $8.58 per hectare depending on the beginning date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2019, 2018 and 2017 were approximately $7.1 million, $6.3 million and $5.8 million, Table of Contents respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are constructed. In December 2013, the Mexican government enacted a new law which, among other things, established a mining royalty charge of 7.5% on earnings before taxes as defined by Mexican tax regulations and an additional royalty charge of 0.5% over gross income from sales of gold, silver and platinum. These charges were effective January 2014 and are deductible for income tax purposes. | 10-K |
| 2018 | Item 1. Business | THE COMPANY Southern Copper Corporation ("SCC", "Southern Copper" or the "Company") is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 "Properties—Review of Operations" for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. Our operations make us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid. Our precious metals plant at the Ilo refinery produces refined silver, gold, and other materials. Additionally, we produce refined copper using solvent extraction/electrowinning technology ("SX-EW"). We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. ("Minera Mexico"), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the "La Caridad" unit) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. The La Caridad refinery has a precious metals plant which produces refined silver, gold and other materials. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras, S.A de C.V. (the "Buenavista unit") operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, which is located at the site of one of the world's largest copper ore deposits, two copper concentrators and three SX-EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the "IMMSA unit") operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining processes. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration that allows us to manage the entire production process, from the mining of the ore to the production of refined copper rod and other products and most related transport and logistics functions, using our own facilities, employees and equipment. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces beyond our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is to remain profitable during periods of low copper prices and on maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see "Metal Prices" in this Item 1. Table of Contents Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to "U.S. dollars", "dollars", or "$" are to U.S. dollars; references to "sol", "soles" or "S/", are to Peruvian soles; and references to "peso", "pesos", or "Ps.", are to Mexican pesos. Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tons. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2018. For clarity of presentation, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. ("Grupo Mexico"). At December 31, 2018, Grupo Mexico through its wholly-owned subsidiary Americas Mining Corporation ("AMC") owned 88.9% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico's principal business is to act as a holding company for the shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the "SPCC Peru Branch", "Branch" or "Peruvian Branch"). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises substantially all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch is not a corporation separate from us and, therefore, obligations of SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. It is, however, an establishment, registered pursuant to Peruvian law, through which we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although it has neither its own capital nor liability separate from us, it is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares (See Note 13 "Stockholders´ Equity" of our consolidated financial statements). Table of Contents In April 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, from Americas Mining Corporation ("AMC"), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.96% of Minera Mexico. In 2008, our Board of Directors ("BOD") authorized a $500 million share repurchase program that has since been increased by the BOD and is currently authorized to $3 billion. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2018 we have purchased 119.5 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $2.9 billion. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC's website is www.sec.gov. Our website is www.southerncoppercorp.com. Beginning with the Form 8-K dated March 14, 2003, we have made available on this website, free of charge, our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our website also includes the Company's Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our principal Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include information regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company's products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Table of Contents Additional business information follows: COPPER BUSINESS Copper is an important component in the world's infrastructure. It is the third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility, malleability, thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to corrosion that has made it a superior material for use in electrical and electronic products, including power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of copper global use, telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity with prices principally determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or "COMEX", in New York and the London Metal Exchange or "LME." Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced from a multistage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasing share of copper is produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals ever used and has been one of the most important materials in the development of civilization. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management views Southern Copper as having three reportable segments and manages it on the basis of these segments. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, type of products, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar types of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm's length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Added to the segment data is information regarding the Company's sales. The segments identified by the Company are: 1.Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant, industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 2.Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant and a copper rod plant and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 3.Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, lead, silver and gold, a coal mine that produces coal and coke, and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue of the IMMSA unit. Table of Contents Financial information is regularly prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to Senior management on a segment basis. Senior management focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 "Properties," under the captions—"Metal Production by Segments" and "Ore Reserves." More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 17 "Segment and Related Information" of our consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Capital Investment Program" and for our exploration activities, see Item 2 "Properties—Explorations Activities." PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries, in the power generation and transmission industry, in electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in industrial machinery and equipment, consumer products and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for photographic, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion and is also used to make die cast parts, in the manufacturing of batteries and in the form of sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. Thus acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Generally, 80% to 90% of our metal production is sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on the prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on the ultimate end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing efforts to diversifying our sales both by region and by customer base. We also strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is supported by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see "Revenue recognition" in Note 2 "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" and Note 17 "Segment and Related Information" of our consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, with the exception of molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt's Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Metal Prices." Table of Contents The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 10 years: 2009 3.33 1.38 2.35 3.33 1.38 2.34 2010 4.44 2.76 3.43 4.42 2.76 3.42 2011 4.62 3.05 4.01 4.60 3.08 4.00 2012 3.97 3.28 3.61 3.93 3.29 3.61 2013 3.78 3.03 3.34 3.74 3.01 3.32 2014 3.43 2.84 3.12 3.37 2.86 3.11 2015 2.95 2.02 2.51 2.92 2.05 2.50 2016 2.69 1.94 2.20 2.69 1.96 2.21 2017 3.29 2.48 2.80 3.27 2.48 2.80 2018—1st Q 3.24 2.96 3.14 3.27 2.95 3.16 2018—2nd Q 3.29 2.95 3.09 3.29 3.01 3.12 2018—3rd Q 2.93 2.56 2.73 2.99 2.64 2.77 2018—4th Q 2.82 2.63 2.74 2.87 2.69 2.80 2018 3.29 2.56 2.93 3.29 2.64 2.96 The per pound COMEX and LME copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $2.71 and $3.03, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average per-pound, except silver, which is per ounce, market prices for our three principal by-products during the last 10 years: 2009 19.30 10.42 14.67 18.00 7.83 10.91 1.17 0.48 0.75 2010 30.91 14.82 20.18 18.60 11.75 15.60 1.14 0.72 0.98 2011 48.58 26.81 35.18 17.88 12.70 15.33 1.15 0.79 0.99 2012 37.14 26.25 31.19 14.80 10.90 12.62 0.99 0.80 0.88 2013 32.41 18.53 23.82 11.95 9.12 10.26 0.99 0.81 0.87 2014 22.05 15.39 19.04 15.05 8.75 11.30 1.10 0.88 0.98 2015 18.35 13.67 15.68 9.40 4.30 6.59 1.09 0.66 0.88 2016 20.67 13.74 17.10 8.60 5.10 6.42 1.32 0.73 0.95 2017 18.49 15.37 17.03 10.25 6.85 8.13 1.53 1.00 1.31 2018—1st Q 17.55 16.12 16.68 13.00 10.70 12.14 1.64 1.06 1.55 2018—2nd Q 17.23 15.95 16.50 12.58 10.60 11.55 1.49 1.31 1.41 2018—3rd Q 16.05 14.04 14.92 12.60 10.63 11.74 1.32 1.04 1.15 2018—4th Q 15.43 13.95 14.51 12.38 11.80 11.99 1.24 1.14 1.19 2018 17.55 13.95 15.65 13.00 10.60 11.86 1.64 1.04 1.33 The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $16.90 and $20.95, respectively. The per pound Platt's Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $8.86 and $10.90, respectively. The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $1.09 and $0.99, respectively. Table of Contents COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is based primarily on price and service basis, with price being the most important factor when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see Item 1A "Risk Factors—The copper mining industry is highly competitive." LABOR FORCE As of December 31, 2018, we had 13,899 employees, approximately 74% of whom are unionized and represented by nine different labor unions. Despite the three strikes in 2017 at our Peruvian operations, we believe the Company has a positive labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru, which is allowing us to increase productivity as well as helping us achieve the goals of our capital expansion program. Peru 75% of our 4,850 Peruvian employees were unionized at December 31, 2018. Currently, there are six separate unions, one large union and five smaller unions. In the first quarter of 2016, the Company signed three-year agreements with all the existing unions at that time. These agreements included, among other things, annual salary increases of 5% for each of the three years. In June 2018, the Company signed a three-year collective bargaining agreement with one of the smaller unions. This agreement includes, among other things, annual salary increases of 5% for each year starting September 2018, and a signing bonus of S/ 45,000 (approximately $13,600) which was recorded as labor expense. In August 2018, the Company signed a three-year collective bargaining agreement with three additional unions. This agreement includes, among other things, annual salary increases of 5% for each year starting December 2018, and a signing bonus of S/ 45,000 (approximately $13,600) which was recorded as labor expense. As of December 31, 2018, the Company continues negotiations on collective bargaining agreements with the two unsigned unions. Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 3,700 houses and apartments. We also have 90 houses at Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs and recreational facilities. We also provide shopping, banking and other services at the townsites. Mexico 74% of our 9,002 Mexican employees were unionized at December 31, 2018, represented by three separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions annually and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. Our Taxco mine in Mexico has been on strike since July 2007. For a discussion of labor matters, refer to the information contained under the caption "Labor matters" in Note 12 "Commitments and Contingencies" of the consolidated financial statements. Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 2,000 houses and 275 apartments. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes in which they work and Table of Contents where we have built approximately 900 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit provided health care services to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own hospital at the Buenavista unit. In 2010, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to provide these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista receive health services through the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuel, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators, and for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and diesel fuel to power mining equipment. We believe that sources of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. The prices of these raw materials may fluctuate outside of our control, therefore we focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. Energy is the principal cost in mining, so the concern for its conservation and efficient usage is critical. We have energy management committees at most of our mines, which meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Also, alternative sources are being analyzed at the corporate level, from both traditional and renewable energy sources. This has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at the sustainability of our operations. Peru: Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from local companies. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available in Peru. Electricity: In June 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120 megawatt ("MW") with the state company Electroperu S.A., which began supplying energy for our Peruvian operations for twenty years starting on April 17, 2017. In July 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120MW with a private power generator Kallpa Generacion S.A. ("Kallpa"), which began supplying energy to our Peruvian operations for ten years starting on April 17, 2017. In May 2016, we signed an additional power purchase agreement for a maximum of 80MW with Kallpa, under which Kallpa will supply energy for the operations related to the Toquepala Expansion and other minor projects for ten years starting on May 1, 2017 and ending after ten years of commercial operation of the Toquepala Expansion or on April 30, 2029; whichever occurs first. In addition, we feel confident that additional power can be obtained from the Peruvian national grid, should the need arise. Additionally, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is interconnected with the Peruvian network. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and surface water rights from the Suches lake and two small water courses, Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya. We believe these water sources are sufficient to supply the needs of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone, including the Toquepala expansion. At Ilo, we have two desalination plants that produce water for industrial use and domestic consumption that we believe are sufficient for our current and projected needs. Mexico: Fuel: In Mexico, since 2018, we have purchased fuel from Petroleos Mexicanos ("PEMEX"), the state producer, and from private suppliers. Table of Contents The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora), which allows us to import natural gas from the United States at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly or daily fixed price for our natural gas purchases. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes, to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup for all these uses. We use diesel oil to power mining equipment at our operations. Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase most of our electricity from Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L. ("MGE"), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico which has two power plants designed to supply power to La Caridad and Buenavista units. MGE is supplying 17% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In 2012, we entered into a power supply agreement with MGE through 2032. The first plant was completed in 2013 and the second was completed in the second quarter of 2014. The first plant began to supply power to the Company in December 2013, and the second plant began to supply power in June 2015. We also purchase electricity from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (the Federal Electricity Commission or the "CFE"), the state's electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico is dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE, as well as PEMEX, which reflect government policy, as well as international market prices for crude oil, natural gas and conditions in the refinery markets. Some mining operations of IMMSA also purchase electricity from Eolica el Retiro, S.A.P.I de C.V. ("Eolica"), a windfarm energy producer that is an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico. In August 2013, IMMSA and other of the mining operations of the Company entered into a purchase agreement and in late 2014 started to purchase electricity from Eolica. Due to the nature of the production process there is not a fixed power capacity contracted. In 2018, the total purchases were approximately 41.7 million kilowatt hours. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed a public property and industries not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the National Water Commission or the "CNA"). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Rights Law), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established in each plant in order to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been increasing in recent years. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS For a discussion of environmental matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption "Environmental matters" in Note 12 "Commitments and Contingencies" of the consolidated financial statements. Table of Contents MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru: We have 125,700 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and production operations, at various sites, as follows: Plants 360 919 421 — 1,700 Operations 23,781 21,555 4,483 36,559 86,378 Exploration — — — 37,622 37,622 Total 24,141 22,474 4,904 74,181 125,700 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Peruvian laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2018, 2017 and 2016, were approximately $1.5 million, $1.2 million and $1.3 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. In 2011, the Peruvian Congress approved an amendment to the mining royalty charge. The new mining royalty charge is based on operating income margins with graduated rates ranging from 1% to 12% of operating profits, with a minimum royalty charge assessed at 1% of net sales. If the operating income margin is 10% or less, the royalty charge is 1% and for each 5% increment in the operating income margin, the royalty charge rate increases by 0.75%, up to a maximum of 12%. In 2018, 2017 and 2016, we made provisions of $32.9 million, $23.4 million and $16.8 million, respectively. At the same time the Peruvian Congress amended the mining royalty charge, it enacted a new tax for the mining industry. This tax is also based on operating income and its rates range from 2% to 8.4%. For additional information see Note 7 "Income Taxes" to the consolidated financial statements. Mexico: In Mexico we have 534,400 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined on the table below. Mine concessions 188,899 103,821 93,706 147,974 534,400 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.36 to $7.82 per hectare depending on the beginning date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2018, 2017 and 2016 were approximately $6.3 million, $5.8 million and $5.4 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are constructed. In December 2013, the Mexican government enacted a new law which, among other things, established a mining royalty charge of 7.5% on earnings before taxes as defined by Mexican tax regulations and an additional royalty charge of 0.5% over gross income from sales of gold, silver and platinum. These charges were effective January 2014 and are deductible for income tax purposes. Table of Contents | 10-K |
| 2017 | Item 1. Business | THE COMPANY Southern Copper Corporation ("SCC", "Southern Copper" or the "Company") is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 "Properties—Review of Operations" for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. Our operations make us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid. Our precious metals plant at the Ilo refinery produces refined silver, gold, and other materials. Additionally, we produce refined copper using solvent extraction/electrowinning technology ("SX-EW"). We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico S.A. de C.V. ("Minera Mexico"), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the "La Caridad" unit) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. The La Caridad refinery has a precious metals plant which produces refined silver, gold and other materials. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras S.A de C.V. (the "Buenavista unit") operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, which is located at the site of one of the world's largest copper ore deposits, two copper concentrators and three SX-EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the "IMMSA unit") operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining processes. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration that allows us to manage the entire production process, from the mining of the ore to the production of refined copper rod and other products and most related transport and logistics functions, using our own facilities, employees and equipment. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces out of our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is to remain profitable during periods of low copper prices and on maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see "Metal Prices" in this Item 1. Table of Contents Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to "U.S. dollars", "dollars", or "$" are to U.S. dollars; references to "sol", "soles" or "S/", are to Peruvian soles; and references to "peso", "pesos", or "Ps.", are to Mexican pesos. Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tons. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2017. For clarity of presentation, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. ("Grupo Mexico"). At December 31, 2017, Grupo Mexico through its wholly-owned subsidiary Americas Mining Corporation ("AMC") owned 88.9% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico's principal business is to act as a holding company for the shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the "SPCC Peru Branch", "Branch" or "Peruvian Branch"). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises substantially all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch is not a corporation separate from us and, therefore, obligations of SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. It is, however, an establishment, registered pursuant to Peruvian law, through which we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although it has neither its own capital nor liability separate from us, it is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares (See Note 13 "Stockholders´ Equity" of our consolidated financial statements). Table of Contents In April 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, from Americas Mining Corporation ("AMC"), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.96% of Minera Mexico. In 2008, our Board of Directors ("BOD") authorized a $500 million share repurchase program that has since been increased by the BOD and is currently authorized to $3 billion. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2017 we have purchased 119.5 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $2,918.4 million. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC's website is www.sec.gov. Our website is www.southerncoppercorp.com. Beginning with the Form 8-K dated March 14, 2003, we have made available on this website, free of charge, our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our website also includes the Company's Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our principal Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include information regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company's products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Table of Contents Additional business information follows: COPPER BUSINESS Copper is an important component in the world's infrastructure. It is the third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility, malleability, thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to corrosion that has made it a superior material for use in electrical and electronic products, including power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of copper global use, telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity with prices principally determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or "COMEX", in New York and the London Metal Exchange or "LME." Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced from a multistage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasing share of copper is produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals ever used and has been one of the most important materials in the development of civilization. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management views Southern Copper as having three reportable segments and manages it on the basis of these segments. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, type of products, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar types of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm's length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Added to the segment data is information regarding the Company's sales. The segments identified by the Company are: 1.Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant, industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 2.Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant and a copper rod plant and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 3.Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, lead, silver and gold, a coal mine that produces coal and coke, and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue of the IMMSA unit. Table of Contents Financial information is regularly prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to Senior management on a segment basis. Senior management focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 "Properties," under the captions—"Metal Production by Segments" and "Ore Reserves." More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 17 "Segment and Related Information" of our consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Capital Investment Program" and for our exploration activities, see Item 2 "Properties—Explorations Activities." PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries, in the power generation and transmission industry, in electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in industrial machinery and equipment, consumer products and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for photographic, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion and is also used to make die cast parts, in the manufacturing of batteries and in the form of sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. Thus acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Generally, 80% to 90% of our metal production is sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on the prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on the ultimate end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing efforts to diversifying our sales both by region and by customer base. We also strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is supported by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see "Revenue recognition" in Note 2 "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" and Note 17 "Segment and Related Information" of our consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, with the exception of molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt's Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Metal Prices." Table of Contents The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 10 years: 2008 4.08 1.25 3.13 4.08 1.26 3.16 2009 3.33 1.38 2.35 3.33 1.38 2.34 2010 4.44 2.76 3.43 4.42 2.76 3.42 2011 4.62 3.05 4.01 4.60 3.08 4.00 2012 3.97 3.28 3.61 3.93 3.29 3.61 2013 3.78 3.03 3.34 3.74 3.01 3.32 2014 3.43 2.84 3.12 3.37 2.86 3.11 2015 2.95 2.02 2.51 2.92 2.05 2.50 2016 2.69 1.94 2.20 2.69 1.96 2.21 2017-1st Q 2.78 2.48 2.65 2.79 2.49 2.65 2017-2nd Q 2.70 2.49 2.58 2.68 2.48 2.57 2017-3rd Q 3.13 2.64 2.89 3.13 2.62 2.88 2017-4th Q 3.29 2.92 3.10 3.27 2.92 3.09 2017 3.29 2.48 2.80 3.27 2.48 2.80 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $2.79 and $3.05, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods also averaged $2.79 and $3.05, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average per-pound, except silver, which is per ounce, market prices for our three principal by-products during the last 10 years: 2008 20.69 8.80 14.97 33.88 8.75 28.42 1.28 0.47 0.85 2009 19.30 10.42 14.67 18.00 7.83 10.91 1.17 0.48 0.75 2010 30.91 14.82 20.18 18.60 11.75 15.60 1.14 0.72 0.98 2011 48.58 26.81 35.18 17.88 12.70 15.33 1.15 0.79 0.99 2012 37.14 26.25 31.19 14.80 10.90 12.62 0.99 0.80 0.88 2013 32.41 18.53 23.82 11.95 9.12 10.26 0.99 0.81 0.87 2014 22.05 15.39 19.04 15.05 8.75 11.30 1.10 0.88 0.98 2015 18.35 13.67 15.68 9.40 4.30 6.59 1.09 0.66 0.88 2016 20.67 13.74 17.10 8.60 5.10 6.42 1.32 0.73 0.95 2017-1st Q 18.44 16.36 17.45 8.88 6.85 7.74 1.35 1.00 1.26 2017-2nd Q 18.49 16.01 17.19 9.03 6.85 8.00 1.26 1.10 1.18 2017-3rd Q 18.03 15.37 16.80 8.90 7.00 8.05 1.46 1.24 1.34 2017-4th Q 17.36 15.58 16.66 10.25 8.25 8.72 1.53 1.40 1.47 2017 18.49 15.37 17.03 10.25 6.85 8.13 1.53 1.00 1.31 The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $18.53 and $20.89, respectively. The per pound Platt's Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $8.54 and $12.56, respectively. The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $1.00 and $0.94, respectively. Table of Contents COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is based primarily on price and service basis, with price being the most important factor when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see Item 1A "Risk Factors—The copper mining industry is highly competitive." LABOR FORCE As of December 31, 2017, we had 13,140 employees, approximately 71.8% of whom are unionized and represented by eight different labor unions. Despite the three strikes in 2017 at our Peruvian operations, we believe the Company has a positive labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru, which is allowing us to increase productivity as well as helping us achieve the goals of our capital expansion program. Peru 69% of our 4,628 Peruvian employees were unionized at December 31, 2017. Currently, there are six separate unions, one large union and five smaller unions. In the first quarter of 2016, the Company signed three-year agreements with five unions. These agreements include, among other things, annual salary increases of 5% for each of the three years. In April 2017, the Unified Labor Union of SPCC workers and one of Toquepala's unions began a strike, demanding a review of certain health and profit sharing benefits. The strike lasted 12 days. These two unions began illegal strikes in July and November 2017, that lasted five days and 21 days, respectively. The Company estimates that the loss of copper production resulting from the 2017 strikes was not significant and our sales contracts were not affected. Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 3,700 houses and apartments. We also have 90 houses at Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs and recreational facilities. We also provide shopping, banking and other services at the townsites. Mexico 74% of our 8,450 Mexican employees were unionized at December 31, 2017, represented by three separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions annually and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. Our Taxco and San Martin mines in Mexico have been on strike since July 2007. For a discussion of labor matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption "Labor matters" in Note 12 "Commitments and Contingencies" of the consolidated financial statements. Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 2,000 and 275 houses and apartments, respectively. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes in which they work and where we have built approximately 900 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit provided health care services to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own hospital at the Buenavista unit. In 2010, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State Table of Contents of Sonora to provide these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista receive health services through the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuel, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators, and for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and diesel fuel to power mining equipment. We believe that sources of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. The prices of these raw materials may fluctuate outside of our control, therefore we focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. Energy is the principal cost in mining, so the concern for its conservation and efficient usage is very important. We have energy management committees at most of our mines, which meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Also, alternative sources are being analyzed at the corporate level, from both traditional and renewable energy sources. This has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at the sustainability of our operations. Peru: Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from local companies. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available in Peru. Electricity: In June 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120 megawatt ("MW") with the state company Electroperu S.A., which began supplying energy for our Peruvian operations for twenty years starting on April 17, 2017. In July 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120MW with a private power generator Kallpa Generacion S.A. ("Kallpa"), which began supplying energy for our Peruvian operations for ten years starting on April 17, 2017. In May 2016, we signed an additional power purchase agreement for a maximum of 80MW with Kallpa, under which Kallpa will supply energy for the operations related to the Toquepala Expansion and other minor projects for ten years starting on May 1, 2017 and ending after ten years of commercial operation of the Toquepala Expansion or on April 30, 2029; whichever occurs first. In addition, we feel confident that additional power can be obtained from the Peruvian national grid, should the need arise. Additionally, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is interconnected with the Peruvian network. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and surface water rights from the Suches lake and two small water courses, Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya. We believe these water sources are sufficient to supply the needs of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. At Ilo, we have desalination plants that produce water for industrial use and domestic consumption that we believe are sufficient for our current and projected needs. Mexico: Fuel: In Mexico, fuel is purchased directly from Petroleos Mexicanos ("PEMEX"), the state oil monopoly. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora), which allows us to import natural gas from the United States at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly or daily fixed price for our natural gas purchases. Table of Contents Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes, to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup for all these uses. We use diesel oil to power mining equipment at our operations. Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase most of our electricity from Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L. ("MGE"), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico which has two power plants designed to supply power to La Caridad and Buenavista units. MGE is supplying 13.5% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In 2012, we entered into a power supply agreement with MGE through 2032. The first plant was completed in 2013 and the second was completed in the second quarter of 2014. The first plant began to supply power to the Company in December 2013, and the second plant began to supply power in June 2015. We also purchase electricity from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (the Federal Electricity Commission or the "CFE"), the state's electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico is dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE, as well as PEMEX, which reflect government policy, as well as international market prices for crude oil, natural gas and conditions in the refinery markets. Some of the mining operations also purchase electricity from Eolica el Retiro, S.A.P.I de C.V. ("Eolica"), a windfarm energy producer that is an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico. In August 2013, IMMSA and other of the mining operations of the Company entered into a purchase agreement and in late 2014 started to purchase electricity. Most of the purchases from Eolica were made by IMMSA, due to the nature of the production process there is not a set amount of KWh contracted. In 2017 the total purchases were of approximately 55.3 million KWh. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed a public property and industries not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the National Water Commission or the "CNA"). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Rights Law), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established in each plant in order to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been increasing in recent years. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS For a discussion of environmental matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption "Environmental matters" in Note 12 "Commitments and Contingencies" of the consolidated financial statements. Table of Contents MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru: We have 131,278 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and production operations, at various sites, as follows: Plants 300 456 421 — 1,177 Operations 24,679 21,255 4,525 35,459 85,918 Exploration — — — 44,183 44,183 Total 24,979 21,711 4,946 79,642 131,278 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Peruvian laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2017, 2016 and 2015, were approximately $1.2 million, $1.3 million and $1.7 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. In 2011, the Peruvian Congress approved an amendment to the mining royalty charge. The new mining royalty charge is based on operating income margins with graduated rates ranging from 1% to 12% of operating profits, with a minimum royalty charge assessed at 1% of net sales. If the operating income margin is 10% or less, the royalty charge is 1% and for each 5% increment in the operating income margin, the royalty charge rate increases by 0.75%, up to a maximum of 12%. In 2017, 2016 and 2015, we made provisions of $23.4 million, $16.8 million and $22.9 million, respectively. At the same time the Peruvian Congress amended the mining royalty charge, it enacted a new tax for the mining industry. This tax is also based on operating income and its rates range from 2% to 8.4%. For additional information see Note 7 "Income Taxes" to the consolidated financial statements. Mexico: In Mexico we have 532,457 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined on the table below. Mine concessions 187,930 102,699 93,706 148,122 532,457 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.36 to $7.82 per hectare depending on the beginning date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2017, 2016 and 2015 were approximately $5.8 million, $5.4 million and $5.6 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are constructed. In December 2013, the Mexican government enacted a new law which, among other things, established a mining royalty charge of 7.5% on earnings before taxes as defined by Mexican tax regulations and an additional royalty charge of 0.5% over gross income from sales of gold, silver and platinum. These charges were effective January 2014 and are deductible for income tax purposes. Table of Contents | 10-K |
| 2016 | Item 1. Business | THE COMPANY Southern Copper Corporation ("SCC", "Southern Copper" or the "Company") is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 "Properties—Review of Operations" for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. Our operations make us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid. Our precious metals plant at the Ilo refinery produces refined silver, gold, and other materials. Additionally, we produce refined copper using solvent extraction/electrowinning technology ("SX-EW"). We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico S.A. de C.V. ("Minera Mexico"), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the "La Caridad" unit) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. The La Caridad refinery has a precious metals plant which produces refined silver, gold and other materials. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras S.A de C.V. (the "Buenavista unit") operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, which is located at the site of one of the world's largest copper ore deposits, two copper concentrators and three SX-EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the "IMMSA unit") operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining processes. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration that allows us to manage the entire production process, from the mining of the ore to the production of refined copper rod and other products and most related transport and logistics functions, using our own facilities, employees and equipment. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces out of our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is to remain profitable during periods of low copper prices and on maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see "Metal Prices" in this Item 1. Table of Contents Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to "U.S. dollars", "dollars", or "$" are to U.S. dollars; references to "sol", "soles" or "S/", are to Peruvian soles; and references to "peso", "pesos", or "Ps.", are to Mexican pesos. Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tons. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2016. For clarity of presentation, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. ("Grupo Mexico"). At December 31, 2016, Grupo Mexico through its wholly-owned subsidiary Americas Mining Corporation ("AMC") owned 88.9% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico's principal business is to act as a holding company for the shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the "SPCC Peru Branch", "Branch" or "Peruvian Branch"). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises substantially all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch is not a corporation separate from us and, therefore, obligations of SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. It is, however, an establishment, registered pursuant to Peruvian law, through which we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although it has neither its own capital nor liability separate from us, it is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares (See Note 14 "Stockholders´ Equity" of our consolidated financial statements). Table of Contents In April 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, from Americas Mining Corporation ("AMC"), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.96% of Minera Mexico. In 2008, our Board of Directors ("BOD") authorized a $500 million share repurchase program that has since been increased by the BOD and is currently authorized to $3 billion. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2016 we have purchased 119.5 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $2,918.4 million. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC's website is www.sec.gov. Our website is www.southerncoppercorp.com. Beginning with the Form 8-K dated March 14, 2003, we have made available on this website our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our website also includes the Company's Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our principal Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include information regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company's products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Table of Contents Additional business information follows: COPPER BUSINESS Copper is an important component in the world's infrastructure. It is the third most widely used metal, after to iron and aluminum. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility, malleability, thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to corrosion that has made it a superior material for use in electrical and electronic products, including power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of copper global use, telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity with prices principally determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or "COMEX", in New York and the London Metal Exchange or "LME." Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced from a multistage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasing share of copper is produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals ever used and has been one of the most important materials in the development of civilization. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management views Southern Copper as having three reportable segments and manages it on the basis of these segments. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, type of products, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar types of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm's length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Added to the segment data is information regarding the Company's sales. The segments identified by the Company are: 1.Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant, industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 2.Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant and a copper rod plant and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 3.Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, lead, silver and gold, a coal mine that produces coal and coke, and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue of the IMMSA unit. Table of Contents Financial information is regularly prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to Senior Management on a segment basis. Senior Management focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 "Properties," under the captions—"Metal Production by Segments" and "Ore Reserves." More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 18 "Segment and Related Information" of our consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Capital Investment Program" and for our exploration activities, see Item 2 "Properties—Explorations Activities." PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries, in the power generation and transmission industry, in electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in industrial machinery and equipment, consumer products and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for photographic, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion and is also used to make die cast parts, in the manufacturing of batteries and in the form of sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. Thus acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Generally, 80% to 90% of our metal production is sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on the prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on the ultimate end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing efforts to diversifying our sales both by region and by customer base. We also strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is supported by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see "Revenue recognition" in Note 2 "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" and Note 18 "Segment and Related Information" of our consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, with the exception of molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt's Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Metal Prices." Table of Contents The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 10 years: 2007 3.75 2.40 3.23 3.77 2.37 3.23 2008 4.08 1.25 3.13 4.08 1.26 3.16 2009 3.33 1.38 2.35 3.33 1.38 2.34 2010 4.44 2.76 3.43 4.42 2.76 3.42 2011 4.62 3.05 4.01 4.60 3.08 4.00 2012 3.97 3.28 3.61 3.93 3.29 3.61 2013 3.78 3.03 3.34 3.74 3.01 3.32 2014 3.43 2.84 3.12 3.37 2.86 3.11 2015 2.95 2.02 2.51 2.92 2.05 2.50 2016-1st Q 2.29 1.94 2.11 2.31 1.96 2.12 2016-2nd Q 2.28 2.03 2.13 2.29 2.04 2.15 2016-3rd Q 2.26 2.07 2.16 2.25 2.07 2.17 2016-4th Q 2.69 2.08 2.39 2.69 2.10 2.40 2016 2.69 1.94 2.20 2.69 1.96 2.21 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $2.96 and $3.09, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $2.95 and $3.09, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average per-pound, except silver, which is per ounce, market prices for our three principal by-products during the last 10 years: 2007 15.50 11.47 13.39 33.75 24.50 30.19 1.93 1.00 1.47 2008 20.69 8.80 14.97 33.88 8.75 28.42 1.28 0.47 0.85 2009 19.30 10.42 14.67 18.00 7.83 10.91 1.17 0.48 0.75 2010 30.91 14.82 20.18 18.60 11.75 15.60 1.14 0.72 0.98 2011 48.58 26.81 35.18 17.88 12.70 15.33 1.15 0.79 0.99 2012 37.14 26.25 31.19 14.80 10.90 12.62 0.99 0.80 0.88 2013 32.41 18.53 23.82 11.95 9.12 10.26 0.99 0.81 0.87 2014 22.05 15.39 19.04 15.05 8.75 11.30 1.10 0.88 0.98 2015 18.35 13.67 15.68 9.40 4.30 6.59 1.09 0.66 0.88 2016-1st Q 16.02 13.74 14.87 5.55 5.10 5.27 0.84 0.73 0.76 2016-2nd Q 18.58 14.94 16.83 8.60 5.30 6.89 0.95 0.79 0.87 2016-3rd Q 20.67 18.48 19.59 7.55 6.40 6.94 1.08 0.94 1.02 2016-4th Q 18.80 15.70 17.12 7.05 6.30 6.58 1.32 1.01 1.14 2016 20.67 13.74 17.10 8.60 5.10 6.42 1.32 0.73 0.95 Table of Contents The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $21.37 and $20.52, respectively. The per pound Platt's Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $9.44 and $14.76, respectively. The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $0.91 and $0.96, respectively. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is based primarily on price and service basis, with price being the most important factor when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see Item 1A "Risk Factors—The copper mining industry is highly competitive." LABOR FORCE As of December 31, 2016, we had 13,414 employees, approximately 73.4% of whom are unionized and represented by eight different labor unions. In recent years we have experienced a positive labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru, which is allowing us to increase productivity as well as helping us achieve the goals of our capital expansion program. Peru 73% of our 4,562 Peruvian employees were unionized at December 31, 2016. Currently, there are five separate unions, one large union and four smaller unions. In the first quarter of 2016, the Company signed three-year agreements with all five unions. These agreements include, among other things, annual salary increases of 5% for each of the three years. In the last six years, the Peruvian operations has experienced a stable labor environment without major labor stoppages. Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 3,700 houses and apartments. We also have 90 houses at Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs and recreational facilities. We also provide shopping, banking and other services at the townsites. Mexico 74.3% of our 8,760 Mexican employees were unionized at December 31, 2016, represented by three separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions annually and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. Our Taxco and San Martin mines in Mexico have been on strike since July 2007. For a discussion of labor matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption "Labor matters" in Note 13 "Commitments and Contingencies" of the consolidated financial statements. Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 2,000 and 275 houses and apartments, respectively. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes in which they work and where we have built approximately 900 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit provided health care services to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own hospital at the Table of Contents Buenavista unit. In 2010, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to provide these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista receive health services through the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuel, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators, and for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and diesel fuel to power mining equipment. We believe that sources of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. The prices of these raw materials may fluctuate outside of our control, therefore we focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. Energy is the principal cost in mining, so the concern for its conservation and efficient usage is very important. We have energy management committees at most of our mines, which meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Also, alternative sources are being analyzed at the corporate level, from both traditional and renewable energy sources. This has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at the sustainability of our operations. Peru: Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from local production. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available in Peru. Electricity: We currently receive power from Engie Energia Peru S.A., "Engie" (formerly Enersur S.A.) under a power purchase agreement through April 2017. In June 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120 megawatt ("MW") with the state company Electroperu S.A., which will supply energy for our Peruvian operations for twenty years starting on April 17, 2017 and ending on April 30, 2037. In July 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120MW with a private power generator Kallpa, which will supply energy for our Peruvian operations for ten years starting on April 17, 2017 and ending on April 30, 2027. In May 2016, we signed an additional power purchase agreement for a maximum of 80MW with Kallpa, under which Kallpa will supply energy for the operations related to the Toquepala Expansion and other minor projects for ten years starting on May 1, 2017 and ending after ten years of commercial operation of the Toquepala Expansion or on April 30, 2029; whichever happens first. In addition, we feel confident that additional power can be obtained from the Peruvian national grid, should the need arise. Additionally, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is interconnected with the Peruvian network. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and surface water rights from the Suches lake and two small water courses, Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya. We believe these water sources are sufficient to supply the needs of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. At Ilo, we have desalination plants that produce water for industrial use and domestic consumption that we believe are sufficient for our current and projected needs. Mexico: Fuel: In Mexico, fuel is purchased directly from Petroleos Mexicanos ("PEMEX"), the state oil monopoly. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora), which allows us to import natural gas from the United States Table of Contents at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly or daily fixed price for our natural gas purchases. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes, to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup for all these uses. We use diesel oil to power mining equipment at our operations. Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase most of our electricity from Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L. ("MGE"), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico which has two power plants designed to supply power to La Caridad and Buenavista units. It is expected that MGE will supply approximately 12% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In 2012, we entered into a power supply agreement with MGE through 2032. The first plant was completed in 2013 and the second, in the second quarter of 2014. MGE has the authorization for the interconnection with the Mexican electrical system to start operations at the second plant. The first plant began to supply power to the Company in December 2013, and the second plant began to supply power in June 2015. We also purchase electricity from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (the Federal Electricity Commission or the "CFE"), the state's electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico is dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE, as well as PEMEX, which reflect government policy, as well as international market prices for crude oil, natural gas and conditions in the refinery markets. Some of the mining operations also purchase electricity from EOLICA el RETIRO, S.A.P.I de C.V. a windfarm energy producer that is an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico. On August of 2013, IMMSA and other of the mining operations of the Company signed a purchase agreement and in late 2014 started to purchase electricity. Most of the purchases where made by IMMSA, due to the nature of the producer there is not a set amount of KWh contracted. In 2016 the total purchases were of approximately 34.7 million KWh. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed a public property and industries not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the National Water Commission or the "CNA"). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Rights Law), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established in each plant in order to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been increasing in recent years. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS For a discussion of environmental matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption "Environmental matters" in Note 13 "Commitments and Contingencies" of the consolidated financial statements. Table of Contents MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru: We have 171,056 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and production operations, at various sites, as follows: Plants 300 456 421 — 1,177 Operations 22,762 21,255 4,525 39,359 87,901 Exploration — — — 81,979 81,979 Total 23,062 21,711 4,946 121,338 171,057 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Peruvian laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2016, 2015 and 2014, were approximately $1.3 million, $1.7 million and $1.2 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. In 2011, the Peruvian Congress approved an amendment to the mining royalty charge. The new mining royalty charge is based on operating income margins with graduated rates ranging from 1% to 12% of operating profits, with a minimum royalty charge assessed at 1% of net sales. If the operating income margin is 10% or less, the royalty charge is 1% and for each 5% increment in the operating income margin, the royalty charge rate increases by 0.75%, up to a maximum of 12%. In 2016, 2015 and 2014, we made provisions of $16.8 million, $22.9 million and $32.4 million, respectively. At the same time the Peruvian Congress amended the mining royalty charge, it enacted a new tax for the mining industry. This tax is also based on operating income and its rates range from 2% to 8.4%. For additional information see Note 8 "Income Taxes" to the consolidated financial statements. Mexico: In Mexico we have 530,056 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined on the table below. Mine concessions 254,204 102,699 93,706 79,447 530,056 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.30 to $7.40 per hectare depending on the beginning date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2016, 2015 and 2014 were approximately $5.4 million, $5.6 million and $5.7 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are constructed. In December 2013, the Mexican government enacted a new law which, among other things, established a mining royalty charge of 7.5% on earnings before taxes as defined by Mexican tax regulations and an additional royalty charge of 0.5% over gross income from sales of gold, silver and platinum. These charges were effective January 2014 and are deductible for income tax purposes. Table of Contents | 10-K |
| 2015 | Item 1. Business | THE COMPANY Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. Our major production includes copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 “Properties - Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. Our operations make us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate. Our precious metals plant at the Ilo refinery produces refined silver, gold, and other materials. Additionally, we produce refined copper using solvent extraction/electrowinning technology (“SX-EW”). We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “La Caridad” unit) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. The La Caridad refinery has a precious metals plant which produces refined silver, gold and other materials. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras S.A de C.V. (the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, which is located at the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, a copper concentrator and three SX-EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining processes. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration that allows us to manage the entire production process, from the mining of the ore to the production of refined copper rod and other products and most related transport and logistics functions, using our own facilities, employees and equipment. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces out of our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is to remain profitable during periods of low copper prices and on maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal Prices” in this Item 1. Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars”, “dollars”, or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “sol”, “soles” or “S/”, are to Peruvian soles; and references to “peso”, “pesos”, or “Ps.”, are to Mexican pesos. In December, 2015, by law, the name of the Peruvian currency changed from “Nuevo Sol” to “Sol” and its symbol was also modified from “S/.” to “S/”. This change was effective since December 15, 2015. Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tons. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. Table of Contents ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2015. For clarity of presentation, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). At December 31, 2015, Grupo Mexico through its wholly-owned subsidiary Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”) owned 88.57% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for the shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch”, “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises substantially all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch is not a corporation separate from us and, therefore, obligations of SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. It is, however, an establishment, registered pursuant to Peruvian law, through which we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although it has neither its own capital nor liability separate from us, it is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares (See Note 14 “Stockholders’ Equity” of our consolidated financial statements). In April 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, the largest mining company in Mexico on a stand-alone basis, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.96% of Minera Mexico. In 2008, our Board of Directors (“BOD”) authorized a $500 million share repurchase program that has since been increased by the BOD and is currently authorized to $3 billion. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2015 we have purchased 116.6 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $2,846.6 million. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. Table of Contents REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our Internet address is www.southerncoppercorp.com. Beginning with the Form 8-K dated March 14, 2003, we have made available on this internet address our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our website also includes the Company’s Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our principal Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include statements regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Additional business information follows: COPPER BUSINESS Copper is an important component in the world’s infrastructure. It is the third most widely used metal, next to iron and aluminum. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility, malleability, thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to corrosion that has made it a superior material for use in electrical and electronic products, including power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of its global copper use, telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity with prices principally determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or “COMEX”, in New York and the London Metal Exchange or “LME.” Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced from a multistage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasing share of copper is produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals ever used and has been one of the most important materials in the development of civilization. Table of Contents BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management views Southern Copper as having three reportable segments and manages it on the basis of these segments. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, type of products, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar types of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Added to the segment data is information regarding the Company’s sales. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant, industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant and a copper rod plant and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other materials. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine that produces coal and coke, and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue of the IMMSA unit. Financial information is regularly prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to Senior Management on a segment basis. Senior Management focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties,” under the captions — “Metal Production by Segments” and “Ore Reserves.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 18 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Capital Investment Program” and for our exploration activities, see Item 2 “Properties — Explorations Activities.” PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries, in electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in industrial machinery and equipment, consumer products and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for photographic, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, in brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion. It is also used to make die cast parts, in the manufacturing of batteries and in the form of sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. Thus acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Generally, 80% to 90% of our metal production is sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on the prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on the ultimate end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing efforts to diversifying our sales both by region and by customer base. We also strive to provide Table of Contents superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is supported by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see “Revenue recognition” in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 18 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, with the exception of molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME, the two most important metal exchanges in the world. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Metal Prices.” The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 10 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 2006 4.08 2.13 3.10 3.99 2.06 3.05 2007 3.75 2.40 3.23 3.77 2.37 3.23 2008 4.08 1.25 3.13 4.08 1.26 3.16 2009 3.33 1.38 2.35 3.33 1.38 2.34 2010 4.44 2.76 3.43 4.42 2.76 3.42 2011 4.62 3.05 4.01 4.60 3.08 4.00 2012 3.97 3.28 3.61 3.93 3.29 3.61 2013 3.78 3.03 3.34 3.74 3.01 3.32 2014 3.43 2.84 3.12 3.37 2.86 3.11 2015-1st Q 2.84 2.47 2.66 2.86 2.45 2.64 2015-2nd Q 2.95 2.59 2.77 2.92 2.56 2.75 2015-3rd Q 2.64 2.25 2.40 2.61 2.22 2.38 2015-4th Q 2.43 2.02 2.20 2.42 2.05 2.22 2015 2.95 2.02 2.51 2.92 2.05 2.50 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $3.32 and $3.18, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $3.31 and $3.17, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average per-pound, except silver, which is per ounce, market prices for our three principal by-products during the last 10 years: Silver (COMEX) Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Metals Week) Zinc (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 2006 14.85 8.82 11.54 28.20 21.00 24.75 2.10 0.87 1.49 2007 15.50 11.47 13.39 33.75 24.50 30.19 1.93 1.00 1.47 2008 20.69 8.80 14.97 33.88 8.75 28.42 1.28 0.47 0.85 2009 19.30 10.42 14.67 18.00 7.83 10.91 1.17 0.48 0.75 2010 30.91 14.82 20.18 18.60 11.75 15.60 1.14 0.72 0.98 2011 48.58 26.81 35.18 17.88 12.70 15.33 1.15 0.79 0.99 2012 37.14 26.25 31.19 14.80 10.90 12.62 0.99 0.80 0.88 2013 32.41 18.53 23.82 11.95 9.12 10.26 0.99 0.81 0.87 2014 22.05 15.39 19.04 15.05 8.75 11.30 1.10 0.88 0.98 2015-1st Q 18.35 15.35 16.70 9.40 7.55 8.41 0.99 0.90 0.94 2015-2nd Q 17.71 15.55 16.38 8.20 6.20 7.45 1.09 0.90 1.00 2015-3rd Q 15.73 14.05 14.87 6.25 5.40 5.75 0.95 0.72 0.84 2015-4th Q 16.29 13.67 14.75 5.40 4.30 4.75 0.83 0.66 0.73 2015 18.35 13.67 15.68 9.40 4.30 6.59 1.09 0.66 0.88 Table of Contents The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $24.98 and $19.97, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $11.22 and $16.60, respectively. The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $0.92 and $1.01, respectively. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is based primarily on price and service basis, with price being the most important factor when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see Item 1A “Risk Factors — The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” LABOR FORCE As of December 31, 2015, we had 13,024 employees, approximately 73% of whom are unionized and represented by 8 different labor unions. In recent years we have experienced a positive labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru, which is allowing us to increase productivity as well as helping us achieve the goals of our capital expansion program. Peru 72.7% of our 4,602 Peruvian employees were unionized at December 31, 2015. Currently, there are five separate unions, one main union and four smaller unions. In the second quarter of 2015, two of the main unions, which formerly represented the Ilo and Cuajone workers, and one of the minor unions, which formerly represented some Toquepala workers, merged into one new main union. The other four smaller unions represent the balance of workers. Our collective bargaining agreements with all of these unions expired in the second half of 2015. Negotiations for new agreements began in the third quarter of 2015 and were finalized early in 2016, with the signing of new three-year agreements. These agreements include, among other things, annual salary increases of 5% for each of the three years. Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 3,700 houses and apartments. We also have 90 houses at Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs and recreational facilities. We also provide shopping, banking and other services at the townsites. Mexico 73.3% of our 8,316 Mexican employees were unionized at December 31, 2015, represented by three separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions annually and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. Our Taxco and San Martin mines in Mexico have been on strike since July 2007. For a discussion of labor matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption “Labor matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 2,000 houses and apartments, and 275 houses and apartments, respectively. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes in which they work and where we have built approximately 900 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit provided health care services free of charge to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own hospital at the Buenavista unit. In 2010, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to provide these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista del Cobre will receive health services from the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. Table of Contents FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuel, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators, and for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and diesel fuel to power mining equipment. We believe that sources of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. The prices of these raw materials may fluctuate outside of our control, therefore we focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. Energy is the principal cost in mining, so the concern for its conservation and efficient usage is very important. We have energy management committees at most of our mines, which meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Also, alternative sources are being analyzed at the corporate level, from both traditional and renewable energy sources. This has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at the sustainability of our operations. Peru: Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from local production. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available in Peru. Electricity: We currently receive power from Enersur S.A. under a power purchase agreement through April 2017. In June 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120 megawatt (“MW”) with the state company Electroperu S.A., which will supply energy for our Peruvian operations for twenty years starting on April 17, 2017 and ending on April 30, 2037. In July 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120MW with a private power generator Kallpa, which will supply energy for our Peruvian operations for ten years starting on April 17, 2017 and ending on April 30, 2027. In addition, we feel confident that additional power can be obtained from the Peruvian national grid, should the need arise. Additionally, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is interconnected with the Peruvian network. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and surface water rights from the Suches lake and two small water courses, Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya. We believe these water sources are sufficient to supply the needs of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. At Ilo, we have desalination plants that produce water for industrial and domestic use that we believe are sufficient for our current and projected needs. Mexico: Fuel: In Mexico, fuel is purchased directly from Petroleos Mexicanos (“PEMEX”), the state oil monopoly. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora), which allows us to import natural gas from the United States at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly or daily fixed price for our natural gas purchases. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes, to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup for all these uses. We use diesel oil to power mining equipment at our operations. Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase most of our electricity from Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L. (“MGE”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico which has recently completed the construction of the two power plants designed to supply power to some of the Company’s Mexican operations. It is expected that MGE will supply approximately 12% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In 2012, we entered into a power supply agreement with MGE through 2032. The first plant was completed in June 2013 and the second, in the second quarter of 2014. MGE has the authorization for the interconnection with the Mexican electrical system to start operations at the second plant. The first plant began to supply power to the Company in December 2013, and the second plant began to supply power in June 2015. We also purchase electricity from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (the Federal Electricity Commission or the “CFE”), the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Table of Contents Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico is dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE, as well as PEMEX, which reflect government policy, as well as international market prices for crude oil, natural gas and conditions in the refinery markets. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed a public property and industries not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the National Water Commission or the “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Rights Law), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established in each plant in order to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been increasing in recent years. In December 2013, federal law pertaining to water rights was amended to change the method used to determine water usage fees for underground and surface water effective January 1, 2014. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS For a discussion of environmental matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption “Environmental matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru: We have 163,079 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and production operations, at various sites, as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Plants 300 456 421 — 1,177 Operations 22,762 21,255 4,527 35,559 84,103 Exploration — — — 77,799 77,799 Total 23,062 21,711 4,948 113,358 163,079 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Peruvian laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2015, 2014 and 2013, were approximately $1.7 million, $1.2 million and $1.2 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. In 2011, the Peruvian Congress approved an amendment to the mining royalty charge. The new mining royalty charge is based on operating income margins with graduated rates ranging from 1% to 12% of operating profits, with a minimum royalty charge assessed at 1% of net sales. If the operating income margin is 10% or less, the royalty charge is 1% and for each 5% increment in the operating income margin, the royalty charge rate increases by 0.75%, up to a maximum of 12%. In 2015, 2014 and 2013, we made provisions of $22.9 million, $32.4 million and $34.8 million, respectively. At the same time the Peruvian Congress amended the mining royalty charge, it enacted a new tax for the mining industry. This tax is also based on operating income and its rates range from 2% to 8.4%. For additional information see Note 8 “Income Taxes” to the consolidated financial statements. Mexico: In Mexico we have 527,144 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined on the table below. Table of Contents IMMSA La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 185,018 102,700 93,706 145,720 527,144 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.4 to $8.1 per hectare depending on the beginning date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2015, 2014 and 2013 were approximately $5.6 million, $5.7 million and $5.6 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are constructed. In December 2013, the Mexican government enacted a new law which, among other things, established a mining royalty charge of 7.5% on earnings before taxes as defined by Mexican tax regulations and an additional royalty charge of 0.5% over gross income from sales of gold, silver and platinum. These charges were effective January 2014 and are deductible for income tax purposes. Table of Contents | 10-K |
| 2014 | Item 1. Business | THE COMPANY Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. We produce copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 “Properties - Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. Our operations make us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate. Our precious metals plant at the Ilo refinery produces refined silver and gold, as well as other materials. Additionally, we produce refined copper using SX-EW technology. We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “La Caridad unit”) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. The La Caridad refinery has a precious metals plant which produces refined silver and gold and other materials. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras S.A de C.V. (the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, which is located at the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, a copper concentrator and two SX-EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining operations. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration that allows us to manage the entire production process, from the mining of the ore to the production of refined copper, copper rod and other products and most related transport and logistics functions, using our own facilities, employees and equipment. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces outside of our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is to remain profitable during periods of low copper prices and on maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal Prices” in this Item 1. Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars”, “dollars”, or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “nuevo sol”, “nuevos soles” or “S/.”, are to Peruvian nuevos soles; and references to “peso”, “pesos”, or “Ps.”, are to Mexican pesos. Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tons. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. Table of Contents ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2014. For clarity of presentation, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). At December 31, 2014, Grupo Mexico through its wholly-owned subsidiary Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”) owned 84.6% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch”, “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises substantially all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch is not a corporation separate from us and, therefore, obligations of SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. It is, however, an establishment, registered pursuant to Peruvian law, through which we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although it has neither its own capital nor liability separate from us, it is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares (See Note 12 “Non-Controlling Interest” of our consolidated financial statements). On April 1, 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, the largest mining company in Mexico on a stand-alone basis, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.96% of Minera Mexico. In 2008, our Board of Directors (“BOD”) authorized a $500 million share repurchase program that has since been increased by the BOD and is currently authorized to $3 billion. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2014 we have purchased 79.9 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $1,842.3 million. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. Table of Contents REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our Internet address is www.southerncoppercorp.com. Commencing with the Form 8-K dated March 14, 2003, we have made available on this internet address our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our website also includes the Company’s Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our principal Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include statements regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Additional business information follows: COPPER BUSINESS Copper is the world’s third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum, and an important component in the world’s infrastructure. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility, malleability, and thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to corrosion that has made it a superior material for use in electrical and electronic products, including power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of its global copper use, telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity with prices principally determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or “COMEX”, in New York and the London Metal Exchange or “LME.” Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced from a multistage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasing share of copper is produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals ever used and has been one of the most important materials in the development of civilization. Table of Contents BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management views Southern Copper as having three reportable segments and manages it on the basis of these segments. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, type of products, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar types of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Added to the segment information is information regarding the Company’s sales. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other material. 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, including a precious metals plant and a copper rod plant and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other material. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine that produces coal and coke, and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue of the IMMSA unit. Financial information is regularly prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to Senior Management on a segment basis. Senior Management focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties,” under the captions — “Metal Production by Segments” and “Ore Reserves.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 18 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Capital Investment Program” and for our exploration activities, see Item 2 “Properties — Explorations Activities.” PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, industrial machinery and equipment, consumer products and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for photographic, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion. It is also used to make die cast parts, in the manufacturing of batteries and in the form of sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. Thus acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Generally 80% to 90% of our metal production is sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on the ultimate end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing effort to diversifying our sales both by region and by customer base. We also strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is supported by our substantial production capacity. Table of Contents For additional information on sales, please see, “Revenue recognition” in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 18 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, with the exception of molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME, the two most important metal exchanges in the world. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — “Metal Prices.” The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 10 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 2005 2.28 1.40 1.68 2.11 1.39 1.67 2006 4.08 2.13 3.10 3.99 2.06 3.05 2007 3.75 2.40 3.23 3.77 2.37 3.23 2008 4.08 1.25 3.13 4.08 1.26 3.16 2009 3.33 1.38 2.35 3.33 1.38 2.34 2010 4.44 2.76 3.43 4.42 2.76 3.42 2011 4.62 3.05 4.01 4.60 3.08 4.00 2012 3.97 3.28 3.61 3.93 3.29 3.61 2013 3.78 3.03 3.34 3.74 3.01 3.32 2014-1st Q 3.43 2.98 3.24 3.37 2.92 3.19 2014-2nd Q 3.19 3.02 3.10 3.19 2.99 3.08 2014-3rd Q 3.27 3.01 3.16 3.26 3.06 3.17 2014-4th Q 3.11 2.84 2.98 3.11 2.86 3.00 2014 3.43 2.84 3.12 3.37 2.86 3.11 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $3.50 and $3.10, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $3.49 and $3.09, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average per-pound, except silver, which is per ounce, market prices for our three principal by-products during the last 10 years: Silver (COMEX) Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Metals Week) Zinc (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 2005 9.00 6.43 7.32 39.25 25.00 31.99 0.87 0.53 0.63 2006 14.85 8.82 11.54 28.20 21.00 24.75 2.10 0.87 1.49 2007 15.50 11.47 13.39 33.75 24.50 30.19 1.93 1.00 1.47 2008 20.69 8.80 14.97 33.88 8.75 28.42 1.28 0.47 0.85 2009 19.30 10.42 14.67 18.00 7.83 10.91 1.17 0.48 0.75 2010 30.91 14.82 20.18 18.60 11.75 15.60 1.14 0.72 0.98 2011 48.58 26.81 35.18 17.88 12.70 15.33 1.15 0.79 0.99 2012 37.14 26.25 31.19 14.80 10.90 12.62 0.99 0.80 0.88 2013 32.41 18.53 23.82 11.95 9.12 10.26 0.99 0.81 0.87 2014-1st Q 22.05 19.11 20.46 10.80 9.70 9.93 0.98 0.88 0.92 2014-2nd Q 21.11 18.65 19.62 15.05 11.00 13.45 1.00 0.89 0.94 2014-3rd Q 21.46 17.01 19.63 13.40 10.55 12.62 1.10 1.00 1.05 2014-4th Q 17.50 15.39 16.45 10.25 8.75 9.22 1.06 0.96 1.01 2014 22.05 15.39 19.04 15.05 8.75 11.30 1.10 0.88 0.98 Table of Contents The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $25.88 and $19.13, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $13.02 and $19.14, respectively.The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5 and 10 year periods averaged $0.94 and $0.99, respectively. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is based primarily on price and service basis, with price being the most important consideration when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see Item 1A “Risk Factors — The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” LABOR FORCE As of December 31, 2014, we had 12,735 employees, approximately 71% of whom are unionized and represented by 10 different labor unions. In recent years we have experienced a positive labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru, which is allowing us to increase productivity as well as helping us achieve the goals of our capital expansion program. Peru Approximately 69% of our 4,524 Peruvian employees were unionized at December 31, 2014. There are seven separate unions, three of them at each major production area that represent the majority of our workers; and four smaller unions that represent the balance of workers. Our collective bargaining agreements with all of these unions will expire in the second half of 2015. We expect to begin negotiations for new agreements in the second quarter of 2015. Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 3,700 houses and apartments. We also have 90 houses at Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs and recreational facilities. We also provide shopping, banking and other services at the townsites. Mexico Approximately 73% of our 8,105 Mexican employees were unionized at December 31, 2014, represented by three separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers is set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions annually and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. In recent years, the Mexican operations have experienced a positive improvement of their labor environment as our workers opted to change their affiliation from the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores Mineros, Metalurgicos y Similares de la Republica Mexicana (the National Union of Mine and Metal Workers and Similar Activities of the Mexican Republic or the “National Mining Union”), which was formerly led by Napoleon Gomez Urrutia, to other less politicized unions. We believe that this change has created a more positive labor environment, which will benefit both the Company and workers and allow us to increase our productivity and develop our capital expansion programs. Our Taxco and San Martin mines in Mexico have been on strike since July 2007. For a discussion of labor matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption “Labor matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 2,000 houses and apartments and 275 houses and apartments, respectively. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes in which they work and where we have built approximately 900 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our town sites and housing complexes include educational and, in some units, medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit provided health care services free of charge to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own hospital at the Buenavista unit. In 2010, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to provide these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista del Cobre will receive health services from the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. Table of Contents FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuels, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators and for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and diesel fuel for mining equipment. We believe that sources of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. Although the prices of these raw materials may fluctuate beyond our control, we focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. Energy is the principal cost in mining, therefore the concern for its conservation and efficient usage is very important. We have energy management committees at most of our mines. The committees meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Also, alternative sources are being analyzed at the corporate level, from both traditional and renewable energy sources. This has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at the sustainability of our operations. Peru Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from a local producer. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available in Peru. Electricity: We currently receive power from Enersur S.A. under a power purchase agreement through April 2017. In June 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120 megawatt (“MW”) with the state company Electroperu S.A., which will supply energy for our Peruvian operations for twenty years starting on April 17, 2017 and ending on April 30, 2037. In July 2014, we entered into a power purchase agreement for 120MW with a private power generator Kallpa, which will supply energy for our Peruvian operations for ten years starting on April 17, 2017 and ending on April 30, 2027. In addition, we feel confident that additional power can be obtained from the Peruvian national grid, should the need arise. Additionally, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is interconnected with the Peruvian network. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and also surface water rights from the Suches lake and two small water courses, Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya. We believe these water sources are sufficient to supply the needs of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. At Ilo, we have desalinization plants that produce water for industrial and domestic use that we believe are sufficient for our current and projected needs. Mexico Fuel: In Mexico, fuel is purchased directly from Petroleos Mexicanos, (“PEMEX”), the state oil monopoly. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora). This permits us to import natural gas from the United States at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly fixed price or daily fixed prices for our natural gas purchases. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes, to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup for all these uses. We use diesel oil for mining equipment at our operations. Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase electricity-from the Comision Federal de Electricidad (the Federal Electricity Commission or the “CFE”), the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico are dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE, as well as PEMEX, which reflect government policy, as well as international market prices for crude oil, natural gas and conditions in the refinery markets. Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L., (“MGE”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, has completed the construction of the two power plants designed to supply power to some of the Company’s Mexican operations. It is expected that MGE will supply approximately 12% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power Table of Contents generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In 2012, we entered into a power supply agreement with MGE through 2032. The first plant was completed in June 2013 and the second in the second quarter of 2014. MGE already has the authorization for the interconnection with the Mexican electrical system to start operations at the second plant. The first plant began to supply power to the Company in December 2013, and the second plant is ready to supply once the demand in the mine requires it. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed a public property and industries not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the National Water Commission or “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Law of Rights), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established in each plant in order to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been increasing in recent years. In December 2013, federal law pertaining to water rights was amended to change the method used to determine water usage fees for underground and surface water effective January 1, 2014. In 2014, the increase in usage fees had an after tax cost of $20.8 million. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS For a discussion of environmental matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption “Environmental matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru We have 166,696 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and production operations, at various sites, as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Plants 300 456 421 — 1,177 Operations 22,653 23,155 4,607 33,859 84,274 Exploration — — — 81,245 81,245 Total 22,953 23,611 5,028 115,104 166,696 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Peruvian laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2014, 2013 and 2012, were approximately $1.2 million, $1.2 million and $1.3 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. In 2011, the Peruvian Congress approved an amendment to the mining royalty charge. The mining royalty charge is based on operating income margins with graduated rates ranging from 1% to 12% of operating profits, with a minimum royalty charge assessed at 1% of net sales. If the operating income margin is 10% or less, the royalty charge is 1% and for each 5% increment in the operating income margin, the royalty charge rate increases by 0.75%, up to a maximum of 12%. In 2014, 2013 and 2012, we made provisions of $32.4 million, $34.8 million and $51.0 million, respectively. At the same time the Peruvian Congress amended the mining royalty charge, it enacted a new tax for the mining industry. This tax is also based on operating income and its rates range from 2% to 8.4%. For additional information see Note 7 “Income Taxes” to the consolidated financial statements. Mexico In Mexico we have approximately 547,815 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and Table of Contents exploitation activities as outlined on the table below. IMMSA La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 185,018 104,854 93,706 164,237 547,815 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.4 to $9.7 per hectare depending on the beginning date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2014, 2013 and 2012 were approximately $5.7 million, $5.6 million and $4.5 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are constructed. In December 2013, the Mexican government enacted a new law which, among other things, established a mining royalty charge of 7.5% on earnings before taxes adjusted as defined by Mexican tax regulations and an additional royalty of 0.5% over gross income from sales of gold, silver and platinum. These charges are effective January 2014 and are deductible for income tax purposes. Table of Contents | 10-K |
| 2013 | Item 1. Business | THE COMPANY Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. We produce copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 “Properties - Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. Our operations make us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and refined silver. Additionally, we produce refined copper using SX-EW technology. We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “La Caridad unit”) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. Since July 2011, Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras S.A de C.V. ( the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, formerly named Cananea, an open-pit copper mine, which is located at the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, a copper concentrator and two SX-EW plants. The Buenavista mine was operated from December 11, 2010 to July 2011 by Buenavista del Cobre S.A. de C.V. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining operations. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration that allows us to manage the entire production process, from the mining of the ore to the production of refined copper and other products and most related transport and logistics functions, using our own facilities, employees and equipment. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces outside of our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is to remain profitable during periods of low copper prices and on maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal Prices” in this Item 1. Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars”, “dollars”, or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “S/.”, “nuevo sol” or “nuevos soles”, are to Peruvian nuevos soles; and references to “peso”, “pesos”, or “Ps.”, are to Mexican pesos. Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tons. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. Table of Contents ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2013. For clarity of presentation, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Grupo Mexico as of December 31, 2013 owned 82.3% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch”, “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises substantially all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch is not a corporation separate from us and, therefore, obligations of SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. It is, however, an establishment, registered pursuant to Peruvian law, through which we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although it has neither its own capital nor liability separate from us, it is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares, (See Note 12 “Non-Controlling Interest” of our consolidated financial statements). On April 1, 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, the largest mining company in Mexico on a stand-alone basis, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.95% of Minera Mexico. In 2008, our Board of Directors authorized a $500 million share repurchase program. On July 28, 2011, our Board of Directors authorized an increase of the share repurchase program to $1 billion and on October 17, 2013, our Board of Directors authorized an additional increase to $2 billion. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2013 we have Table of Contents purchased 57.2 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $1,159.5 million. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, the effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, the effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our Internet address is www.southerncoppercorp.com. Commencing with the Form 8-K dated March 14, 2003, we have made available free of charge on this internet address our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our website also includes the Company’s Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our principal Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include statements regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metal prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Additional business information follows: COPPER BUSINESS Copper is the world’s third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum, and an important component in the world’s infrastructure. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility, malleability, and thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to corrosion that has made it a superior material for use in electrical and electronic products, including power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of its global copper use, telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity with prices principally determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or “COMEX”, in New York and the London Metal Exchange or “LME.” Copper is usually found Table of Contents in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced from a multistage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasing share of copper is produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals ever used and has been one of the most important materials in the development of civilization. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management views Southern Copper as having three reportable segments and manages it on the basis of these segments. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, type of products, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar type of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s-length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Added to the segment information is information regarding the Company’s sales. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, industrial railroad and port facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other material. 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants and support facilities that service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other material. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine that produces coal and coke, and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue of the IMMSA unit. Financial information is regularly prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to the Senior Management Officers on a segment basis. The Senior Management Officers focus on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties,” under the captions — “Metal Production by Segments” and “Ore Reserves.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 19 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” — “Capital Investment Program.” EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES We are engaged in ongoing extensive exploration to locate additional ore bodies in Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador and Chile. We also conduct exploration in the areas of our current mining operations. We invested $51.0 million in exploration Table of Contents programs in 2013, $47.9 million in 2012 and $37.5 million in 2011 and we expect to spend approximately $67.8 million in exploration programs in 2014. Currently, we have direct control of 93,972 and 160,454 hectares of exploration concessions in Peru and in Mexico, respectively. We also currently hold 100,383 hectares, 35,958 hectares and 2,544 hectares of exploration concessions in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador, respectively. Peru Los Chancas. This property, located in the department of Apurimac in southern Peru, is a copper and molybdenum porphyry deposit. At the end of 2013, we were in the final stages of completing a feasibility study for this property and expect to initiate an environmental impact assessment study in 2014. Current estimates indicate the presence of 545 million tons of mineralized material with a copper content of 0.59%, molybdenum content of 0.04% and 0.039 grams of gold per ton and 181 million tons of mineralized leachable material with a total copper content of 0.357%. Other Peruvian Prospects. In 2013, after the evaluation of the 2012 drilling program results at El Penon, we decided not to pursue this project. Also, in 2013 we concluded an exploration program of 7,246 meters of diamond drilling around our current operating areas. For 2014, we plan to continue, and further develop a diamond drilling program of 25,000 meters at several other Peruvian mineralized zones, including the Lagarto project, which is located in the north of the Lima region where we are exploring for a copper porphyry system. We also plan to continue with the regional exploration program at several different metallogenic zones of Peru. Mexico In addition to exploratory drilling programs at existing mines, we are currently conducting exploration to locate mineral deposits at various other sites in Mexico. The following are some of the more significant exploration projects: Buenavista-Zinc. The Buenavista-Zinc site is located in the state of Sonora, Mexico and forms part of the Buenavista ore body. Drilling and metallurgical studies have shown that the zinc-copper deposit contains approximately 36 million tons of mineralized material containing 29 grams of silver per ton, 0.69% copper and 3.3% zinc. A “scoping level” study indicates that Buenavista-Zinc may be an economic deposit. In 2011, 11,956 meters of diamond drilling were executed to confirm grade and acquire geotechnical information. In 2012, the Buenavista-Zinc mine plan was integrated with the overall mine plan of the Buenavista pit. The metallurgical testing was completed early in 2013 indicating some recovery problems with oxidized zinc. During 2013, we drilled 15,128 additional meters to locate the oxidized zinc for new modelling and metallurgical testing. We expect to receive the results of the new model early in 2014 and to proceed with metallurgical testing. The Chalchihuites. The Chalchihuites site is located in the state of Zacatecas. It is a replacement deposit with mixed oxides and sulfides of lead, copper, zinc and silver. In the late 1990s, a drilling program defined 16 million tons of mineralized material containing 95 grams of silver per ton and lead content of 0.36%, copper content of 0.69% and zinc content of 3.08%. Preliminary metallurgical testing indicates that a leaching precipitating-flotation recovery process can be applied to this ore. In 2009, we started a prefeasibility study, which we expect to complete early in 2014. In 2010 and 2011, we added several claims and performed a 9,386 meter drilling program that indicated at least seven million tons of mineralized material containing 97.9 grams of silver per ton, 0.41% lead, 0.52% copper and 2.53% zinc. In 2013, we continued with the process to obtain all permits and the land acquisition required for the project. In 2014, we plan to perform additional drilling to confirm the metallurgical results of the prefeasibility study and to drill three water wells to supply the water requirements of the project. Sierra de Lobos. This project is located southwest of the city of Leon, Guanajuato. Drilling in 2008 confirmed the presence of copper and zinc mineralization, but an economic deposit has not yet been identified. The project was on hold between 2010 and 2011 due to the changes in our investment program priorities. In 2012, we obtained all required permits and started drilling activities. In 2013, we drilled 3,945 meters. Although we identified some mineralized ore bodies, they were not continuous. In 2014 we will analyze the results and decide the future of the project. Table of Contents Chile Catanave. Located in northern Chile (Arica), Catanave belongs to a mineralized epithermal system of gold and silver. In 2010, the environmental impact study was approved. Between 2011 and 2013 diamond drilling programs were completed. Currently we are evaluating the results of the drilling programs to decide the future of the project. Santa Marta and San Benito. In 2013, after completing our diamond drilling program at these prospects, we decided not to pursue further work on the properties. El Salado. A copper-gold prospect located in the Atacama region, northern Chile is being explored for copper and molybdenum porphyry. In 2013, we completed a conceptual engineering study of the project, which identified mineralization restricted to veins and irregular bodies. In 2013, we started a diamond drilling program of 22,000 meters focused on classifying the existing mineral. A further diamond drilling program of 15,000 meters is planned for 2014 defining the mineralized structures of the Diego de Almeida zone. Resguardo de la Costa. A copper-gold prospect located in northern Chile (Atacama area). This prospect continues on hold, pending further evaluation. Other Chilean Prospects. For 2014, we plan to continue with a regional exploration program focused on locating systems, mainly of porphyritic of copper and molybdenum. We plan to explore mainly in the Atacama metallogenetic strip, and the El Salado region where the Amor prospect, which has evidence of copper oxides and sulfurs and gold, is located. Ecuador In 2011, we started exploration activities in Ecuador. Chaucha: the Ruta del Cobre (“Copper Road”) project is located south of Guayaquil. The mineralization is characteristic of a copper-molybdenum porphyry system. In 2013, we obtained all the permits required for the evaluation of the deposit. In 2014, we plan to conduct a diamond drilling program of 20,000 meters. Argentina In 2011, we started exploration activities in Argentina. During 2012, we carried out exploration mainly at the Cochicos project, located in the Province of Neuquen, where we expect to locate mineralization for an epithermal gold and silver system. During 2013, we performed geological exploration in the Salta, San Juan and Neuquen provinces where we expect to locate copper porphyry with precious metals epithermal systems. For 2014 we plan to start a diamond drilling exploration program of 10,000 meters at the Cerro Sementa project, located in the Salta Province, where we expect to locate porphyry copper and molybdenum mineralization. We also plan to continue with the regional exploration at Piuqenes and La Voluntad located in the San Juan and Neuquen provinces, respectively, where we expect to locate porphyry copper and molybdenum mineralization. PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS Copper is primarily used in the building and construction industries, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, industrial machinery and equipment, consumer products and in the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for photographic, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion. It is also used to make die cast parts, in the manufacturing of batteries and in the form of sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships, and thus acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Approximately 80% of our metal production for years 2013, 2012 and 2011, was sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. Table of Contents We focus on the ultimate end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing effort to diversifying our sales both by region and by customer base. We also strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is supported by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see, “Revenue recognition” in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 19 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, except for molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME, the two most important metal exchanges in the world. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. We entered into copper derivative contracts for the first quarter of 2012 and the years 2011 and 2010. For a further discussion of derivative instruments, see Item 7A “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.” For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” — “Metal Prices.” The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME per pound copper prices during the last 15 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 1999 0.85 0.61 0.72 0.84 0.61 0.71 2000 0.93 0.74 0.84 0.91 0.73 0.82 2001 0.87 0.60 0.73 0.83 0.60 0.72 2002 0.78 0.65 0.72 0.77 0.64 0.71 2003 1.04 0.71 0.81 1.05 0.70 0.81 2004 1.54 1.06 1.29 1.49 1.06 1.30 2005 2.28 1.40 1.68 2.11 1.39 1.67 2006 4.08 2.13 3.10 3.99 2.06 3.05 2007 3.75 2.40 3.23 3.77 2.37 3.23 2008 4.08 1.25 3.13 4.08 1.26 3.16 2009 3.33 1.38 2.35 3.33 1.38 2.34 2010 4.44 2.76 3.43 4.42 2.76 3.42 2011 4.62 3.05 4.01 4.60 3.08 4.00 2012 3.97 3.28 3.61 3.93 3.29 3.61 2013-1st Q 3.78 3.40 3.60 3.74 3.42 3.60 2013-2nd Q 3.44 3.03 3.25 3.42 3.01 3.24 2013-3rd Q 3.36 3.04 3.23 3.33 3.05 3.21 2013-4th Q 3.47 3.15 3.28 3.35 3.15 3.24 2013 3.78 3.03 3.34 3.74 3.01 3.32 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $3.35, $2.92 and $2.20 respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $3.34, $2.91 and $2.19, respectively. Table of Contents The table below shows the high, low and average per-pound, except silver, which is per ounce, market prices for our three principal by-products during the last 15 years: Silver (COMEX) Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Metals Week) Zinc(LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 1999 5.76 4.87 5.22 2.80 2.52 2.66 0.56 0.41 0.49 2000 5.55 4.56 4.97 2.92 2.19 2.56 0.58 0.46 0.51 2001 4.81 4.03 4.36 2.58 2.19 2.35 0.48 0.33 0.40 2002 5.11 4.22 4.60 7.90 2.43 3.76 0.38 0.33 0.35 2003 5.98 4.35 4.89 7.60 3.28 5.29 0.46 0.34 0.38 2004 8.21 5.51 6.68 32.38 7.35 16.20 0.58 0.43 0.48 2005 9.00 6.43 7.32 39.25 25.00 31.99 0.87 0.53 0.63 2006 14.85 8.82 11.54 28.20 21.00 24.75 2.10 0.87 1.49 2007 15.50 11.47 13.39 33.75 24.50 30.19 1.93 1.00 1.47 2008 20.69 8.80 14.97 33.88 8.75 28.42 1.28 0.47 0.85 2009 19.30 10.42 14.67 18.00 7.83 10.91 1.17 0.48 0.75 2010 30.91 14.82 20.18 18.60 11.75 15.60 1.14 0.72 0.98 2011 48.58 26.81 35.18 17.88 12.70 15.33 1.15 0.79 0.99 2012 37.14 26.25 31.19 14.80 10.90 12.62 0.99 0.80 0.88 2013-1st Q 32.41 28.29 30.03 11.95 10.70 11.28 0.99 0.84 0.92 2013-2nd Q 27.91 18.53 23.10 11.20 10.28 10.80 0.87 0.81 0.83 2013-3rd Q 24.65 18.73 21.39 10.18 9.12 9.36 0.89 0.81 0.84 2013-4th Q 22.95 19.01 20.77 9.88 9.33 9.60 0.96 0.83 0.87 2013 32.41 18.53 23.82 11.95 9.12 10.26 0.99 0.81 0.87 The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $0.89, $0.94 and $0.77, respectively. The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $25.01, $17.89 and $13.53, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $12.94, $19.63 and $14.19, respectively. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is primarily on a price and service basis, with price being the most important consideration when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see “Item 1A Risk Factors — The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” LABOR FORCE As of December 31, 2013, we had 12,665 employees, approximately 70.6% of whom are unionized and represented by ten different labor unions. In recent years we have experienced a positive labor environment in our operations in Mexico and Peru, which is allowing us to increase productivity as well as helping us to achieve the goals of our capital expansion program. Peru Approximately 65.3% of our 4,430 Peruvian employees were unionized at December 31, 2013, represented by seven separate unions. Three of these unions, one at each major production area, represent the majority of our workers. Also, there are four smaller unions, representing the balance of workers. In the first quarter of 2013, we signed three-year collective bargaining agreements with all the unions. The agreements included, among other things, annual salary increases of 6.5%, 5% and 5% for each of the three years. Table of Contents Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 3,700 houses and apartments. We also have 90 houses at Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs and recreational facilities. We also provide shopping, banking and other services at the townsites. Mexico Approximately 73.8% of our 8,182 Mexican employees were unionized at December 31, 2013, represented by three separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers is set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions annually and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. In recent years, the Mexican operations have experienced a positive improvement of their labor environment, as our workers, opted to change their affiliation from the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores Mineros, Metalurgicos y Similares de la Republica Mexicana (National Union of Mine and Metal Workers and Similar Activities of the Mexican Republic or the “National Mining Union”) the union formerly led by Napoleon Gomez Urrutia, to other less politicized unions. We believe that this change creates a more positive labor environment and will benefit both the Company and workers and allow us to increase our productivity and develop our capital expansion programs. Our Taxco and San Martin mines in Mexico have been on strike since July 2007. For a discussion of labor matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption “Labor matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements Employees of La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at Nacozari and Cananea, where we have built approximately 2,000 houses and apartments and 275 houses and apartments, respectively. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes in which they work and where we have built approximately 900 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and, in some units, medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit (at that time Cananea) provided health care services free of charge to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own hospital at the Buenavista unit. In 2011, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to continue providing these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista del Cobre will receive health services from the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuels, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators and for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and diesel fuel for mining equipment. We believe that supplies of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. Although the prices of these raw materials may fluctuate beyond our control, we focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. Energy is the principal cost in mining, therefore the concern for its conservation and efficient usage is very important. We have energy management committees at most of our mines. The committees meet periodically to discuss consumption and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Also, alternative sources are being analyzed at the corporate level, both from traditional and renewable energy sources. This has helped us to develop a culture of energy conservation directed at the sustainability of our operations. Peru Fuel: In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from a local producer. The Company believes that adequate supplies of fuel are available in Peru. Table of Contents Electricity: In Peru, electric power for our operating facilities is generated by two thermal electric plants owned and operated by Enersur S.A., an independent power company (“Enersur”), a diesel and waste heat boilers plant located adjacent to the Ilo smelter and a coal plant located south of Ilo. Power generation capacity for Peruvian operations is currently 344 megawatts. Enersur constructed and placed in service three new power units by the end of June 2013, with a total capacity of 564 megawatt, which is providing additional power reserves in the south of Peru. Enersur is planning to build another 500 megawatt plant in the same area, which is expected to be completed by March 2017. In addition, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is interconnected with the Peruvian network. In 1997, we sold our Ilo power plant to Enersur. In connection with the sale, a power purchase agreement was also completed under which we agreed to purchase all of our power needs for our Peruvian operations from Enersur for twenty years, commencing in 1997. In 2003, the agreement was amended releasing Enersur from its obligation to construct additional capacity to meet our increased electricity requirements and changing the power tariff as called for in the original agreement. In 2009, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Enersur regarding its power supply agreement. The MOU contains new economic terms that we believe better reflect current economic conditions in the power industry and in Peru. Additionally, the MOU includes an option for providing power for the Tia Maria project. Water: We have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and also surface water from the Suches lake and two small water courses, Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya. We believe these water resources are sufficient to supply the needs of our operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. At Ilo, we have desalinization plants that produce water for industrial and domestic use that we believe are sufficient for our current and projected needs. Mexico Fuel: In Mexico, fuel is purchased directly from Petroleos Mexicanos, (“PEMEX”), the state oil monopoly. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora). This permits us to import natural gas from the United States at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly fixed price or daily fixed prices for our natural gas purchases. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes, to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup for all these uses. We use diesel oil for mining equipment at our operations. Electricity: Electricity is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes. We purchase electricity from the Comision Federal de Electricidad, the Federal Electricity Commission, (“CFE”), the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico are dependent upon the pricing policies of CFE, as well as PEMEX, which reflect government policy, as well as international market prices for crude oil, natural gas and conditions in the refinery markets. Mexico Generadora de Energia S. de R. L., (“MGE”), an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, has completed the construction of one of the two power plants designed to supply power to some of the Company’s Mexican operations. It is expected that MGE will supply approximately 12% of its power output to third party energy users. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. In December 2012, we signed a power supply agreement with MGE, whereby MGE will supply us with power through 2032. The first plant was completed in June 2013 and is supplying us power since December 2013. The second plant is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2014. Water: In Mexico, water is deemed a public property and industries not connected to a public service water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the “National Water Commission,” or “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Law of Rights), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and pump out the required water from wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Table of Contents Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established in each plant in order to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been increasing in recent years. In December 2013, Federal law pertaining to water rights was amended to change the method used to determine water usage fees for underground and surface water effective January 1, 2014. In 2014, we expect that the increase in usage fees will have an after tax cost of approximately $20 million. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS For a discussion of environmental matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption “Environmental matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru We have 179,520 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and/or production operations, distributed among our various sites as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Plants 300 456 421 — 1,177 Operations 22,549 22,155 4,609 35,058 84,371 Exploration — — — 93,972 93,972 Total 22,849 22,611 5,030 129,030 179,520 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Peruvian laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2013, 2012 and 2011, were approximately $1.2 million, $1.3 million and $1.2 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. In September 2011, the Peruvian Congress approved an amendment to the mining royalty charge. The new mining royalty charge is based on operating income margins with graduated rates ranging from 1% to 12%, with a minimum royalty charge assessed at 1% of net sales. If the operating income margin is 10% or less, the royalty charge is 1% and for each 5% increment in the operating income margin, the royalty charge rate increases by 0.75%, up to a maximum of 12%. Under the prior law the royalty was based on sales and calculated on the value of concentrates. In 2013, 2012 and 2011, we made provisions of $34.8 million, $51.0 million and $71.8 million, respectively, for this charge. At the same time the Peruvian Congress amended the mining royalty charge, it enacted a new tax for the mining industry. This tax is also based on operating income and its rates range from 2% to 8.4%. For additional information see Note 7 “Income Taxes” to the consolidated financial statements. Mexico In Mexico we have approximately 535,932 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined on the table below. IMMSA La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 187,700 104,999 82,779 160,454 535,932 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in Table of Contents compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.4 to $9.5 per hectare depending on the beginning date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2013, 2012 and 2011 were approximately $5.6 million, $4.5 million and $3.5 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. Although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession, we generally own the land related to our Mexican concessions. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are constructed. In December 2013, the Mexican government enacted a new law which, among other things, established a mining royalty charge of 7.5% on taxable EBITDA and an additional royalty charge of 0.5% on net sales value of gold, silver and platinum. These charges are effective January 2014 and are deductible for income tax purposes. Table of Contents | 10-K |
| 2012 | Item 1. Business | THE COMPANY Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. We produce copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 “Properties - Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. Our operations make us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and also in Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and refined silver. Additionally, we produce refined copper using SXEW technology. We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “La Caridad unit”) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SXEW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. Since July 2011, Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras S.A de C.V. ( the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, formerly named Cananea, an open-pit copper mine, which is located at the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, a copper concentrator and two SXEW plants. The Buenavista mine was operated from December 11, 2010 to July 2011 by Buenavista del Cobre S.A. de C.V. and before December 11, 2010 by Mexicana de Cananea S.A. de C.V. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining operations. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration that allows us to manage the entire production process, from the mining of the ore to the production of refined copper and other products and most related transport and logistics functions, using our own facilities, employees and equipment. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces outside of our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is on seeking to remain profitable during periods of low copper prices and maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal Prices” in this Item 1. Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars”, “dollars”, or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “S/.”, “nuevo sol” or “nuevos soles”, are to Peruvian nuevos soles; and references to “peso”, “pesos”, or “Ps.”, are to Mexican pesos. Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tons. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. Table of Contents ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2012. For clarity of presentation, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Grupo Mexico as of December 31, 2012 owned 81.3% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch”, “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises substantially all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch is not a corporation separate from us and, therefore, obligations of SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. It is, however, an establishment, registered pursuant to Peruvian law, through which we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although it has neither its own capital nor liability separate from us, it is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares, (See Note 12 “Non-Controlling Interest” of our consolidated financial statements). On April 1, 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, the largest mining company in Mexico on a stand-alone basis, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the La Caridad unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.95% of Minera Mexico. In 2011, our Board of Directors increased from $500 million to $1 billion the share repurchase program authorized in 2008. Pursuant to this program, through December 31, 2012 we have purchased 46.9 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $878.1 million. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time Table of Contents to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our Internet address is www.southerncoppercorp.com. Commencing with the Form 8-K dated March 14, 2003, we have made available free of charge on this internet address our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our website includes the Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our most significant Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include statements regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metals prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Additional business information follows: COPPER BUSINESS Copper is the world’s third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum, and an important component in the world’s infrastructure. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility, malleability, and thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to corrosion that has made it a superior material for use in electrical and electronic products, including power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of its global copper use, telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery businesses. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity with prices principally determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or “COMEX”, in New York and the London Metal Exchange or “LME.” Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced from a multistage process, beginning with the Table of Contents mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasing share of copper is produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals ever used and has been one of the important materials in the development of civilization. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management views Southern Copper as having three reportable segments and manages it on the basis of these segments. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, type of products, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar type of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s-length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Added to the segment information is information regarding the Company’s sales. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, industrial railroad and port facilities which service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other material. 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants and support facilities which service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other material. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine which produces coal and coke, and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue of the IMMSA unit. Financial information is regularly prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to the Chief Operating Officer on a segment basis. The Chief Operating Officer focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties,” under the captions — “Metal Production by Segments” and “Ore Reserves.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 19 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” — “Capital Investment Program.” EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES We are engaged in ongoing extensive exploration to locate additional ore bodies in Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador and Chile. We also conduct exploration in the areas of our current mining operations. We invested $47.9 million in exploration programs in 2012, $37.5 million in 2011 and $34.3 million in 2010 and we expect to spend approximately $39.2 million in exploration programs in 2013. Table of Contents Currently, we have direct control of 80,512 and 123,293 hectares of exploration concessions in Peru and in Mexico, respectively. We also currently hold 100,383 hectares, 35,958 hectares and 2,544 hectares of exploration concessions in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador, respectively. Peru Los Chancas. This project, located in the department of Apurimac in southern Peru, is a copper and molybdenum porphyry deposit. During 2012, we initiated a feasibility study, which we expect to complete in the second quarter of 2013. As a result of progress made in the feasibility study, current estimates indicate 545 million tons of mineralized material with a copper content of 0.59%, molybdenum content of 0.04% and 0.039 grams of gold per ton and 181 million tons of mineralized leachable material with a total copper content of 0.357%. We expect to initiate an environmental impact study for the project in the fourth quarter of 2013. Other Peruvian Prospects. As part of the 2012 exploration program, we performed regional exploration and completed a program of 3,990 meters of diamond drilling at the El Penon project (copper-gold porphyry system) located in northern Peru. We are currently evaluating the results of the drilling program. Also, we concluded an exploration program of 12,541 meters of diamond drilling around our current operating areas. In 2012, after evaluation of the drilling program results performed in 2011, we decided not to proceed further with the Huallas and Clara projects. For 2013, we plan diamond drilling programs of 20,000 meters principally for two projects: Cerrillos in the department of Moquegua and Montonero in the department of Arequipa, where we are seeking to define copper porphyry systems. In addition, we are planning to develop a diamond drilling program of 10,000 meters around our operating units. We will continue with the regional exploration program at several other Peruvian mineralized zones. Mexico In addition to exploratory drilling programs at existing mines, we are currently conducting exploration to locate mineral deposits at various other sites in Mexico. The following are some of the more significant exploration projects: El Arco. El Arco is a world class copper deposit in the central part of the Baja California peninsula. In 2010, we concluded the feasibility study and an investment of $56.4 million was approved for land acquisition required for the project. This project, when developed, is expected to produce 190,000 tons of copper and 105,000 ounces of gold annually. Please see “Capital Investment Programs” under Item 7 for further information. Buenavista-Zinc. The Buenavista-Zinc site is located in the state of Sonora, Mexico and forms part of the Buenavista ore body. Drilling and metallurgical studies have shown that the zinc-copper deposit contains approximately 36 million tons of mineralized material containing 29 grams of silver per ton, 0.69% copper and 3.3% zinc. A new “scoping level” study indicates that Buenavista-Zinc may be an economic deposit. In 2011, 11,956 meters of diamond drilling were executed to confirm grade and acquire geotechnical information. In 2012, the Buenavista-Zinc mine plan was integrated with the overall mine plan of the Buenavista pit and we began the final metallurgical testing, which we expect to complete in 2013. Carbon Coahuila. In Coahuila, an intensive exploration program of diamond drilling has identified two additional areas, Esperanza with a potential for more than 30 million tons of “in place” mineralized coal and Guayacan with a potential for 15 million tons of “in place” mineralized coal, that could be used for a future coal-fired power plant. In 2010 and 2011, 1,213 and 2,640 meters of diamond drilling, respectively, were completed at the Rosita pit area and as a result, 10,100 tons and 178,000 tons of mineralized coal, respectively, were added to the mineralized material estimates for this open-pit project. In addition in 2012, 3,793 meters of drilling were completed at the La Conquista, Nueva Rosita and La Lavadora pits. In 2013, we will continue with diamond drilling programs. The Chalchihuites. The Chalchihuites site is located in the state of Zacatecas. It is a replacement deposit with mixed oxides and sulfides of lead, copper, zinc and silver. A drilling program, in the late 1990s, defined 16 million tons of mineralized material containing 95 grams of silver per ton, and lead content of 0.36%, copper content of, 0.69% and zinc content of 3.08%. Preliminary metallurgical testing indicates that a leaching precipitating-flotation recovery process can be applied to this ore. In 2009, we started a Table of Contents prefeasibility study. In 2010 and 2011, we added several claims and performed a 9,386 meter drilling program that indicated at least seven million tons of mineralized material containing 97.9 grams of silver, 0.41% lead, 0.52% copper and 2.53% zinc. We expect to obtain all permits needed for the project and to complete the prefeasibility study by the end of 2013. Sierra de Lobos. This project is located southwest of the city of Leon, Guanajuato. Drilling in 2008 confirmed the presence of copper and zinc mineralization, but an economic deposit has not yet been identified. The project was on hold between 2010 and 2011 due to the changes in our investment program priorities. In 2012, we obtained all permits needed and started drilling activities. In 2013, we plan a diamond drilling program of 8,000 meters. Chile Ticnamar. In 2012, after the evaluation of the drilling program results, we decided not to pursue this project. Catanave. Located in northern Chile (Arica), Catanave belongs to a mineralized epithermal system of gold and silver. In 2010, the environmental impact study was approved. During 2011 and 2012, 2,189 and 1,900 meters of diamond drilling, respectively, were completed. A further drilling program of 4,000 meters is planned for 2013. Santa Marta. Located in the Atacama region, Santa Marta is being explored for copper and molybdenum porphyry. During 2012, 2011 and 2010, we diamond drilled 4,006 meters, 2,837 meters and 3,318 meters, respectively, showing promising results. Preliminary results identified mineralized material containing 0.1% to 0.2% of copper. In 2013, we will evaluate the results to decide the future of the project. San Benito. Located in the Atacama region, San Benito was explored for copper and molybdenum porphyry. In 2010, a diamond drilling program of 3,241 meters was completed. This prospect continues on hold, pending further evaluation. El Salado. A copper-gold prospect located in the Atacama region, northern Chile is being explored for copper and molybdenum porphyry. During 2012, we began a conceptual engineering study of the project, which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2013. In the last quarter of 2012, we began a 25,000 meter diamond drilling program with 6,755 meters drilled and expect to complete it in 2013. Resguardo de la Costa. A copper-gold prospect located in northern Chile (Atacama area). This prospect continues on hold, pending further evaluation. Other Chilean Prospects. For 2013, we plan to continue with a regional exploration program oriented to locate systems, mainly of porphyritics of copper and molybdenum. Ecuador In 2011, we started exploration activities in Ecuador. Chaucha: the Ruta del Cobre (“Copper Road”) project is located south of Guayaquil. The mineralization is characteristic of a copper-molybdenum porphyry system. During 2012, we carried out the administrative work necessary to obtain all the permits required for the development of a 10,000 meter diamond drilling program which will allow us to evaluate the deposit. Argentina In the last quarter of 2011, we started exploration activities in Argentina. During 2012, we carried out exploration mainly at the Cochicos project, located in the Neuquen Province, where mineralization for an epithermal gold and silver system is expected. For 2013, we plan to carry out exploration on the Cochilco, Colipile and Mayal projects, where mineralization for porphyry copper and molybdenum is expected. We also expect to start exploration on the Cerro Sementa project, located in the Salta Province, where mineralization for porphyry copper and molybdenum is expected. Table of Contents PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS The principal uses of copper are in the building and construction industry, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, industrial machinery and equipment, consumer products and the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for photographic, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion. It is also used to make die cast parts, in the manufacturing of batteries and in the form of sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships, and thus acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Approximately 80% of our metal production for the years 2012, 2011 and 2010, was sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on the ultimate end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing effort to diversifying our sales both by region and by customer base. We strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is supported by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see, “Revenue recognition” in Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 19 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, except for molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME, the two most important metal exchanges in the world. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. We entered into copper derivative contracts for the first quarter of 2012 and the years 2011 and 2010. For a further discussion of derivative instruments, see Item 7A “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.” For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” — “Metal Prices.” The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME copper prices during the last 15 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 1998 0.86 0.64 0.75 0.85 0.65 0.75 1999 0.85 0.61 0.72 0.84 0.61 0.71 2000 0.93 0.74 0.84 0.91 0.73 0.82 2001 0.87 0.60 0.73 0.83 0.60 0.72 2002 0.78 0.65 0.72 0.77 0.64 0.71 2003 1.04 0.71 0.81 1.05 0.70 0.81 2004 1.54 1.06 1.29 1.49 1.06 1.30 2005 2.28 1.40 1.68 2.11 1.39 1.67 2006 4.08 2.13 3.10 3.99 2.06 3.05 2007 3.75 2.40 3.23 3.77 2.37 3.23 2008 4.08 1.25 3.13 4.08 1.26 3.16 2009 3.33 1.38 2.35 3.33 1.38 2.34 2010 4.44 2.76 3.43 4.42 2.76 3.42 2011 4.62 3.05 4.01 4.60 3.08 4.00 2012-1st Q 3.97 3.41 3.78 3.93 3.39 3.77 2012-2nd Q 3.92 3.28 3.55 3.89 3.29 3.57 2012-3rd Q 3.85 3.29 3.53 3.81 3.32 3.50 2012-4th Q 3.81 3.44 3.60 3.78 3.42 3.59 2012 3.97 3.28 3.61 3.93 3.29 3.61 Table of Contents The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $3.31, $2.66 and $2.03 respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $3.31, $2.66 and $2.02, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average market prices for our three principal by-products during the last 15 years: Zinc(LME) Silver (COMEX) Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Metals Week) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 1998 0.52 0.42 0.46 7.26 4.61 5.53 4.48 2.10 3.42 1999 0.56 0.41 0.49 5.76 4.87 5.22 2.80 2.52 2.66 2000 0.58 0.46 0.51 5.55 4.56 4.97 2.92 2.19 2.56 2001 0.48 0.33 0.40 4.81 4.03 4.36 2.58 2.19 2.35 2002 0.38 0.33 0.35 5.11 4.22 4.60 7.90 2.43 3.76 2003 0.46 0.34 0.38 5.98 4.35 4.89 7.60 3.28 5.29 2004 0.58 0.43 0.48 8.21 5.51 6.68 32.38 7.35 16.20 2005 0.87 0.53 0.63 9.00 6.43 7.32 39.25 25.00 31.99 2006 2.10 0.87 1.49 14.85 8.82 11.54 28.20 21.00 24.75 2007 1.93 1.00 1.47 15.50 11.47 13.39 33.75 24.50 30.19 2008 1.28 0.47 0.85 20.69 8.80 14.97 33.88 8.75 28.42 2009 1.17 0.48 0.75 19.30 10.42 14.67 18.00 7.83 10.91 2010 1.14 0.72 0.98 30.91 14.82 20.18 18.60 11.75 15.60 2011 1.15 0.79 0.99 48.58 26.81 35.18 17.88 12.70 15.33 2012-1st Q 0.99 0.83 0.92 37.14 28.65 32.69 14.80 13.45 14.10 2012-2nd Q 0.93 0.80 0.87 33.25 26.25 29.45 14.23 13.13 13.65 2012-3rd Q 0.95 0.80 0.86 34.72 26.79 30.05 12.95 10.90 11.67 2012-4th Q 0.95 0.81 0.89 35.04 29.61 32.56 11.60 10.90 11.05 2012 0.99 0.80 0.88 37.14 26.25 31.19 14.80 10.90 12.62 The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $0.89, $0.89 and $0.74, respectively. The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $23.24, $16.00 and $12.31, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $16.58, $19.13 and $13.74, respectively. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is primarily on a price and service basis, with price being the most important consideration when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see “Item 1A Risk Factors — The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” EMPLOYEES As of December 31, 2012, we had 12,085 employees, approximately 69% of whom are covered by labor agreements with eleven different labor unions. During the last several years, we have experienced strikes or other labor disruptions that have had an adverse impact on our operations and operating results. Our Taxco and San Martin mines in Mexico have been on strike since July 2007, our Buenavista mine was on strike from July 2007 through June 6, 2010. Peru Approximately 63% of our 4,566 Peruvian employees were unionized at December 31, 2012, represented by eight separate unions. Three of these unions, one at each major production area, represent 2,202 workers. Also, there are five smaller unions, representing the balance of workers. We conducted negotiations with the eight unions whose collective bargaining agreements expired in 2012. During the first two months of 2013, we have signed three-year agreements with all the unions. The agreements include, among other things, annual salary increases of 6.5%, 5% and 5% for each of the three years, respectively, for all workers. There were no strikes during 2011 and 2010. On December 24 and 25, 2012 the three major unions held a two-day illegal work stoppage which did not have a material impact on production. Table of Contents Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 3,700 houses and apartments. We also have 90 houses at Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs and recreational facilities. We also provide shopping, banking and other services at the townsites. Mexico Approximately 73% of our 7,474 Mexican workers were unionized at December 31, 2012, represented by three separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers is set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions annually and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. In recent years, the Mexican operations have experienced a positive improvement of their labor environment, as our workers, in a free decision, opted to change their affiliation from the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores Mineros, Metalúrgicos y Similares de la Republica Mexicana (National Union of Mine and Metal Workers and Similar Activities of the Mexican Republic or the “National Mining Union”) to other unions. In 2006, workers of our Mexicana del Cobre mining complex and IMMSA joined the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Exploración, Explotación y Beneficio de Minas en la Republica Mexicana, (National Union of Workers Engaged in Exploration, Exploitation and Processing of Mines in the Mexican Republic ), and the Mexicana del Cobre metallurgical workers joined the Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Industria Minero Metalurgica (Union of Workers of the Mine and Metals Industry or the “CTM”). Finally, in 2011 our Buenavista del Cobre workers joined the CTM. This positive labor environment allows us to increase our productivity and to develop our capital expansion programs. The workers of the San Martin and Taxco mines, still under the National Mining Union, have been on strike since July 2007. On December 10, 2009, a federal court confirmed the legality of the San Martin strike. In order to recover the control of the San Martin mine and resume operations, on January 27, 2011, we filed a court petition requesting that the court, among other things define the termination payment for each unionized worker. The court denied the petition alleging that, according to federal labor law, the union was the only legitimate party to file such petition. On appeal by us, on May 13, 2011, the Mexican federal tribunal accepted the petition. In July 2011, the National Mining Union appealed the favorable court decision before the Supreme Court. On November 7, 2012, the Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the federal tribunal. We filed a new proceeding before the labor court on the basis of the Supreme Court decision, which recognized the right of the labor court to define responsibility for the strike and the termination payment for each unionized worker. A favorable decision of the labor court in this new proceeding would have the effect of terminating the protracted strike at San Martin. In July 2012, Minera Krypton, a Mexican mining company, not affiliated with Grupo Mexico or the Company, hired 130 workers for the rehabilitation of its mining unit at Chalchihuites, Zacatecas. Most of these workers, which are or were workers of the San Martin mine, in order to work for Minera Krypton joined a new union called, the Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Industria Minera y Similares de la Republica Mexicana (Union of Workers of the Mine and Metals Industry and Similar Activities of the Mexican Republic or the “Union of Mexican Mine and Metal Workers”). On August 31, 2012, the Union of Mexican Mine and Metal Workers filed a petition with the labor authorities to replace the existing union at the San Martin mine. On September 1, 2012, the workers affiliated with the Union of Mexican Mine and Metal Workers took over the San Martin mine evicting the workers on strike. Several hearings took place during September 2012 with the federal labor authorities. On October 12, 2012, the federal labor court ordered and enforced a recount in order to establish which union will hold the collective bargaining agreement. The Union of Mexican Mine and Metal Workers lost the recount. The result of the recount was challenged by the Union of Mexican Mine and Metal Workers and is pending resolution. In the case of the Taxco mine, following the workers refusal to allow exploration of new reserves, we commenced litigation seeking to terminate the labor relationship with workers of the Taxco mine (including the related collective bargaining agreement). On September 1, 2010, the federal labor court issued a ruling approving the termination of the collective bargaining agreement and all the individual labor contracts of the workers affiliated with the Mexican mining union at the Taxco mine. The ruling was based upon the resistance of the mining union to allow us search for reserves at the Taxco mine. The mining union appealed the labor court ruling before a federal court. In September 2011, the federal court accepted the union’s appeal and requested that the federal labor court review the procedure and take into account all the evidence to issue a Table of Contents new resolution. On January 3, 2012, the federal labor court issued a new resolution, approving the termination of the collective bargaining agreement and all the individual labor contracts of the workers affiliated with the National Mining Union at the Taxco mine. On January 25, 2012, the National Mining Union appealed the resolution before the federal court. On June 14, 2012, the federal court accepted the union’s appeal and requested that the federal labor court issue a new resolution, taking into account all the evidence submitted by the parties. On August 6, 2012, the federal labor court issued a new decision disapproving the termination of the collective bargaining agreement and the individual labor contracts of the workers affiliated with the National Mining Union at the Taxco mine. On August 29, 2012, we filed a proceeding seeking relief from the decision before a federal court. As of December 31, 2012, resolution of the relief proceeding was pending. It is expected that operations at these mines will remain suspended until these labor issues are resolved. Employees of the La Caridad and Buenavista units reside in townsites at La Caridad and Buenavista, where we have built approximately 2,000 houses and apartments and 275 houses and apartments, respectively. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes in which they work and where we have built approximately 900 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and, in some units, medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit (at that time Cananea) provided health care services free of charge to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own hospital at the Buenavista unit. In 2011, the Company signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to continue providing these services to its retired workers and their families. The new workers of Buenavista del Cobre will receive health services from the Mexican Institute of Social Security as is the case for all Mexican workers. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuels, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators and for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and diesel fuel for mining equipment. We believe that supplies of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. Although the prices of these raw materials may fluctuate beyond our control, we focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. Peru In Peru, electric power for our operating facilities is generated by two thermal electric plants owned and operated by Enersur S.A., an independent power company (“Enersur”), a diesel and waste heat boilers plant located adjacent to the Ilo smelter and a coal plant located south of Ilo. Power generation capacity for Peruvian operations is currently 344 megawatts. Enersur is building three new power units, with a total capacity of 564 megawatt, close to the current coal plant, which will provide additional power reserves in the south of Peru. Enersur has a legal commitment to put in services these three new units no later than September 2013. In addition, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is interconnected with the Peruvian network. In 1997, we sold our Ilo power plant to Enersur. In connection with the sale, a power purchase agreement was also completed under which we agreed to purchase all of our power needs for our Peruvian operations from Enersur for twenty years, commencing in 1997. In 2003, the agreement was amended releasing Enersur from its obligation to construct additional capacity to meet our increased electricity requirements and changing the power tariff as called for in the original agreement. In 2009, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Enersur regarding its power supply agreement. The MOU contains new economic terms that we believe better reflect current economic conditions in the power industry and in Peru. The new economic conditions agreed in the MOU have been applied by Enersur to its invoices to us since May 2009. Additionally, the MOU includes an option for providing power for the Tia Maria project. The MOU also established a time frame during which Enersur and we must negotiate in good faith to settle certain pending issues, including agreeing on a power purchase agreement for the Tia Maria project. During 2010 and 2011, we continued our negotiation with Enersur but negotiations are currently suspended due to the delay of the Tia Maria project. See “Other Legal Matters -Tia Maria” in Note 13 “Commitment and Contingencies” to our consolidated financial statements for further information. Table of Contents In Peru, we obtain fuel primarily from a local producer. We have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and also surface water from the Suches lake and two small water courses, namely Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya, which together are sufficient to supply the needs of our two operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. At Ilo, we have desalinization plants that produce water for industrial and domestic use that we believe are sufficient for our current and projected needs. Mexico Besides electric energy, the principal raw materials used in our operations are fuels. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes, to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup for all these uses. Also at our operations we use diesel oil for mining equipment. Fuel, electricity and water supplies are readily available. The prices of these materials may fluctuate beyond our control since the only supplier has been the Mexican government. We therefore focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. Mexico Generadora de Energía S. de R. L., (“MGE”), an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, is constructing two power plants to supply energy to part of the Company’s Mexican operations. These plants are natural gas-fired combined cycle power generating units, with a net total capacity of 516.2 megawatts. It is expected that MGE will complete the first plant in 2013 and the second in 2014. In Mexico, fuel is purchased directly from Petroleos Mexicanos, (“PEMEX”), the state oil monopoly. Electricity for our Mexican operations, which is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes, is purchased from the Comision Federal de Electricidad, the Federal Electricity Commission, or CFE, the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico are dependent upon the pricing policies of PEMEX and CFE, which reflect government policy, as well as international market prices for crude oil, natural gas and conditions in the refinery markets. The La Caridad unit imports natural gas from the United States through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora). This permits us to import natural gas from the United States at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly fixed price or daily fixed prices for our natural gas purchases. From time to time we enter into gas swap contracts to protect part of our gas consumption. The gain or losses obtained are included in the production cost. We have not held any gas swap contract in the past three years, nor do we hold any for 2013. Energy is the principal cost in mining, therefore the concern for its conservation and efficient usage is very relevant. We have an energy management committee at most of our mines. The committees meet periodically to discuss consumptions and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Also, alternative sources are being analyzed at the corporate level, both from traditional and renewable energy sources. This has helped us develop a culture of energy conservation directed at the sustainability of our operations. In Mexico, water is a national property and industries not connected to a public services water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the “National Water Commission,” or “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Law of Rights), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre, pump out the required water from one or several wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established in each plant in order to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been increasing in recent years. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS For a discussion of environmental matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption “Environmental matters” in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. Table of Contents MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru We have 167,606 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and/or production operations, distributed among our various sites as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Plants 300 456 421 — 1,177 Operations 22,549 23,690 4,619 35,059 85,917 Exploration — — — 80,512 80,512 Total 22,849 24,146 5,040 115,571 167,606 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Peruvian laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2012, 2011 and 2010, were approximately $1.3 million, $1.2 million and $1.1 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. We also have water concessions for well fields at Huaitire, Titijones and Vizcachas and surface water rights from the Suches Lake, which together are sufficient to supply the needs of our Toquepala and Cuajone operating units. In 2004, the Peruvian Congress enacted legislation imposing a royalty charge to be paid by mining companies in favor of the regional governments and communities where mining resources are located. Under this law, we were subject to a 1% to 3% charge, based on sales, and calculated on the value of the concentrates produced at our Toquepala and Cuajone mines. We made provisions of $52.5 million and $65.5 million in 2011 and 2010, respectively, for this charge. In September 2011, the Peruvian Congress approved an amendment to the mining royalty charge. The new mining royalty charge is based on operating income margins with graduated rates ranging from 1% to 12%, with a minimum royalty charge assessed at 1% of net sales. If the operating income margin is 10% or less, the royalty charge is 1% and for each 5% increment in the operating income margin, the royalty charge rate increases by 0.75%, up to a maximum of 12%. In 2012 and 2011, we made provisions of $51.0 million and $19.3 million, respectively, for this charge. At the same time the Peruvian Congress amended the mining royalty charge, it enacted a new tax for the mining industry. This tax is also based on operating income and its rates range from 2% to 8.4%. For additional information see Note 7 “Income Taxes” to the consolidated financial statements. Mexico In Mexico we have approximately 479,767 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined in the table below. IMMSA La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 168,812 104,872 82,790 123,293 479,767 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.4 to $9.5 per hectare depending on the beginning date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2012, 2011 and 2010 were approximately $4.5 million, $3.5 million and $2.9 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. We generally own the land to which our Mexican concessions relate, although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are constructed. Table of Contents | 10-K |
| 2011 | Item 1. Business | THE COMPANY Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC”, “Southern Copper” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. We produce copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. See Item 2 “Properties - Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. Our operations make us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and also in Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and refined silver. Additionally, we produce refined copper using SXEW technology. We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Mexcobre unit”) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SXEW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras S.A de C.V. ( the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, formerly named Cananea, an open-pit copper mine, which is located at the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, a copper concentrator and two SXEW plants. The Buenavista mine was operated until December 11, 2010 by Mexicana de Cananea S.A. de C.V. and by Buenavista del Cobre S.A. de C.V. from that date until July 2011. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine and a zinc refinery. Effective February 1, 2012, Minerales Metalicos del Norte S.A was merged with Industrial Minera Mexico S.A. de C.V. (IMMSA). IMMSA absorbed Minerales Metalicos del Norte S.A. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining operations. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration that allows us to manage the entire production process, from the mining of the ore to the production of refined copper and other products and most related transport and logistics functions, using our own facilities, employees and equipment. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces outside of our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is on seeking to remain profitable during periods of low copper prices and maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal prices” in this Item 1. Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars”, “dollars”, or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “S/.”, “nuevo sol” or “nuevos soles”, are to Peruvian nuevos soles; and references to “peso”, “pesos”, or “Ps.”, are to Mexican pesos. Table of Contents Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tons. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2011. For clarity of presentation, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Grupo Mexico as of December 31, 2011 owns 80.9% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and railway and other related services. We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch”, “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises substantially all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch is not a corporation separate from us and, therefore, obligations of SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. It is, however, an establishment, registered pursuant to Peruvian law, through which we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although it has neither its own capital nor liability separate from us, it is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares, (See Note 13 “Non-controlling interest” of our consolidated financial statements). On April 1, 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, the largest mining company in Mexico on a stand-alone basis, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a Table of Contents holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the Mexcobre unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.95% of Minera Mexico. In 2011, our Board of Directors increased from $500 million to $1billion the share repurchase program authorized in 2008. Pursuant to this program, we purchased 42.5 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $730.7 million. These shares are available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our Internet address is www.southerncoppercorp.com. Commencing with the Form 8-K dated March 14, 2003, we have made available free of charge on this internet address our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our website includes the Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our most significant Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include statements regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metals prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Additional business information follows: COPPER BUSINESS Copper is the world’s third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum, and an important component in the world’s infrastructure. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility, malleability, and thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to corrosion that has made it a superior material for use in electrical and electronic products, including power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of its global copper use, Table of Contents telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery businesses. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is an internationally traded commodity with prices principally determined by the major metal exchanges, the Commodities Exchange, or “COMEX”, in New York and the London Metal Exchange or “LME”. Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced from a multistage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasing share of copper is produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals ever used and has been one of the important materials in the development of civilization. Copper industry fundamentals, including copper demand, price levels and stocks, strengthened in late 2003 and copper prices continued to improve into the third quarter of 2008, from the 15-year price lows set during 2002. Late in the third quarter of 2008 the price of copper, as well as the price of other commodities, suffered a brief temporary decline as a consequence of the world financial crisis reaching price lows of $1.30 per pound in the fourth quarter of 2008. However, since 2009 the price of copper has improved, closing at year-end 2011 at $3.43 per pound on both the LME and COMEX. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management views Southern Copper as having three reportable segments and manages it on the basis of these segments. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, type of products, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar type of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s-length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Added to the segment information is information regarding the Company’s sales. The segments identified by our Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, industrial railroad and port facilities which service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other material. 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants and support facilities which service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other material. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine which produces coal and coke, and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue of the IMMSA unit. Financial information is regularly prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to the Chief Operating Officer on a segment basis. The Chief Operating Officer focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties”, under the captions — “Metal production by segments” and “Ore Reserves.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 20 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. Table of Contents CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM For a description of our capital investment program, see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” — “Capital Investment Program.” EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES We are engaged in ongoing extensive exploration to locate additional ore bodies in Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador and Chile. We also conduct exploration in the areas of our current mining operations. We invested $37.5 million in exploration programs in 2011, $34.3 million in 2010 and $24.6 million in 2009 and we expect to spend approximately $44.8 million in exploration programs in 2012. Currently in Peru, we have direct control of 145,064 hectares of mineral rights. In Mexico, we currently hold 176,250 hectares of exploration concessions. We also currently hold 21,068 hectares, 35,958 hectares and 2,544 hectares of exploration concessions in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador, respectively. Peru Los Chancas. The Los Chancas project, located in the department of Apurimac in southern Peru, is a copper and molybdenum porphyry deposit. As a result of the pre-feasibility studies and after the preliminary design of the pit, estimates show 355 million tons of mineralized material with a copper content of 0.62%, molybdenum content of 0.05% and 0.039 grams of gold per ton. During 2011, we completed the pre-feasibility study and we plan to conduct a feasibility study of the project in 2012. Tantahuatay. The Tantahuatay mine located in the department of Cajamarca in northern Peru, started operations in July 2011. Please see “Capital Investment Programs” under Item 7 for further information. Other Peruvian Prospects. As part of the 2011 exploration program, we concluded a program of 1,652 meters of diamond drilling at the Huallas (Chinchinga) project (a skarn of copper-lead-zinc) located in the department of Ayacucho and 6,268 meters of diamond drilling at the Clara project (copper porphyry) located in southern Peru. These prospects are on hold as we evaluate the results of the drilling program. For 2012 we are considering developing a diamond drilling program of approximately 30,000 meters for some prospects located in the northern and southern parts of Peru, including at El Penon, a copper and gold project, located in the north. We will continue with the regional exploration program at several other Peruvian mineralized zones. Mexico In addition to exploratory drilling programs at existing mines, we are currently conducting exploration to locate mineral deposits at various other sites in Mexico. The following are some of the more significant exploration projects: El Arco. The El Arco site is a copper deposit located in the state of Baja California in Mexico. Exploration work at the site indicates approximately 1,207 million tons of mineralized sulfide material with an average copper content of 0.5% and 0.125 grams of gold per ton and 290 million tons of copper oxide with 0.35% copper grade. In 2010, a deep drilling program of 1,214 meters indicated approximately 390 million tons of mineralized material with 0.62% of copper content below the current pit limits. As we have a large mineralized material database for this project, we decided to postpone the deep drilling program to the future, consequently no drilling was done in 2011 and none is planned for 2012. A water source for the leaching operation was identified in 2009 and in 2010 four new production wells were drilled and confirmed an underground water availability of 300 liters per second in the area. During 2011, all documentation required to obtain a water concession for 300 liters per second was filed. We expect to receive the title for these water rights in the first half of 2012. The feasibility study performed in 2010 was completed in 2011. During the last year most of our activities were related to infrastructure issues such as land, power and port facilities. We expect to resolve these issues in 2012. Table of Contents Angangueo. The Angangueo site is located in the state of Michoacan in Mexico. A deposit of 13 million tons of mineralized material has been identified with diamond drilling. Testing indicates that the deposit has mineralized material containing 0.16 grams of gold and 262 grams of silver per ton, with 0.79% lead, 0.97% copper and 3.5% zinc. In 2011, we concluded the feasibility study and in October 2011 an investment of $130.7 million was approved for the development of the Angangueo mine. Please see “Capital Investment Programs” under Item 7 for further information. Buenavista-Zinc (formerly named Buenavista). The Buenavista-Zinc site is located in the state of Sonora, Mexico and forms part of the Buenavista ore body. Drilling and metallurgical studies have shown that the zinc-copper deposit contains approximately 36 million tons of mineralized material containing 29 grams of silver per ton, 0.69% copper and 3.3% zinc. A new “scoping level” study indicates that Buenavista-Zinc may be an economic deposit. Due to labor strike activities at the Buenavista mine no work was performed from 2008 through 2010. In 2011, 11,956 meters of diamond drilling were executed to confirm grade and acquire geotechnical information. In 2012, the Buenavista-Zinc mine plan will be integrated with the overall mine plan of the Buenavista pit. Also we expect to conclude the final metallurgical testing and the feasibility study in 2012. Carbon Coahuila. In Coahuila, an intensive exploration program of diamond drilling has identified two additional areas, Esperanza with a potential for more than 30 million tons of “in place” mineralized coal and Guayacan with a potential for 15 million tons of “in place” mineralized coal, that could be used for a future coal-fired power plant. During 2010, 1,213 meters of diamond drilling were completed at the Rosita pit area and with this drilling, 10,100 tons of mineralized coal were added to the mineralized material estimates for this open pit project. In 2011, 2,640 meters distributed in 68 drilling holes were executed. This resulted in an increase of 178,000 tons of new mineralized material at the Nueva Rosita pit. For 2012, a 5,000 meters drilling program is planned for the La Conquista pit. The Chalchihuites. The Chalchihuites site is located in the state of Zacatecas. It is a replacement deposit with mixed oxides and sulfides of lead, copper, zinc and silver. A drilling program, in the late 1990s, defined 16 million tons of mineralized material containing 95 grams of silver, 0.36% lead, 0.69% copper and 3.08% zinc per ton. Preliminary metallurgical testing indicates that a leaching precipitating-flotation recovery process can be applied to this ore. In 2009, we started a prefeasibility study which is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter 2012. In 2010 and 2011, we added several claims and performed a 9,386 meters drilling program that indicated at least seven million tons of mineralized material containing 979 grams of silver, 0.41% lead, 0.52% copper and 2.53% zinc. During 2012, we plan to continue the drilling program, metallurgical testing and related studies. Pilares. Located in the state of Sonora, Pilares is ten kilometers from the town of Nacozari de Garcia and six straight line kilometers from our La Caridad mine. In 2008, we acquired 100% ownership of Pilares, with the intention of operating it as an open pit facility. In October 2011, an investment of $136.3 million was approved for the development of the second stage of the Pilares mine. Please see “Capital Investment Programs” under Item 7 for further information. Sierra de Lobos. This project is located southwest of the city of Leon, Guanajuato. Drilling in 2008 confirmed the presence of copper and zinc mineralization, but an economic deposit has not yet been identified. Due to the changes in our investment program priorities, no work was performed in 2009, 2010 and 2011. We expect to resume drilling activities in the second quarter of 2012. Chile Ticnamar. The Ticnamar prospect, located in northern Chile, has been explored as a deposit with copper-molybdenum porphyric veins. In 2011, a diamond drilling program of 1,124 meters was completed. For 2012 we plan to continue exploration with a diamond drilling program of 3,000 meters. Catanave. Located in northern Chile (Arica), Catanave belongs to a mineralized epithermal system of gold and silver. In 2010, the environmental impact study was approved and during 2011, 2,189 meters of diamond drilling were completed. This prospect has good possibilities and for 2012 we plan to continue exploration with a diamond drilling program of 3,000 meters. Santa Marta. Located in the Atacama region, Santa Marta is being explored for copper and molybdenum porphyry. During 2011 and 2010, we diamond drilled 2,837 meters and 3,318 meters, respectively, showing promising results. Exploration will continue in 2012, with a diamond drilling program of 4,000 meters. Table of Contents San Benito. Located in the Atacama region, San Benito was explored for copper and molybdenum porphyry. In 2010, a diamond drilling program of 3,241 meters was completed. The prospect is currently pending further evaluation. El Salado. A copper-gold prospect located in the Atacama region, northern Chile. During 2011, we evaluated the information available for the prospect in order to plan the work to be done in the next stage. For 2012, we plan a diamond drilling program of 5,000 meters and metallurgical testing laboratory. Resguardo de la Costa. A copper-gold prospect located in northern Chile (Atacama area). This prospect is on hold, pending further evaluation. Other Chilean Prospects. For 2012, we plan to continue with a regional exploration program oriented to locate systems mainly of porphyritics of copper and molybdenum. Ecuador In 2011, we started exploration activities in Ecuador. For 2012, we expect to begin exploration work on the Chaucha prospect, located south of Guayaquil. The mineralization is characteristic of a copper-molybdenum porphyry system. In 2012, we plan a program of 10,000 meters of diamond drilling to evaluate the deposit. Argentina In the last quarter of 2011, we started exploration activities in Argentina. We plan to carry out explorations in the south of Argentina, where mineralization for porphyry copper, epithermal gold and silver and polymetallic skarns is expected. PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS The principal uses of copper are in the building and construction industry, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, industrial machinery and equipment, consumer products and the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for photographic, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion. It is also used to make die cast parts, in the manufacturing of batteries and in the form of sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships, and thus acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Approximately 80% of our metal production for the years 2011, 2010 and 2009, was sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on the ultimate end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing effort to diversifying our sales both by region and by customer base. We strive to provide superior customer service, including timely deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is supported by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see Revenue recognition in Note 3 “Summary of significant accounting policies” and Note 20 “Segment and related information” of our consolidated financial statements. Table of Contents METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, except for molybdenum, are established on COMEX and LME, the two most important metal exchanges in the world. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. We entered into copper derivative contracts in 2011 and 2010. During 2009, we did not hold any metal derivative contracts. For a further discussion of derivative instruments, see Item 7A “Quantitative and Qualitative Discussion about Market Risk.” For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” — “Metal Prices.” The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME copper prices during the last 15 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 1997 1.23 0.76 1.04 1.23 0.77 1.03 1998 0.86 0.64 0.75 0.85 0.65 0.75 1999 0.85 0.61 0.72 0.84 0.61 0.71 2000 0.93 0.74 0.84 0.91 0.73 0.82 2001 0.87 0.60 0.73 0.83 0.60 0.72 2002 0.78 0.65 0.72 0.77 0.64 0.71 2003 1.04 0.71 0.81 1.05 0.70 0.81 2004 1.54 1.06 1.29 1.49 1.06 1.30 2005 2.28 1.40 1.68 2.11 1.39 1.67 2006 4.08 2.13 3.10 3.99 2.06 3.05 2007 3.75 2.40 3.23 3.77 2.37 3.23 2008 4.08 1.25 3.13 4.08 1.26 3.16 2009 3.33 1.38 2.35 3.33 1.38 2.34 2010 4.44 2.76 3.43 4.42 2.76 3.42 2011-1st Q 4.62 4.13 4.39 4.60 4.07 4.38 2011-2nd Q 4.50 3.90 4.16 4.46 3.87 4.15 2011-3rd Q 4.47 3.15 4.07 4.46 3.16 4.08 2011-4th Q 3.70 3.05 3.41 3.65 3.08 3.40 2011 4.62 3.05 4.01 4.60 3.08 4.00 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $3.23, $2.37 and $1.85, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $3.23, $2.37 and $1.85, respectively. Table of Contents The table below shows the high, low and average market prices for our three principal by-products during the last 15 years: Zinc(LME) Silver (COMEX) Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Metals Week) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 1997 0.80 0.47 0.60 6.31 4.16 4.87 4.75 3.59 4.31 1998 0.52 0.42 0.46 7.26 4.61 5.53 4.48 2.10 3.42 1999 0.56 0.41 0.49 5.76 4.87 5.22 2.80 2.52 2.66 2000 0.58 0.46 0.51 5.55 4.56 4.97 2.92 2.19 2.56 2001 0.48 0.33 0.40 4.81 4.03 4.36 2.58 2.19 2.35 2002 0.38 0.33 0.35 5.11 4.22 4.60 7.90 2.43 3.76 2003 0.46 0.34 0.38 5.98 4.35 4.89 7.60 3.28 5.29 2004 0.58 0.43 0.48 8.21 5.51 6.68 32.38 7.35 16.20 2005 0.87 0.53 0.63 9.00 6.43 7.32 39.25 25.00 31.99 2006 2.10 0.87 1.49 14.85 8.82 11.54 28.20 21.00 24.75 2007 1.93 1.00 1.47 15.50 11.47 13.39 33.75 24.50 30.19 2008 1.28 0.47 0.85 20.69 8.80 14.97 33.88 8.75 28.42 2009 1.17 0.48 0.75 19.30 10.42 14.67 18.00 7.83 10.91 2010 1.14 0.72 0.98 30.91 14.82 20.18 18.60 11.75 15.60 2011-1st Q 1.15 1.01 1.09 37.87 26.81 31.74 17.88 16.40 17.17 2011-2nd Q 1.13 0.95 1.02 48.58 33.49 38.42 17.15 15.55 16.50 2011-3rd Q 1.13 0.84 1.01 43.32 29.93 38.76 15.05 14.40 14.44 2011-4th Q 0.93 0.79 0.86 35.27 27.19 31.81 14.10 12.70 13.20 2011 1.15 0.79 0.99 48.58 26.81 35.18 17.88 12.70 15.33 The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $1.01, $0.84 and $0.72, respectively. The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $19.68, $13.34 and $10.56, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $20.09, $18.24 and $13.18, respectively. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is primarily on a price and service basis, with price being the most important consideration when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see “Item 1A Risk Factors — The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” EMPLOYEES As of December 31, 2011, we had 12,145 employees, approximately 70.3% of whom are covered by labor agreements with eleven different labor unions. During the last several years, we have experienced strikes or other labor disruptions that have had an adverse impact on our operations and operating results. Our Taxco and San Martin mines in Mexico have been on strike since July 2007, our Buenavista mine was on strike from July 2007 through June 6, 2010. Peru Approximately 61% of our 4,159 Peruvian workers were unionized at December 31, 2011, represented by eight separate unions. Three of these unions, one at each major production area, represent the majority of the Company’s workers. In September 2010, we reached a collective bargaining agreement with these three unions which will expire on August 31, 2012. This agreement includes, among other things, a 5% annual salary increase and a signing bonus of approximately $6,700 for each of the workers (approximately 2,000). In addition, this agreement provides a productivity bonus program for the departments that reach certain goals. In addition, there are five smaller unions, representing the balance of workers. Collective bargaining agreements with these unions will expire in November 2012. We expect that negotiations with all eight unions will likely continue throughout the first quarter of 2013. Table of Contents There were no strikes during 2011 and 2010. Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 3,700 houses and apartments. In 1998, Company housing at our Ilo unit was sold to workers at nominal prices. We still hold 90 houses at Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs and recreational facilities. We also provide shopping, banking and other services at the townsites. Mexico Approximately 75% of our 7,975 Mexican workers were unionized at December 31, 2011, represented by three separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers is set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions annually and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. In recent years the Buenavista mine experienced several labor stoppages. The latest labor stoppage started in July 2007 and finished in June 2010. We began the rehabilitation of the Buenavista mine during the second half of 2010 and in 2011 we restored full capacity. Currently, the Buenavista operations have a work force of 2,100 workers that are operating the mine and plants as well as developing the $3.7 billion expansion program, which is expected to increase its production capacity from 180,000 tons of copper per year to 488,000 tons. On June 6, 2011, the Confederation of Mexican Workers (“CTM”) was awarded the collective bargaining agreement of the Buenavista del Cobre’s union by the Federal Board of Conciliation and Arbitration. CTM now represents around 780 workers of this mine. Additionally, the San Martin and Taxco mines have been on strike since July 2007. On December 10, 2009, a federal court confirmed the legality of the San Martin strike. In order to recover the control of the San Martin mine and resume operations, on January 27, 2011, we filed a court petition requesting that the court establish our responsibility for the strike and that it define the termination payment for each unionized worker. The court denied the petition alleging that according to federal labor law, the union was the legitimate party to file the petition. On appeal by us, on May 13, 2011, the Mexican federal tribunal accepted our petition. In July 2011, the union appealed the favorable court decision before the Supreme Court. At December 31, 2011, resolution of the appeal was pending. In the case of the Taxco mine, following the workers refusal to allow exploration of new reserves, we commenced litigation seeking to terminate the labor relationship with workers of the Taxco mine (including the related collective bargaining agreement). On September 1, 2010, the federal labor court issued a ruling approving the termination of the collective bargaining agreement and all the individual labor contracts of the workers affiliated with the Mexican mining union at the Taxco mine. The ruling was based upon the resistance of the mining union to allow us search for reserves at the Taxco mine. If sustained, this ruling will also have the effect of terminating the protracted strike at the Taxco unit. The mining union appealed the labor court ruling before a federal court. In September 2011, the federal court accepted the union’s appeal and requested that the federal labor court review the procedure and to take into account all the evidence to issue a new resolution. On January 3, 2012, the federal labor court again issued a new resolution, approving the termination of the collective bargaining agreement and all the individual labor contracts of the workers affiliated with the Mexican mining union at the Taxco mine. On January 25, 2012, the mining union appealed the resolution before the federal court. The resolution of the appeal is expected to be issued within the next months. It is expected that operations at these mines will remain suspended until these labor issues are resolved. Employees of the Mexcobre and Buenavista units reside in townsites at La Caridad and Buenavista, where we have built approximately 2,000 houses and apartments and 275 houses and apartments, respectively. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes in which they work and where we have built approximately 900 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and, in some units, medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. Through 2007, the Buenavista unit (at that Table of Contents time Cananea) provided health care services free of charge to employees and retired unionized employees and their families through its own hospital at the Buenavista unit. In 2011, we signed an agreement with the Secretary of Health of the State of Sonora to continue providing these services to our retired workers and their families. The new workers of the Buenavista unit will receive health services from the Mexican Institute of Social Security as do all Mexican workers. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuels, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators and for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and diesel fuel for mining equipment. We believe that supplies of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. Although the prices of these raw materials may fluctuate beyond our control, we focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. Peru In Peru, electric power for our operating facilities is generated by two thermal electric plants owned and operated by Enersur S.A., an independent power company (“Enersur”), a diesel and waste heat boilers plant located adjacent to the Ilo smelter and a coal plant located south of Ilo. Power generation capacity for Peruvian operations is currently 344 megawatts. Enersur is building a 400 megawatt power plant close to the current coal plant, which will provide additional power reserves in the south of Peru. We believe the plant is scheduled to commence operations in 2013. In addition, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is interconnected with the Peruvian network. We obtain fuel in Peru primarily from a local producer. In 1997, we sold our Ilo power plant to Enersur. In connection with the sale, a power purchase agreement was also completed under which we agreed to purchase all of our power needs for our Peruvian operations from Enersur for twenty years, commencing in 1997. In 2003, the agreement was amended releasing Enersur from its obligation to construct additional capacity to meet our increased electricity requirements and changing the power tariff as called for in the original agreement. In 2009, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Enersur regarding its power supply agreement. The MOU contains new economic terms that we believe better reflect current economic conditions in the power industry and in Peru. The new economic conditions agreed in the MOU have been applied by Enersur to its invoices to us since May 2009. Additionally, the MOU includes an option for providing power for the Tia Maria project. The MOU also established a time frame during which Enersur and we must negotiate in good faith to settle certain pending issues, including agreeing on a power purchase agreement for the Tia Maria project. During 2010 and 2011, we continued our negotiation with Enersur but negotiations are currently suspended due to the delay of the Tia Maria project. See “Other legal matters -Tia Maria” in note 14 “Commitment and Contingencies” to our consolidated financial statements for further information. In Peru, we have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at the Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and also surface water from the Suches lake and two small water courses, namely Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya, which together are sufficient to supply the needs of our two operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. At Ilo, we have desalinization plants that produce water for industrial and domestic use that we believe are sufficient for our current and projected needs. Mexico Besides electric energy, the principal raw materials used in our operations are fuels. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes, to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup for all these uses. Also at our operations we use diesel oil for mining equipment. Fuel, electricity and water supplies are readily available. The prices of these materials may fluctuate beyond our control since the only supplier is the Mexican government. We therefore focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. In Mexico, fuel is purchased directly from Petroleos Mexicanos, (“PEMEX”), the state oil monopoly. Electricity for our Mexican operations, which is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes, is purchased from the Comision Federal de Electricidad, the Federal Electricity Commission, or CFE, the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating Table of Contents costs in Mexico are dependent upon the pricing policies of PEMEX and CFE, which reflect government policy, as well as international market prices for crude oil, natural gas and conditions in the refinery markets. The Mexcobre unit imports natural gas from the U.S. through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora). This permits us to import natural gas from the United States at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly fixed price or daily fixed prices for our natural gas purchases. From time to time we enter into gas swap contracts to protect part of our gas consumption. The gain or losses obtained are included in the production cost. During all of 2010 and 2011 and at December 31, 2011, we did not hold any gas swap contracts. During 2009, we entered into gas swap contracts to protect 306,000 MMBTUs of our gas consumption at a fixed price of $3.6350. Energy is the principal cost in mining, therefore the concern for its conservation and efficient usage is very relevant. We have an energy management committee at most of our mines. The committees meet periodically to discuss consumptions and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Also, alternative sources are being analyzed at the corporate level, both from traditional and renewable energy sources. This has helped us develop a culture of energy conservation directed at the sustainability of our operations. In Mexico, water is a national property and industries not connected to a public services water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the “National Water Commission”, or “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Law of Rights), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre, pump out the required water from one or several wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water usage. Water conservation committees have been established in each plant in order to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been increasing in recent years. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS For a discussion of environmental matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption “Environmental matters” in Note 14 “Commitments and Contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru We have 196,800 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and/or production operations, distributed among our various sites as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Plants 300 456 421 — 1,177 Operations 24,045 17,111 9,403 — 50,559 Exploration 4,800 — 4,600 135,664 145,064 Total 29,145 17,567 14,424 135,664 196,800 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Peruvian laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2011, 2010 and 2009, were approximately $1.2 million, $1.1 million and $1.1 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. We also have water concessions for well fields at Huaitire, Titijones and Vizcachas and surface water rights from the Suches Lake, which together are sufficient to supply the needs of our Toquepala and Cuajone Table of Contents operating units. In 2004, the Peruvian Congress enacted legislation imposing a royalty charge to be paid by mining companies in favor of the regional governments and communities where mining resources are located. Under this law, we were subject to a 1% to 3% charge, based on sales, and calculated on the value of the concentrates produced at our Toquepala and Cuajone mines. We made provisions of $52.5million, $65.5 million and $43.7 million in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, for this charge. In September 2011, the Peruvian Congress approved an amendment to the mining royalty charge. The new mining royalty charge is based on operating income margins with graduated rates ranging from 1% to 12%, with a minimum royalty charge assessed at 1% of net sales. If the operating income margin is 10% or less, the royalty charge is 1% and for each 5% increment in the operating income margin, the royalty charge rate increases by 0.75%, up to a maximum of 12%. In the last quarter of 2011, we made provisions of $19.3 million for this charge. At the same time, the Peruvian Congress enacted a new tax for the mining industry. This tax is also based on operating income with rates ranging from 2% to 8.4%. It begins at 2% for the first 10% of operating income margin and for each additional 5% of operating income margin is increased by an additional rate of 0.4% until 85% of operating income margin is reached. In the last quarter of 2011, we made provisions of $16.4 million for this tax. Mexico In Mexico we have approximately 379,103 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined in the table below. Underground Mines La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 88,439 96,588 17,826 176,250 379,103 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.4 to $8.9 per hectare depending on the beginning date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2011, 2010 and 2009 were approximately $3.5 million, $2.9 million and $2.5 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. We generally own the land to which our Mexican concessions relate, although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are constructed. Table of Contents | 10-K |
| 2010 | Item 1. Business | THE COMPANY Southern Copper Corporation (“SCC” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. We produce copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and in Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and Chile. See Item 2 “Properties - Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. Our operations make us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and also in Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and refined silver. Additionally, we produce refined copper using SXEW technology. We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Mexcobre unit”) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SXEW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. Buenavista del Cobre S.A. de C.V., formerly named Mexicana de Cananea S.A. de C.V. through December 11, 2010, (together with its subsidiaries, the “Buenavista unit”) operates Buenavista, formerly named Cananea, an open-pit copper mine, which is located at the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, a copper concentrator and two SXEW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. and Minerales Metalicos del Norte, S.A. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA unit”) operate five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine and a zinc refinery. We utilize modern, state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining operations. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration that allows us to manage the entire production process, from the mining of the ore to the production of refined copper and other products and most related transport and logistics functions, using our own facilities, employees and equipment. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces outside of our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is on seeking to remain profitable during periods of low copper prices and maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal prices” in this Item 1. Table of Contents Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars”, “dollars”, or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “S/.”, “nuevo sol” or “nuevos soles”, are to Peruvian nuevos soles; and references to “peso”, “pesos”, or “Ps.”, are to Mexican pesos. Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tons. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2010. For clarity of presentation, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Grupo Mexico as of December 31, 2010 owns 80.0% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and railway and other related services. Table of Contents We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch”, “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises substantially all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch is not a corporation separate from us and, therefore, obligations of SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. It is, however, an establishment, registered pursuant to Peruvian law, through which we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although it has neither its own capital nor liability separate from us, it is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares, (See Note 14 “Non-controlling interest” of our consolidated financial statements). On April 1, 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, the largest mining company in Mexico on a stand-alone basis, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the Mexcobre unit (ii) the Buenavista unit and (iii) the IMMSA unit. We own 99.95% of Minera Mexico. Pursuant to the $500 million share repurchase program authorized by our Board of Directors in 2008, through December 31, 2010, we purchased 33.4 million shares of our common stock at a cost of $457.0 million. These shares will be available for general corporate purposes. We may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. On July 22, 2010, we received a non-binding proposal from our parent company, AMC, offering to effect an all-stock business combination of Southern Copper and AMC, the parent company of Asarco, LLC (“Asarco”), in which all stockholders of Southern Copper would receive 1.237 common shares of AMC in exchange for each share of SCC. Under the proposal presented by AMC the stock of AMC would be registered and listed on the New York, Mexico and the Lima stock exchanges. Once the listing and registration of the AMC shares are completed, SCC’s shares would be delisted from the exchanges. In August 2010, we formed a special committee of independent directors to evaluate AMC’s proposal. The special committee has engaged independent legal, financial and technical advisors to assist in the evaluation. There is no specific deadline to complete this evaluation. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to our operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of our operations. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Table of Contents Our Internet address is www.southerncoppercorp.com. Commencing with the Form 8-K dated March 14, 2003, we have made available free of charge on this internet address our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our website includes the Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our most significant Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include statements regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon certain factors, including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, the availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metals prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Additional business information follows: COPPER BUSINESS Copper is the world’s third most widely used metal, after iron and aluminum, and an important component in the world’s infrastructure. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high ductility, malleability, and thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to corrosion that has made it a superior material for use in electrical and electronic products, including power transmission and generation, which accounts for about three quarters of its global copper use, telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery businesses. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper is usually found in nature in association with sulfur. Pure copper metal is generally produced from a multistage process, beginning with the mining and concentrating of low-grade ores containing copper sulfide minerals, and followed by smelting and electrolytic refining to produce a pure copper cathode. An increasing share of copper is produced from acid leaching of oxidized ores. Copper is one of the oldest metals ever used and has been one of the important materials in the development of civilization. Copper industry fundamentals, including copper demand, price levels and stocks, strengthened in late 2003 and copper prices continued to improve into the third quarter of 2008, from the 15-year price lows set during 2002. Late in the third Table of Contents quarter of 2008 the price of copper, as well as the price of other commodities, suffered a brief temporary decline as a consequence of the world financial crisis reaching price lows of $1.30 per pound in the 4th quarter of 2008. However, since 2009 the price of copper has improved, closing at year-end 2010 at $4.42 and $4.44 per pound on the LME and COMEX, respectively, and as of February 15, 2011 the LME and COMEX prices per pound were $4.58 and $4.62, respectively. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Our management views Southern Copper as having three reportable segments and manages it on the basis of these segments. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment with similar economic characteristics, type of products, processes and support facilities, regulatory environments, employee bargaining contracts and currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar type of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Inter-segment sales are based on arm’s-length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Added to the segment information is information regarding the Company’s sales. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations, which include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, industrial railroad and port facilities which service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other material. 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include the La Caridad and Buenavista mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants and support facilities which service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other material. 3. Mexican underground mining operations, which include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine which produces coal and coke, and a zinc refinery. This group is identified as the IMMSA unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue of the IMMSA unit. Financial information is regularly prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to the Chief Operating Officer on a segment basis. The Chief Operating Officer focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties”, under the captions — “Metal production by segments” and “Ore Reserves.” More information on business segment and segment financial information is included in Note 21 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. Table of Contents CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM For a description of our capital investment program see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” — “Capital Investment Program.” EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES We are engaged in ongoing extensive exploration to locate additional ore bodies in Peru, Mexico and Chile. We also conduct exploration in the areas of our current mining operations. We invested $34.3 million in exploration programs in 2010, $24.6 million in 2009 and $37.0 million in 2008 and we expect to spend approximately $14.7 million in exploration programs in 2011. Currently in Peru, we have direct control of 170,846 hectares of mineral rights. In Mexico, we currently hold 174,887 hectares of exploration concessions. We also currently hold 35,958 hectares of exploration concessions in Chile. Peru Los Chancas. The Los Chancas project, located in the department of Apurimac in southern Peru, is a copper and molybdenum porphyry deposit. As a result of the pre-feasibility studies and after the preliminary design of the pit, estimates show 355 million tons of mineralized material with a copper content of 0.62%, molybdenum content of 0.05% and 0.039 grams of gold per ton. In 2010, 9,944 meters of diamond drilling were performed thus concluding the complementary studies geared to define the mineral reserves of the deposit. Likewise, as part of the feasibility study, the geotechnical studies were concluded. We plan to continue to conduct the feasibility study of the project in 2011. Tantahuatay. The Tantahuatay project is located in the department of Cajamarca in northern Peru. In 2010, we began development of this project to exploit the gold “cap.” The Tantahuatay project contains estimated resources of 27.1 million tons of mineralized material, with an average silver content of 13 grams per ton and 0.89 grams of gold per ton. We expect to start dore gold production by June 2011 and the project is expected to have an annual production of 90,000 ounces of gold and 425,000 ounces of silver for five years. We have a 44.25% participation in this project. During 2011, we will continue to assess the underlying copper deposits for possible future development. Other Peruvian Prospects As part of the 2010 exploration program, we concluded a program of 8,000 meters of diamond drilling in the central coast of Peru and started the drilling work at the Huallas project located in the department of Ayacucho (a skarn of copper-lead-zinc) and at the Clara project (copper porphyry) located in the department of Arequipa, where the Company has a 15,000 meter diamond drilling program. Additionally, for 2011 we are considering developing a diamond drilling program of approximately 10,000 meters for some prospects located in the northern and southern parts of Peru. We will continue with the regional exploration program of the various mineral deposits in Peru. Table of Contents Mexico In addition to exploratory drilling programs at existing mines, we are currently conducting exploration to locate mineral deposits at various other sites in Mexico. The following are some of the more significant exploration projects: El Arco. The El Arco site is a copper deposit located in the state of Baja California in Mexico. Exploration work at the site indicates approximately 1,207 million of metric tons of mineralized sulfide material with an average copper content of 0.5% and 0.125 grams of gold per ton and 290 million metric tons of copper oxide with 0.35% of copper grade. In 2010, a deep drilling program of 1,214 meters indicates approximately 390 million tons of mineralized material with 0.62% of copper content below the current pit limits. During 2011, we expect to increase the estimated mineralized material with a diamond drilling program of 5,000 meters. A water source for the leaching operation was identified in 2009 and in 2010 four new production wells were drilled and confirmed an underground water availability of 300 liters per second in the area. The feasibility study performed in 2010 is concluded and during 2011 we will evaluate the results to define the next steps of the project. Angangueo. The Angangueo site is located in the state of Michoacan in Mexico. A deposit of 13 million tons of mineralized material has been identified with diamond drilling. Testing indicates that the deposit has mineralized material containing 0.16 grams of gold and 262 grams of silver per ton, with 0.79% lead, 0.97% copper and 3.5% zinc. In 2005, we received the approval for our environmental impact study and we are in the process of obtaining land use approval. During 2009 and 2010, we continued negotiating with the state of Michoacan, Mexico to purchase various properties essential to our operations. We expect to obtain a final agreement with the state government in 2011. A prefeasibility study, commissioned in 2009, indicated that the Angangueo project needs to upgrade the Descubridora vein with more drilling. In 2010 we started the feasibility study that we expect to complete in 2011 to evaluate the construction of the project. Buenavista-Zinc (formerly named Buenavista). The Buenavista-Zinc site is located in the state of Sonora, Mexico and forms part of the Buenavista ore body. Drilling and metallurgical studies have shown that the zinc-copper deposit contains approximately 36 million tons of mineralized material containing 29 grams of silver per ton, 0.69% copper and 3.3% zinc. A new “scoping level” study indicates that Buenavista-Zinc may be an economic deposit. Due to the now settled labor strike at the Buenavista mine no work was performed from 2008 through 2010. In 2011 we expect to resume the project, complete the feasibility study and evaluate starting the initial stripping and the construction of the concentrator. Carbon Coahuila. In Coahuila, an intensive exploration program of diamond drilling has identified two additional areas, Esperanza with a potential for more than 30 million tons of “in place” mineralized coal and Guayacan with a potential for 15 million tons of “in place” mineralized coal, that could be used for a future coal-fired power plant. During 2010, 1,213 meters of diamond drilling were completed at the Rosita pit area and with this drilling, 10,100 tons of mineralized coal was added to the mineralized material estimates for this open pit project. In 2011 we plan to continue the exploration of the open pit coal project between the Conquista and La Caballada pits. The Chalchihuites. The Chalchihuites site is located in the state of Zacatecas. It is a replacement deposit with mixed oxides and sulfides of lead, copper, zinc and silver. A drilling program, in the late 1990’s, defined 16 million tons of Table of Contents mineralized material containing 95 grams of silver, 0.36% lead, 0.69% copper and 3.08% zinc per ton. Preliminary metallurgical testing indicates that a leaching precipitating-flotation recovery process can be applied to this ore. In 2009, we started a prefeasibility study which is expected to be completed by the end of 2011. In 2010, we signed an agreement for the Cronos claims and plan to add the Guadalupe de Guantes claim in early 2011. Exploration at these claims will occur in 2011 and is expected to add at least 10 million tons to the current mineralized material estimates. Pilares. In 2008, we bought Freeport-McMoran’s 49% interest in Minera Pilares, S.A. de C.V. (“Pilares”), giving us 100% ownership of Pilares. Pilares is located in the state of Sonora, ten kilometers from the town of Nacozari de Garcia and six straight line kilometers from our La Caridad mine. The work to clear and prepare the access to the Porvenir tunnel started at the end of 2008, but was suspended the same year due to unexpected difficulties in crossing a fault. It was replaced by superficial drilling. Calculations using Mine-Sight software indicated 52.9 million tons of estimated mineralized material, with 0.92% copper content. Because all previous mineralized material calculations were based on rotary drilling, a diamond drilling program of 13,200 meters was performed in 2010, which confirmed these estimates of mineralized material. A “heavy medium” metallurgical test was also conducted on core samples from this drilling. Preliminary results indicate that this method may be feasible for the Pilares ore. In 2010 we started a feasibility study, which we expect to complete by the end of the second quarter 2011. As part of the feasibility study, we will perform metallurgical testing in a pilot plant to confirm the laboratory results. Sierra de Lobos. This project is located southwest of the city of Leon, Guanajuato. Our target is to identify a copper and zinc deposit with mineralized material with average grades between 0.5% and 1.0% copper and between 5% and 7% zinc including a small contribution of gold and silver. In 2008, 1,636 meters were drilled. Results confirm the presence of copper and zinc mineralization, but an economic deposit has not yet been identified. Due to the changes in our investment program priorities no work was performed in 2009 and 2010. We expect to resume the drilling work on this project in the second half of 2011. Chile Ticnamar. The Ticnamar prospect, located in northern Chile, has been explored as a deposit with copper-molybdenum porphyric veins. In 2010, 1,431 meters of diamond drilling were completed. For 2011, we have planned geophysical studies geared to locate new drilling targets. Catanave. Located in northern Chile (Arica), Catanave belongs to a mineralized epithermal system of gold and silver. In 2010, the environmental impact study was approved and for 2011 we have planned a diamond drilling program of 5,500 meters. Santa Marta. Located in the Atacama region, Santa Marta is being explored for copper and molybdenum porphyry. During 2010, we diamond drilled 3,318 meters. Exploration will continue in 2011. San Benito. Located in the Atacama region, San Benito is being explored for copper and molybdenum porphyry. In 2010, a diamond drilling program of 3,241 meters was completed. In 2011, we are planning geophysical studies geared towards locating new drilling targets. El Salado y Resguardo de la Costa. During 2010, we evaluated the results of the exploration stage of these two copper-gold prospects located in northern Chile (Atacama area) and decided to temporarily put these prospects on hold for further evaluation. Table of Contents Other Chilean Prospects. For 2011, we plan to continue with a regional exploration program oriented to locate systems mainly of porphyritics of copper and molybdenum. PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS The principal uses of copper are in the building and construction industry, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, industrial machinery and equipment, consumer products and the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for photographic, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion. It is also used to make die cast parts, in the manufacturing of batteries and in the form of sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships, and thus acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Approximately 80% of our metal production for the years 2010, 2009 and 2008, was sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on the ultimate end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing effort to diversifying our sales both by region and by customer base. We strive to provide superior customer service, including just-in-time deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is supported by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see Revenue recognition in Note 3 “Summary of significant accounting policies” and Note 21 “Segment and related information” of our consolidated financial statements. METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, except for molybdenum, are established on the Commodities Exchange, or COMEX, in New York and the London Metal Exchange or LME, the two most important metal exchanges in the world. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. We entered into copper derivative contracts in 2008 and 2010. During 2009 we did not hold any metal derivative contracts. For a further discussion of derivative instruments see Item 7A “Quantitative and Qualitative Discussion about Market Risk”. For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” — “Metal Prices”. The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME copper prices during the last 15 years: Table of Contents Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 1996 1.31 0.86 1.06 1.29 0.83 1.04 1997 1.23 0.76 1.04 1.23 0.77 1.03 1998 0.86 0.64 0.75 0.85 0.65 0.75 1999 0.85 0.61 0.72 0.84 0.61 0.71 2000 0.93 0.74 0.84 0.91 0.73 0.82 2001 0.87 0.60 0.73 0.83 0.60 0.72 2002 0.78 0.65 0.72 0.77 0.64 0.71 2003 1.04 0.71 0.81 1.05 0.70 0.81 2004 1.54 1.06 1.29 1.49 1.06 1.30 2005 2.28 1.40 1.68 2.11 1.39 1.67 2006 4.08 2.13 3.10 3.99 2.06 3.05 2007 3.75 2.40 3.23 3.77 2.37 3.23 2008 4.08 1.25 3.13 4.08 1.26 3.16 2009 3.33 1.38 2.35 3.33 1.38 2.34 2010-1st Q 3.56 2.85 3.28 3.55 2.83 3.28 2010-2nd Q 3.63 2.76 3.19 3.61 2.76 3.19 2010-3rd Q 3.66 2.87 3.30 3.65 2.88 3.29 2010-4th Q 4.44 3.66 3.93 4.42 3.67 3.92 2010 4.44 2.76 3.43 4.42 2.76 3.42 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $3.05, $2.05 and $1.66, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $3.04, $2.04 and $1.65, respectively. At February 15, 2011, the COMEX and LME copper prices were $4.62 and $4.58 per pound, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average market prices for our three principal by-products during the last 15 years: Zinc(LME) Silver (COMEX) Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Metals Week) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 1996 0.48 0.45 0.47 5.82 4.67 5.18 5.25 3.13 3.79 1997 0.80 0.47 0.60 6.31 4.16 4.87 4.75 3.59 4.31 1998 0.52 0.42 0.46 7.26 4.61 5.53 4.48 2.10 3.42 1999 0.56 0.41 0.49 5.76 4.87 5.22 2.80 2.52 2.66 2000 0.58 0.46 0.51 5.55 4.56 4.97 2.92 2.19 2.56 2001 0.48 0.33 0.40 4.81 4.03 4.36 2.58 2.19 2.35 2002 0.38 0.33 0.35 5.11 4.22 4.60 7.90 2.43 3.76 2003 0.46 0.34 0.38 5.98 4.35 4.89 7.60 3.28 5.29 2004 0.58 0.43 0.48 8.21 5.51 6.68 32.38 7.35 16.20 2005 0.87 0.53 0.63 9.00 6.43 7.32 39.25 25.00 31.99 2006 2.10 0.87 1.49 14.85 8.82 11.54 28.20 21.00 24.75 2007 1.93 1.00 1.47 15.50 11.47 13.39 33.75 24.50 30.19 2008 1.28 0.47 0.85 20.69 8.80 14.97 33.88 8.75 28.42 2009 1.17 0.48 0.75 19.30 10.42 14.67 18.00 7.83 11.03 2010-1st Q 1.04 0.90 1.04 18.78 14.82 16.91 18.60 11.75 15.78 2010-2nd Q 1.13 0.72 0.92 19.64 17.29 18.35 17.93 13.75 16.10 2010-3rd Q 1.01 0.95 0.91 21.93 17.42 18.98 16.03 15.35 14.86 2010-4th Q 1.14 0.94 1.05 30.91 22.01 26.47 16.15 15.58 15.69 2010 1.14 0.72 0.98 30.91 14.82 20.18 18.60 11.75 15.60 Table of Contents The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $1.11, $0.78 and $0.69, respectively. The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $14.95, $10.26 and $8.56, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $22.00, $16.96 and $12.42, respectively. At February 15, 2011, the LME zinc price was $1.13 per pound, the COMEX silver price was $30.53 per ounce and the Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price was $17.88 per pound. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is primarily on a price and service basis, with price being the most important consideration when supplies of copper are ample. Our products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see “Item 1A Risk Factors — The copper mining industry is highly competitive.” EMPLOYEES As of December 31, 2010, we had 11,126 employees, approximately 69% of whom are covered by labor agreements with ten different labor unions. During the last several years, we have experienced strikes or other labor disruptions that have had an adverse impact on our operations and operating results. Our Taxco and San Martin mines in Mexico have been on strike since July 2007, our Buenavista mine was on strike from July 2007 through June 6, 2010. Peru Approximately 62% of our Peruvian labor force was unionized at December 31, 2010 and was represented by eight separate unions. Three of these unions, one at each major production area, represent the majority of our workers. In September 2010, we reached a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with these three unions. This agreement includes, among other things, a 5% annual salary increase and a signing bonus of approximately $6,700 for each of the workers (approximately 2,000). In addition, the agreement provides for a productivity bonus program for the departments that reach certain parameters. Also, there are five smaller unions, representing the balance of workers. Collective bargaining agreements for these smaller unions are in force through November 2012. During 2010 and 2009, no strikes occurred. In 2008, strikes in support of a mining federation strike occurred at our operating areas, during which operations were close to normal. Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 3,700 houses and apartments. In 1998, Company housing at our Ilo unit, was sold to workers at nominal prices. We still hold 90 houses at Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs and recreational facilities. We also provide shopping, banking and other services at the townsites. Mexico Approximately 73% of the Mexican labor force was unionized at December 31, 2010 and was represented by two separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for Table of Contents unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Typically Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions annually and negotiate other benefits every two years. We conduct negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. The Buenavista mine experienced several recent labor stoppages. The latest labor stoppage started in July 2007 and finished in June 2010. Additionally, the Taxco and San Martin mines have been on strike since July 2007. In 2009, more than 40% of the workers of the San Martin mine and 50% of the workers of the Taxco mine voluntarily requested severance payments and terminated their labor relationship with us. On December 10, 2009, a federal tribunal confirmed the legality of the San Martin strike. In the case of the Taxco mine, following the workers refusal to allow exploration of new reserves, the Company commenced litigation seeking to terminate the collective bargaining agreement and all the individual labor contracts of the workers affiliated with the Mexican Mining Union at the Taxco mine, which termination was approved by the federal labor court on September 1, 2010. The ruling was based upon the resistance of the mining union to allow mining experts to search for reserves at the Taxco mine. If sustained, this ruling will also have the effect of terminating the protracted strike at the Taxco unit. The mining union has presented an appeal of the labor court ruling before federal tribunals. At December 31, 2010, the resolution of this case is pending. It is expected that operations at these mines will remain suspended until these labor issues are resolved. In the third quarter of 2010 operations at the La Caridad metallurgical complex were disrupted due to access road blockages established by a group of terminated workers and other agitators. In October 2010, with the assistance of the Mexican authorities, order was restored and normal operations were restarted. La Caridad’s mining operations continued during the blockage period and as a result we were able to maintain output. Employees of the Mexcobre and Buenavista units reside in townsites at La Caridad and Buenavista, where we have built approximately 2,000 houses and apartments and 275 houses and apartments, respectively. Most of the employees of the IMMSA unit reside on the grounds of the mining or processing complexes in which they work and where we have built approximately 900 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and, in some units, medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. At the Buenavista unit, health care is provided free of charge to employees, retired unionized employees and their families. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuels, electricity and water. We use natural gas to power boilers and generators and for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and diesel fuel for mining equipment. We believe that supplies of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. Although the prices of these raw materials may fluctuate beyond our control, we focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. Peru In Peru, electric power for our operating facilities is generated by two thermal electric plants owned and operated by Enersur S.A., an independent power company Table of Contents (“Enersur”), a diesel and waste heat boilers plant located adjacent to the Ilo smelter and a coal plant located south of Ilo. Power generation capacity for Peruvian operations is currently 344 megawatts. Enersur is building a 400 megawatt power plant, which will provide additional power reserves in the Ilo area. We believe the plant is scheduled to commence operations in 2013. In addition, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit, which is interconnected with the Peruvian network. We obtain fuel in Peru primarily from a local producer. In 1997, we sold our Ilo power plant to Enersur. In connection with the sale, a power purchase agreement was also completed under which we agreed to purchase all of our power needs for our Peruvian operations from Enersur for twenty years, commencing in 1997. In 2003 the agreement was amended releasing Enersur from its obligation to construct additional capacity to meet our increased electricity requirements and changing the power tariff as called for in the original agreement. In 2009, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Enersur regarding its power supply agreement. The MOU contains new economic terms that we believe better reflect current economic conditions in the power industry and in Peru. We expect to obtain savings in our future power costs. The new economic conditions agreed in the MOU have been applied by Enersur to its invoices to us since May 2009. Additionally, the MOU includes an option for providing power for the Tia Maria project. The MOU also established a time frame in which Enersur and the Company must negotiate in good faith to settle certain pending issues, including agreeing on a power purchase agreement for the Tia Maria project. During 2010, we continued our negotiations with Enersur in order to obtain a final agreement for the Tia Maria project. In Peru, we have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and also surface water from the Suches lake and two small water courses, namely Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya, which together are sufficient to supply the needs of our two operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. At Ilo, we have desalinization plants that produce water for industrial and domestic use that we believe are sufficient for our current and projected needs. Mexico Besides electric energy, the principal raw materials used in our operations are fuels. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes, to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Diesel oil is a backup for all these uses. Also at our operations we use diesel oil for mining equipment. Fuel, electricity and water supplies are readily available. The prices of these materials may fluctuate beyond our control since the only supplier is the Mexican government. We therefore focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. In Mexico, fuel is purchased directly from Petroleos Mexicanos, (“PEMEX”), the state oil monopoly. Electricity for our Mexican operations, which is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes, is purchased from the Comision Federal de Electricidad, the Federal Electricity Commission, or CFE, the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico are dependent upon the pricing policies of PEMEX and CFE, which reflect government policy, as well as international market prices for crude oil, natural gas and conditions in the refinery markets. Table of Contents Mexcobre imports natural gas from the U.S. through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora). This permits us to import natural gas from the United States at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. Several contracts with PEMEX and the United States provide us with the option of using a monthly fixed price or daily fixed prices for our natural gas purchases. During 2008 and 2009, we entered into gas swap contracts to protect part of our gas consumption as follows: 2009 2008 Gas volume (MMBTUs) 184,000 460,000 Fixed price $ 3.6350 $ 8.2175 Loss (in millions) $ — $ 0.9 The losses obtained were included in the production cost. During all of 2010 and at December 31, 2010, we did not hold any open gas swap contracts. Energy is the principal cost in mining, therefore the concern for its conservation and efficient usage is very relevant. We have an energy management committee at most of our mines. The committees meet periodically to discuss consumptions and to develop measures directed at saving energy. Also, alternative sources are being analyzed at the corporate level, both from traditional and renewable energy sources. This has helped us develop a culture of energy conservation directed at the sustainability of our operations. In prior years we announced plans to build a coal power generation plant in the state of Sonora, Mexico. In 2010, after studying the cost and feasibility, we decided not to move forward with this project. In Mexico, water is a national property and industries not connected to a public services water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the “National Water Commission”, or “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Law on Water Rights), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre, pump out the required water from one or several wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Buenavista facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water measured by usage. Water conservation committees have been established in each plant in order to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been increasing in recent years. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS For a discussion of environmental matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption “Environmental matters” in Note 15 “Commitments and contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru We have 224,995 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and/or production operations, distributed among our various sites as follows: Table of Contents Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Plants 300 456 421 — 1,177 Operations 25,846 17,423 9,703 — 52,972 Exploration 2,099 6,700 4,600 157,447 170,846 Total 28,245 24,579 14,724 157,447 224,995 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Peruvian laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2010, 2009 and 2008 were approximately $1.1 million, $1.1 million and $1.8 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. We also have water concessions for well fields at Huaitire, Titijones and Vizcachas and surface water rights from the Suches Lake, which together are sufficient to supply the needs of our Toquepala and Cuajone operating units. In 2004, the Peruvian Congress enacted legislation imposing a royalty charge to be paid by mining companies in favor of the regional governments and communities where mining resources are located. Under this law, we are subject to a 1% to 3% charge, based on sales, and calculated on the value of the concentrates produced at our Toquepala and Cuajone mines. We made provisions of $65.5 million, $43.7 million and $53.9 million in 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively, for this charge. These provisions are included in cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation, amortization and depletion) in the consolidated statement of earnings. Mexico In Mexico we have approximately 375,045 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined in the table below. Underground Mines La Caridad Buenavista Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 88,439 93,893 17,826 174,887 375,045 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.4 to $8.8 per hectare depending on the beginning date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2010, 2009 and 2008 were approximately $2.9 million, $2.5 million and $2.5 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. We generally own the land to which our Mexican concessions relate, although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are constructed. Table of Contents | 10-K |
| 2009 | Item 1. Business | THE COMPANY Southern Copper Corporation (SCC” or the “Company”) is one of the largest integrated copper producers in the world. We produce copper, molybdenum, zinc and silver. All of our mining, smelting and refining facilities are located in Peru and in Mexico and we conduct exploration activities in those countries and Chile. See Item 2 “Properties - Review of Operations” for maps of our principal mines, smelting facilities and refineries. Our operations make us one of the largest mining companies in Peru and also in Mexico. We believe we have the largest copper reserves in the world. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1952 and have conducted copper mining operations since 1960. Since 1996, our Common Stock is listed on both the New York and Lima Stock Exchanges. Our Peruvian copper operations involve mining, milling and flotation of copper ore to produce copper concentrates and molybdenum concentrates; the smelting of copper concentrates to produce anode copper; and the refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes. As part of this production process, we also produce significant amounts of molybdenum concentrate and refined silver. We also produce refined copper using SX/EW technology. We operate the Toquepala and Cuajone mines high in the Andes Mountains, approximately 860 kilometers southeast of the city of Lima, Peru. We also operate a smelter and refinery west of the Toquepala and Cuajone mines in the coastal city of Ilo, Peru. Our Mexican operations are conducted through our subsidiary, Minera Mexico S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Mexico”), which we acquired in 2005. Minera Mexico engages primarily in the mining and processing of copper, molybdenum, zinc, silver, gold and lead. Minera Mexico operates through subsidiaries that are grouped into three separate units. Mexicana de Cobre S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Mexcobre Unit”) operates La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, a copper ore concentrator, a SX/EW plant, a smelter, refinery and a rod plant. Mexicana de Cananea S.A. de C.V. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Cananea Unit”) operates Cananea, an open-pit copper mine, which is located at the site of one of the world’s largest copper ore deposits, a copper concentrator and two SX/EW plants. Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. and Minerales Metalicos del Norte, S.A. (together with its subsidiaries, the “IMMSA Unit”) operate five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine and several industrial processing facilities for zinc and copper. We utilize modern/state of the art mining and processing methods, including global positioning systems and computerized mining operations. Our operations have a high level of vertical integration that allows us to manage the entire production process, from the mining of the ore to the production of refined copper and other products and most related transport and logistics functions, using our own facilities, employees and equipment. The sales prices for our products are largely determined by market forces outside of our control. Our management, therefore, focuses on cost control and production enhancement to remain profitable. We endeavor to achieve these goals through capital spending programs, exploration efforts and cost reduction programs. Our focus is on seeking to remain profitable during periods of low copper prices and maximizing results in periods of high copper prices. For additional information on the sale prices of the metals we produce, please see “Metal prices” in this item 1. Table of Contents Currency Information: Unless stated otherwise, all our financial information is presented in U.S. dollars and any reference herein to “U.S. dollars”, “dollars”, or “$” are to U.S. dollars; references to “S/.”, “nuevo sol” or “nuevos soles”, are to Peruvian nuevos soles; and references to “peso”, “pesos”, or “Ps.”, are to Mexican pesos. Unit Information: Unless otherwise noted, all tonnages are in metric tons. To convert to short tons, multiply by 1.102. All ounces are troy ounces. All distances are in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply by 0.621. To convert hectares to acres, multiply by 2.47. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The following chart describes our organizational structure, starting with our controlling stockholders, as of December 31, 2009. For clarity of presentation, the chart identifies only our main subsidiaries and eliminates intermediate holding companies. We are a majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (“Grupo Mexico”). Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Grupo Mexico as of December 31, 2009 owns 80.0% of our capital stock. Grupo Mexico’s principal business is to act as a holding company for shares of other corporations engaged in the mining, processing, purchase and sale of minerals and other products and railway and other related services. Table of Contents We conduct our operations in Peru through a registered branch (the “SPCC Peru Branch”, “Branch” or “Peruvian Branch”). The SPCC Peru Branch comprises substantially all of our assets and liabilities associated with our copper operations in Peru. The SPCC Peru Branch is not a corporation separate from us and, therefore, obligations of SPCC Peru Branch are direct obligations of SCC and vice-versa. It is, however, an establishment, registered pursuant to Peruvian law, through which we hold assets, incur liabilities and conduct operations in Peru. Although it has neither its own capital nor liability separate from us, it is deemed to have equity capital for purposes of determining the economic interests of holders of our investment shares, (See Note 13 “Non-controlling interest” of our consolidated financial statements). On April 1, 2005, we acquired Minera Mexico, the largest mining company in Mexico on a stand-alone basis, from Americas Mining Corporation (“AMC”), a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, our controlling stockholder. Minera Mexico is a holding company and all of its operations are conducted through subsidiaries that are grouped into three units: (i) the Mexcobre Unit (ii) the Cananea Unit and (iii) the IMMSA Unit. We own 99.95% of Minera Mexico. In 2008 and 2009, pursuant to the $500 million share repurchase program authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors in 2008, the Company purchased 33.4 million shares of its Common Stock at a cost of $456.6 million. These shares will be available for general corporate purposes. The Company may purchase additional shares from time to time, based on market conditions and other factors. This repurchase program has no expiration date and may be modified or discontinued at any time. REPUBLIC OF PERU AND MEXICO Our revenues are derived primarily from our operations in Peru and Mexico. Risks related to the Company’s operations in both countries include those associated with economic and political conditions, effects of currency fluctuations and inflation, effects of government regulations and the geographic concentration of the Company’s operations. AVAILABLE INFORMATION We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains a web-site that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including Southern Copper Corporation) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s web-site is www.sec.gov. Our Internet address is www.southerncoppercorp.com. Commencing with the Form 8-K dated March 14, 2003, we have made available free of charge on this internet address our annual, quarterly and current reports, as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our web page includes the Corporate Governance guidelines and the charters of our most significant Board Committees. However, the information found on our website is not part of this or any other report. Table of Contents CAUTIONARY STATEMENT Forward-looking statements in this report and in other Company statements include statements regarding expected commencement dates of mining or metal production operations, projected quantities of future metal production, anticipated production rates, operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, including taxes, as well as projected demand or supply for the Company’s products. Actual results could differ materially depending upon factors including the risks and uncertainties relating to general U.S. and international economic and political conditions, the cyclical and volatile prices of copper, other commodities and supplies, including fuel and electricity, availability of materials, insurance coverage, equipment, required permits or approvals and financing, the occurrence of unusual weather or operating conditions, lower than expected ore grades, water and geological problems, the failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications, failure to obtain financial assurance to meet closure and remediation obligations, labor relations, litigation and environmental risks, as well as political and economic risk associated with foreign operations. Results of operations are directly affected by metals prices on commodity exchanges, which can be volatile. Additional business information follows: COPPER BUSINESS Copper is the world’s third most widely used metal and an important component in the world’s infrastructure. Copper has unique chemical and physical properties, including high electrical conductivity and resistance to corrosion, as well as excellent malleability and ductility that has made it a superior material for use in the electrical energy, telecommunications, building construction, transportation and industrial machinery businesses. Copper is also an important metal in non-electrical applications such as plumbing and roofing and, when alloyed with zinc to form brass, in many industrial and consumer applications. Copper industry fundamentals, including copper demand, price levels and stocks, strengthened in late 2003 and copper prices continued to improve into the third quarter of 2008, from the 15-year price lows set during 2002. Late in the third quarter of 2008 the price of copper, as well as the price of other commodities, suffered a brief temporary decline as a consequence of the world financial crisis reaching price lows of $1.30 per pound in the 4th quarter of 2008. However, in 2009 the copper price improved closing the year at $3.33 per pound and as of February 19, 2010, the LME and COMEX per pound copper prices were $3.26 and $3.36, respectively. BUSINESS REPORTING SEGMENTS: Company management views Southern Copper as having three reportable segments and manages on the basis of these segments. The three segments identified are groups of individual mines, each of which constitutes an operating segment, with similar economic characteristics, type of products, processes and support facilities, similar regulatory environments, similar employee bargaining contracts and similar currency risks. In addition, each mine within the individual group earns revenues from similar type of customers for their products and services and each group incurs expenses independently, including commercial transactions between groups. Table of Contents Intersegment sales are based on arm’s-length prices at the time of sale. These may not be reflective of actual prices realized by the Company due to various factors, including additional processing, timing of sales to outside customers and transportation cost. Added to the segment information is information regarding the Company’s sales. The segments identified by the Company are: 1. Peruvian operations include the Toquepala and Cuajone mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants, industrial railroad and port facilities which service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Peruvian mines. The Peruvian operations produce copper, with production of by-product molybdenum, silver and other material. 2. Mexican open-pit operations, which include La Caridad and Cananea mine complexes and the smelting and refining plants and support facilities which service both mines. Sales of its products are recorded as revenue of our Mexican mines. The Mexican open-pit operations produce copper, with production of by-products of molybdenum, silver and other material. 3. Mexican underground mining operations include five underground mines that produce zinc, copper, silver and gold, a coal mine which produces coal and coke, and several industrial processing facilities for zinc, copper and silver. This group is identified as the IMMSA Unit and sales of its products are recorded as revenue of the IMMSA Unit. Financial information is regularly prepared for each of the three segments and the results are reported to the Chief Operating Officer on the segment basis. The Chief Operating Officer focuses on operating income and on total assets as measures of performance to evaluate different segments and to make decisions to allocate resources to the reported segments. These are common measures in the mining industry. Segment information is included in Item 2 “Properties”, under the captions — “Metal production by segments” and “Ore Reserves.” More information on business segment and segment financial information are included in Note 20 “Segment and Related Information” of our consolidated financial statements. CAPITAL EXPANSION PROGRAM For a description of our capital expansion program see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” — “Capital Expansion Program.” EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES We are engaged in ongoing extensive exploration to locate additional ore bodies in Peru, Mexico and Chile. We also conduct exploration in the areas of our current mining operations. We invested $24.6 million on exploration programs in 2009, $37.0 million in 2008 and $40.2 million in 2007 and we expect to spend approximately $20.6 million in exploration expenditures in 2010. Currently in Peru, we have direct control of 182,447 hectares of mineral rights. In Mexico, we currently hold 368,182 hectares of exploration concessions. We also currently hold 35,958 hectares of exploration concessions in Chile. Table of Contents Peru Los Chancas. The Los Chancas project, located in the department of Apurimac in southern Peru, is a copper and molybdenum porphyry deposit. As a result of the pre-feasibility studies and after the preliminary design of the pit, estimates show 355 million tons of mineralized material with a copper content of 0.62%, 0.05% of molybdenum and 0.039 grams of gold per ton. In 2009, 40,244 meters of diamond drilling were performed as part of the complementary studies geared to define the deposit’s ore reserves. In 2010, geotechnical studies will continue as part of the feasibility study. Tantahuatay. The Tantahuatay project is located in the department of Cajamarca in northern Peru. The 2009 feasibility studies were oriented to evaluate the possibility of gold recovery from the upper part of the deposit, where a deposit of 27.1 million tons of mineralized material with an average silver content of 13.0 grams per ton and 0.89 grams of gold per ton were estimated. In 2009, the environmental impact assessment was completed and approved by the Peruvian authorities. In addition, we obtained the construction license for the mine and industrial complex. We expect to start the construction of the project by the end of 2010 or early in 2011. We have a 44.25% participation in the project. Other Peruvian Prospects In 2009, we continued with exploration near the Tia Maria district as well as regional exploration in the southern part of Peru. For 2010 we are developing a program of approximately 21,000 meters of diamond drilling for some of our projects including at Cobrecancha, a copper and gold prospect, located in the central coast of Peru, at los Huallas, a copper and molybdenum prospect located in the Ayacucho region, and at Clara, a copper and gold prospect located in the Arequipa region. We will also continue with the exploration program on already defined projects in Tacna and Arequipa, as well as with programs in different mineralized strips in Peru. Mexico In addition to exploratory drilling programs at existing mines, we are currently conducting exploration to locate mineral deposits at various other sites in Mexico. The following are some of the more significant exploration projects: El Arco. The El Arco site is located in the state of Baja California in Mexico. Previous exploration at the site indicate a deposit of approximately 846 million tons of mineralized material with average copper grades of 0.51% and 0.14 grams of gold as sulfide per ton, and 170 million tons of leachable mineralized materials with average copper grades of 0.35%. In 2009, we identified a water source for the leaching operation. Four production wells were tested and determined a potential water resource of approximately 200 liters per second in the area. Also six diamond drill holes have been drilled to a depth of 2,640 meters in 2009. The 2008 and 2009 drilling program indicates mineralized material, with 0.50% - 0.70% average copper grades, extending 270 meters below the previously known mineralization. Angangueo. The Angangueo site is located in the state of Michoacan in Mexico. A deposit of 13 million tons of mineralized material has been identified with diamond drilling. Testing indicates that the deposit contains mineralized material containing 0.16 grams of gold and 262 grams of silver per ton, and is comprised of 0.79% lead, 0.97% copper and 3.5% zinc. During 2005, we received the approval for our environmental Table of Contents impact study and we are in the process of obtaining land use approval. During 2009, we continued negotiating with the State of Michoacan, Mexico to purchase various properties essential to our operations. A prefeasibility study, commissioned in 2009, indicated that the Angangueo project needs to upgrade the Descubridora vein with more drilling. Subsequent simulation work has indicated that Angangueo may be an economical project. Buenavista. The Buenavista site is located in the state of Sonora, Mexico, adjacent to the Cananea ore body. Drilling and metallurgical studies have shown that the site contains approximately 36 million tons of mineralized material containing 29 grams of silver, 0.69% of copper and 3.3% of zinc per ton. A new “scoping level” study indicates that Buenavista may be an economical deposit. During 2007, 2,100 meters were drilled to upgrade the mineralized material and to acquire material for metallurgical testing. Results confirmed the previous geologic interpretation of the mineralized areas. Due to labor strike at the Cananea mine no work was performed in 2008 or 2009. Carbon Coahuila. In Coahuila, an intensive exploration program of diamond drilling has identified two additional areas, Esperanza with a potential for more than 30 million tons of “in place” mineralized coal and Guayacan with a potential for 15 million tons of “in place” mineralized coal, that could be used for a future coal-fired power plant. During 2007 along with 5,767 meters of drilling, 23 million tons of mineralized coal resources were identified at our Nueva Rosita No. 16 concession. Due to budget constraints, exploration work on this project was deferred in 2008 and part of 2009 and as a result, only 6,338 meters were drilled during 2009 to define mineralized material for an open-pit mine in the area. The Chalchihuites. The Chalchihuites site is located in the State of Zacatecas. It is a replacement deposit with mixed oxides and sulfides of lead, copper, zinc and silver. A drilling program, in the late nineties, defined 16 million tons of mineralized material containing 95 grams of silver, 0.36% lead, 0.69% copper and 3.08% zinc per ton. Preliminary metallurgical testing indicates a leaching precipitating-flotation recovery process that can be applied to this ore. In 2009, we started a prefeasibility study, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2010. Pilares. In 2008, we bought Freeport-McMoran’s 49% interest in Minera Pilares, S.A. de C.V. (“Minera Pilares”), giving us 100% ownership. Minera Pilares is located in the state of Sonora, ten kilometers from the town of Nacozari de Garcia and six straight line kilometers from our La Caridad mine. The work to clear and prepare the access to the Porvenir tunnel started at the end of 2008. Calculations using Mine-Sight software indicated 52.9 million tons of mineralized material, with 0.92% copper content. Because all previous mineralized material calculation was based on rotary drilling, a diamond drilling program of 9,509 meters was performed in 2009. A new mineralized material calculation, based on this drilling, will be undertaken in 2010. A “heavy medium” metallurgical test was also conducted on core from this drilling. Preliminary results indicate that preconcentration by this method may be feasible for the Pilares ore. We expect to complete the results of this testing by the second half of 2010. Sierra de Lobos. This project is located southwest of the city of Leon, Guanajuato. Our target is to identify a copper and zinc deposit with mineralized material with average grades between 0.5% and 1.0% copper and between 5% and 7% zinc including a small contribution of gold and silver. In 2008, 1,636 meters were drilled. Results confirm the presence of copper and zinc mineralization, but an economical deposit has not yet been identified. Due to the changes in our investment program priorities no work was performed in 2009. We expect to continue work on this project in 2010. Table of Contents Chile El Salado. The El Salado prospect is located in northern Chile (Atacama area) and it corresponds to an ore body with copper and gold in veins. In 2009 a diamond drilling program totaling 3,387 meters was completed; with this program we have concluded the exploration stage and during 2010 we will evaluate the results to determine what our next steps are for this prospect. Resguardo de la Costa. During 2009 we continued with the exploration of El Resguardo de la Costa prospect (copper-gold in veins) located also in the Atacama area and completed 1,378 meters of diamond drilling; with this program we have concluded the exploration stage and during 2010 we will evaluate the results in order to determine how to proceed with this prospect. Ticnamar. The Ticnamar prospect, located in northern Chile, has been explored as a deposit with copper-molybdenum porphyric veins. In 2009, 3,671 meters of diamond drilling were completed. For 2010 we have budgeted 5,000 meters of diamond drilling. Other Chilean Prospects. For 2010 a drilling program of 11,500 meters has been planned for the following prospects located in northern Chile: Catanave (epithermal gold- silver veins), Santa Marta (porphyric copper-molybdenum veins) and San Benito (porphyric copper-molybdenum veins). PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND MARKETS The principal uses of copper are in the building and construction industry, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, industrial machinery and equipment, consumer products and the automotive and transportation industries. Molybdenum is used to toughen alloy steels and soften tungsten alloy and is also used in fertilizers, dyes, enamels and reagents. Silver is used for photographic, electrical and electronic products and, to a lesser extent, brazing alloys and solder, jewelry, coinage, silverware and catalysts. Zinc is primarily used as a coating on iron and steel to protect against corrosion. It is also used to make die cast parts, in the manufacturing of batteries and in the form of sheets for architectural purposes. Our marketing strategy and annual sales planning emphasize developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships, and thus acquiring annual or other long-term contracts for the sale of our products is a high priority. Approximately 80% of our metal production for the year 2009, 2008 and 2007, was sold under annual or longer-term contracts. Sales prices are determined based on prevailing commodity prices for the quotation period according to the terms of the contract. We focus on the ultimate end-user customers as opposed to selling on the spot market or to trading companies. In addition, we devote significant marketing effort to diversifying our sales both by region and by customer base. We strive to provide superior customer service, including just-in-time deliveries of our products. Our ability to consistently fulfill customer demand is supported by our substantial production capacity. For additional information on sales please see Revenue recognition on Note 2 “Summary of significant accounting policies” and Note 20 “Segment and related information” of our consolidated financial statements. Table of Contents METALS PRICES Prices for our products are principally a function of supply and demand and, except for molybdenum, are established on the Commodities Exchange, or COMEX, in New York and the London Metal Exchange or LME, the two most important metal exchanges in the world. Prices for our molybdenum products are established by reference to the publication Platt’s Metals Week. Our contract prices also reflect any negotiated premiums and the costs of freight and other factors. From time to time, we have entered into hedging transactions to provide partial protection against future decreases in the market price of metals and we may do so under certain market conditions. We entered into copper derivative contracts in 2008 and 2007. During 2009 we did not enter into any copper or zinc derivative contracts and, at present, we do not have any copper or zinc swap contracts outstanding for 2010. For a further discussion of derivative instruments see Item 7A “Quantitative and Qualitative Discussion about Market Risk”. For a further discussion of our products market prices, please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” — “Metal Prices”. The table below shows the high, low and average COMEX and LME copper prices during the last 15 years: Copper (COMEX) Copper (LME) Year High Low Average High Low Average 1995 1.44 1.30 1.37 1.47 1.23 1.33 1996 1.31 0.86 1.06 1.29 0.83 1.04 1997 1.23 0.76 1.04 1.23 0.77 1.03 1998 0.86 0.64 0.75 0.85 0.65 0.75 1999 0.85 0.61 0.72 0.84 0.61 0.71 2000 0.93 0.74 0.84 0.91 0.73 0.82 2001 0.87 0.60 0.73 0.83 0.60 0.72 2002 0.78 0.65 0.72 0.77 0.64 0.71 2003 1.04 0.71 0.81 1.05 0.70 0.81 2004 1.54 1.06 1.29 1.49 1.06 1.30 2005 2.28 1.40 1.68 2.11 1.39 1.67 2006 4.08 2.13 3.10 3.99 2.06 3.05 2007 3.75 2.40 3.23 3.77 2.37 3.23 2008 4.08 1.25 3.13 4.08 1.26 3.16 2009-1st Q 1.85 1.38 1.57 1.85 1.38 1.55 2009-2nd Q 2.44 1.85 2.15 2.39 1.80 2.12 2009-3rd Q 2.95 2.15 2.66 2.94 2.19 2.65 2009-4th Q 3.33 2.67 3.03 3.33 2.66 3.02 2009 3.33 1.38 2.35 3.33 1.38 2.34 The per pound COMEX copper price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $2.70, $1.79 and $1.52, respectively. The per pound LME copper price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $2.69, $1.78 and $1.51, respectively. At February 19, 2010, the COMEX and LME copper prices were $3.36 and $3.26 per pound, respectively. The table below shows the high, low and average market prices for our three principal by-products during the last 15 years: Table of Contents Zinc(LME) Silver (COMEX) Molybdenum (Dealer Oxide Platt’s Metals Week) Year High Low Average High Low Average High Low Average 1995 0.52 0.44 0.47 6.10 4.38 5.19 16.50 4.25 8.08 1996 0.48 0.45 0.47 5.82 4.67 5.18 5.25 3.13 3.79 1997 0.80 0.47 0.60 6.31 4.16 4.87 4.75 3.59 4.31 1998 0.52 0.42 0.46 7.26 4.61 5.53 4.48 2.10 3.42 1999 0.56 0.41 0.49 5.76 4.87 5.22 2.80 2.52 2.66 2000 0.58 0.46 0.51 5.55 4.56 4.97 2.92 2.19 2.56 2001 0.48 0.33 0.40 4.81 4.03 4.36 2.58 2.19 2.35 2002 0.38 0.33 0.35 5.11 4.22 4.60 7.90 2.43 3.76 2003 0.46 0.34 0.38 5.98 4.35 4.89 7.60 3.28 5.29 2004 0.58 0.43 0.48 8.21 5.51 6.68 32.38 7.35 16.20 2005 0.87 0.53 0.63 9.00 6.43 7.32 39.25 25.00 31.99 2006 2.10 0.87 1.49 14.85 8.82 11.54 28.20 21.00 24.75 2007 1.93 1.00 1.47 15.50 11.47 13.39 33.75 24.50 30.19 2008 1.28 0.47 0.85 20.69 8.80 14.97 33.88 8.75 28.42 2009-1st Q 0.59 0.48 0.53 14.49 10.42 12.63 9.50 8.13 8.94 2009-2nd Q 0.76 0.57 0.67 15.95 11.79 13.75 10.60 7.83 9.10 2009-3rd Q 0.86 0.66 0.77 17.24 12.64 14.76 18.00 10.80 14.49 2009-4th Q 1.17 0.84 1.00 19.30 16.21 17.56 13.25 10.75 11.57 2009 1.17 0.48 0.75 19.30 10.42 14.67 18.00 7.83 11.03 The per pound LME zinc price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $1.04, $0.73 and $0.65, respectively. The per ounce COMEX silver price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $12.38, $8.74 and $7.56, respectively. The per pound Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price during the last 5, 10 and 15 year periods averaged $25.28, $15.65 and $11.92, respectively. At February 19, 2010 the LME zinc price was $1.03 per pound, the COMEX silver price was $16.41 per ounce and the Platt’s Metals Week Dealer Oxide molybdenum price was $15.75 per pound. COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Competition in the copper market is primarily on a price and service basis, with price being the most important consideration when supplies of copper are ample. The Company’s products compete with other materials, including aluminum and plastics. For additional information, see “Item 1A – “Risk factors – The copper mining is highly competitive.” EMPLOYEES As of December 31, 2009, we had 11,523 employees, approximately 71.2% of whom are covered by labor agreements with ten different labor unions. During the last several years, we have experienced strikes or other labor disruptions that have had an adverse impact on our operations and operating results. Our Cananea, Taxco and San Martin mines in Mexico have been on strike since July 2007. Peru Approximately 62% of our Peruvian labor force was unionized at December 31, 2009, represented by eight separate unions. Three of these unions, one at each major production area, represent the majority of the Company’s workers. The collective bargaining agreements with these unions expire in February 2010. The Company commenced negotiations with them on February 5, 2010. Additionally, there are five Table of Contents smaller unions representing the balance of the unionized workers. Collective bargaining agreements for these smaller unions are in effect through November 2012. During 2009 no additional strikes occured. In 2008, strikes in support of a mining federation strike occurred at the Company’s operating areas, during which operations were close to normal. Employees of the Toquepala and Cuajone units reside in townsites, where we have built 2,513 houses and apartments and 1,186 houses and apartments, respectively. In 1998, company housing at our Ilo unit, was sold to workers at nominal prices. We still hold 90 houses at Ilo for staff personnel. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsite and housing complexes include schools, medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping, banking and other services. Mexico Approximately 76% of the Mexican labor force was unionized at December 31, 2009, represented by two separate unions. Under Mexican law, the terms of employment for unionized workers are set forth in collective bargaining agreements. Typically Mexican companies negotiate the salary provisions of collective bargaining agreements with the labor unions annually and negotiate other benefits every two years. The Company conducts negotiations separately at each mining complex and each processing plant. In the last eight years the Cananea mine has experienced nine labor stoppages. The Company has tried unsuccessfully to resolve the current labor stoppage that obstructs production at Cananea. In the second quarter 2008, the Board of Directors offered all Cananea employees a severance payment in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement and applicable law. This was offered in order to award the employees a significant severance payment that allows them to choose the labor alternative that is best for each of them. During 2008, under this plan a group of employees was terminated at a cost to the Company of $15.2 million, which was recorded in cost of sales on the consolidated statement of earnings. There were no termination payments made in 2009. In accordance with FASB Codification topic 712-10-25, the Company has estimated a liability of $35.1 million, which was recorded on the consolidated balance sheet. Due to the lengthy work stoppage the Company has performed an impairment analysis on the assets at the Cananea mine. The Company has determined through its impairment analysis that no impairment exists as of December 31, 2009. Should estimates of future copper and molybdenum prices decrease significantly, such determination could change. During 2009, the Company continued to provide periodic maintenance to the assets. On February 11, 2010 a Mexican Federal Labor court ruled that the damages caused to the Cananea mine by the neglect and sabotage of striking workers since the commencement of the labor stopagges in July 2007 resulted in force majeure, thus providing legal basis for the termination of individual and unionized employees by the Company. The Company expects due compliance of the referred ruling by the relevant federal and state authorities and looks forward to recovering control of the Cananea mine. Additionally, the Taxco and San Martin mines have been on strike since July 2007. It is expected that operations at these mines will remain suspended until these labor issues are resolved. On December 10, 2009 a federal tribunal confirmed the legality of the San Martin strike. Employees of the Mexcobre and Cananea Units reside in townsites at La Caridad and Cananea, where we have built approximately 2,000 houses and apartments and 275 houses and apartments, respectively. Most of the employees of the IMMSA Unit reside on the Table of Contents grounds of the mining or processing complexes in which they work and where we have built approximately 900 houses and apartments. Housing, together with maintenance and utility services, is provided at minimal cost to most of our employees. Our townsites and housing complexes include educational and, in some units, medical facilities, churches, social clubs, shopping centers, banking and other services. At the Cananea Unit, health care is provided free of charge to employees, retired unionized employees and their families. FUEL, ELECTRICITY AND WATER SUPPLIES The principal raw materials used in our operations are fuels (including fuel oil to power boilers and generators, natural gas for metallurgical processes at our Mexican operations and diesel fuel for mining equipment), electricity and water. We believe that supplies of fuel, electricity and water are readily available. Although the prices of these raw materials may fluctuate beyond our control, we focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. Peru In Peru, electric power for our operating facilities is generated by two thermal electric plants owned and operated by Enersur S.A., an independent power company (“Enersur”), a diesel and waste heat boilers plant located adjacent to the Ilo smelter and a coal plant located south of Ilo. Power generation capacity for Peruvian operations is currently 344 megawatts. In addition, we have nine megawatts of power generation capacity from two small hydro-generating installations at Cuajone. Power is distributed over a 224-kilometer closed loop transmission circuit. We obtain fuel in Peru primarily from a local producer. In 1997, we sold our Ilo power plant to Enersur. In connection with the sale, a power purchase agreement was also completed under which we agreed to purchase all of our power needs for our Peruvian operations from Enersur for twenty years, commencing in 1997. In 2003 the agreement was amended releasing Enersur from its obligation to construct additional capacity to meet our increased electricity requirements and changing the power tariff as called for in the original agreement. In 2009, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Enersur regarding its power supply agreement. The MOU contains new economic terms that we believe better reflect current economic conditions in the power industry and in Peru. We expect to obtain savings in our future power costs. The new economic conditions agreed in the MOU have been applied by Enersur to its invoices to us since May 2009. Additionally, the MOU includes an option for providing power for the Tia Maria project. The MOU also established a time frame in which Enersur and the Company must negotiate in good faith to settle certain pending issues, including agreeing on a power purchase agreement for the Tia Maria Project. If the parties do not settle such pending issues, SCC will be free to negotiate with third parties. However, the Company could lose the economic benefit negotiated in the MOU. In Peru, we have water rights or licenses for up to 1,950 liters per second from well fields at Huaitire, Vizcachas and Titijones aquifers and also surface water from the Suches lake and two small water courses, namely Quebrada Honda and Quebrada Tacalaya, which together are sufficient to supply the needs of our two operating units at Toquepala and Cuajone. At Ilo, we have desalinization plants that produce water for industrial and domestic use that we believe are sufficient for our current and projected needs. Table of Contents Mexico Besides electric energy, the principal raw materials used in our operations are fuels. Natural gas is used for metallurgical processes, to power furnaces, converters, casting wheels, boilers and electric generators. Fuel oil is a backup for all these uses. Also at our operations we use diesel oil for mining equipment. Fuel, electricity and water supplies are readily available. The prices of these materials may fluctuate beyond our control since the only supplier is the Mexican government. We therefore focus our efforts to reduce these costs through cost and energy saving measures. In Mexico, fuel is purchased directly from Petroleos Mexicanos, (“PEMEX”), the state oil monopoly. Electricity for our Mexican operations, which is used as the main energy source at our mining complexes, is purchased from the Comision Federal de Electricidad, the Federal Electricity Commission, or CFE, the state’s electrical power producer. In addition, we recover some energy from waste heat boilers at the La Caridad smelter. Accordingly, a significant portion of our operating costs in Mexico are dependent upon the pricing policies of PEMEX and CFE, which reflect government policy as well as international market prices for crude oil, natural gas and conditions in the refinery markets. Mexcobre imports natural gas from the U.S. through its pipeline (between Douglas, Arizona and Nacozari, Sonora). This permits us to import natural gas from the United States at market prices and thereby reduce operating costs. A contract with PEMEX provides us with the option of using a monthly fixed price for a portion of our natural gas purchases. In the last three years we entered into gas swap contracts to protect part of our gas consumption as follows: 2009 2008 2007 Gas volume (MMBTUs) 184,000 460,000 900,000 Fixed price $ 3.6350 $ 8.2175 $ 7.5250 Loss (in millions) $ — $ 0.9 $ 0.9 The losses obtained were included in the production cost. At December 31, 2009, we did not hold any open gas swap contracts. In December 2005, we announced our plans for a 450 megawatt coal power generation plant in the state of Sonora, Mexico to supply our facilities. In 2007, we reformulated this project to increase the plant capacity to 600 megawatt. During 2008 and 2009, we continued with the feasibility study for this plant. In Mexico, water is a national property and industries not connected to a public services water supply must obtain a water concession from Comision Nacional del Agua (the “National Water Commission”, or “CNA”). Water usage fees are established in the Ley Federal de Derechos (the Federal Law on Water Rights), which distinguishes several availability zones with different fees per unit of volume according to each zone. All of our operations have one or several water concessions and, with the exception of Mexicana de Cobre, pump out the required water from one or several wells. Mexicana de Cobre pumps water from the La Angostura dam, which is close to the mine and plants. At our Cananea facility, we maintain our own wells and pay the CNA for water measured by usage. Water conservation committees have been established in each plant in order to conserve and recycle water. Water usage fees are updated on a yearly basis and have been increasing in recent years. Table of Contents ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS For a discussion of environmental matters reference is made to the information contained under the caption “Environmental matters” in Note 14 “Commitments and contingencies” of the consolidated financial statements. MINING RIGHTS AND CONCESSIONS Peru We have 243,891 hectares in concessions from the Peruvian government for our exploration, exploitation, extraction and/or production operations, distributed among our various sites as follows: Toquepala Cuajone Ilo Other Total (hectares) Plants 300 456 420 — 1,176 Operations 26,848 27,801 5,619 — 60,268 Exploration 3,900 6,400 4,600 167,547 182,447 Total 31,048 34,657 10,639 167,547 243,891 We believe that our Peruvian concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Peruvian laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. The concessions have indefinite terms, subject to our payment of concession fees of up to $3.00 per hectare annually for the mining concessions and a fee based on nominal capacity for the processing concessions. Fees paid during 2009, 2008 and 2007 were approximately $1.1 million, $1.8 million and $1.4 million, respectively. We have two types of mining concessions in Peru: metallic and non-metallic concessions. We also have water concessions for well fields at Huaitire, Titijones and Vizcachas and surface water rights from the Suches Lake, which together are sufficient to supply the needs of our Toquepala and Cuajone operating units. In June 2004, the Peruvian Congress enacted legislation imposing a royalty charge to be paid by mining companies in favor of the regional governments and communities where mining resources are located. Under this law, we are subject to a 1% to 3% charge, based on sales, applicable to the value of the concentrates produced in our Toquepala and Cuajone mines. We made provisions of $43.7 million, $53.9 million and $62.8 million in 2009, 2008 and 2007 respectively, for this charge. These provisions are included in cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation, amortization and depletion) on the consolidated statement of earnings. Mexico In Mexico we have approximately 365,931 hectares in concessions from the Mexican government for our exploration and exploitation activities as outlined in the table below. Underground Mines La Caridad Cananea Projects Total (hectares) Mine concessions 88,323 98,687 22,317 156,604 365,931 We believe that our Mexican concessions are in full force and in effect under applicable Mexican laws and that we are in compliance with all material terms and requirements applicable to these concessions. Under Mexican law, mineral resources Table of Contents belong to the Mexican nation and a concession from the Mexican federal government is required to explore or mine mineral reserves. Mining concessions have a 50-year term that can be renewed for another 50 years. Holding fees for mining concessions can be from $0.4 to $8.5 per hectare depending on the beginning date of the mining concession. Fees paid during 2009, 2008 and 2007 were approximately $2.5 million, $2.5 million and $2.2 million, respectively. In addition, all of our operating units in Mexico have water concessions that are in full force and effect. We generally own the land to which our Mexican concessions relate, although ownership is not required in order to explore or mine a concession. We also own all of the processing facilities of our Mexican operations and the land on which they are constructed. Table of Contents | 10-K |
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