Products CopperZinc Opened 1966 | Closed 2022 (estimated) | |
 | ||
Website Kidd Mine information on Xstrata website | ||
2014 12 10 glencore kidd mine ore train
Kidd Mine is an underground base metal mine in the city of Timmins, Ontario, Canada. It is owned by Glencore Inc., and operated by Kidd Operations, a Glencore subsidiary. The mine was formerly owned by Xstrata Copper, Falconbridge Ltd., and Texas Gulf Sulphur. Ore from the Kidd Mine is processed into concentrate at the Kidd Metallurgical Site, located 27 km (17 mi) southeast of the mine, which until 2010 also smelted the ore and refined the metal produced. Following the closure of the majority of the Met Site, concentrate is now shipped to Quebec for processing. Kidd Mine is the world's deepest copper/zinc mine.
Contents
History
The copper-zinc-silver ore deposit at Kidd Mine was discovered in 1964 by the Texas Gulf Sulphur Corporation. During the initial exploration of the site, then known as Kidd-55, officers of the company engaged in insider trading in Texas Gulf shares. The ensuing lawsuit by the Securities and Exchange Commission resulted in a landmark decision that established the right of all market participants to have "relatively equal access to material information."
The mine began operation in 1966, as an open pit mine and eventually evolved into an underground mine. The mine produces copper, zinc, and several other metals.
Geology
The Kidd deposit is one of the largest volcanogenic massive sulfide ore deposits in the world, and one of the world's largest base metal deposits. It lies within the Abitibi greenstone belt.
Current operation
Kidd Mine and Met Site collectively employ approximately 850 employees and contractors. In 2008, the company committed to investing $120 million to extend the production to 2017, and deepen the mine to 9,600 feet (2,900 m). . The investment would add 3.4 million tonnes of ore into the mine plan. The expansion included the development of three additional production levels and deepening the ramp from the 9100 level to the 9600 level, where the loading pocket is located. This included an extension of the ventilation and backfill systems to the new sections of the mine.The mine has since extended its production life to 2021.
Depth
The mine is the deepest base metal mine in the world. The maximum depth of 10,300 feet (3,100 m) and its northerly latitude mean that the bottom of the mine is the closest accessible point to the centre of the Earth.