Table 6.8
Electricity Consumption per Tonne of Contained Copper by Process
Unit: MJ per tonne of contained copper, as applicable · Cochilco, Anuario Cochilco 2025 · 2005 to 2025
| Series | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open-pit mining | 639.72 | 614.28 | 619.94 | 654.84 | 731.47 | 627.1 | 653.78 | 668.24 | 650.56 | 659.58 | 638.38 | 743.08 | 696.8 | 693.64 | 641.14 | 702.15 | 684.02 | 757.28 | 743.91 | 723.6 | n.d. |
| (MJ per tonne of contained copper in ore) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Underground mining | 1,558.5 | 1,693.6 | 1,692.3 | 2,099.4 | 1,971.5 | 2,012.9 | 2,169.4 | 2,356.5 | 2,455.8 | 2,175.5 | 2,225.9 | 1,996.2 | 2,129.2 | 2,032.7 | 2,217.1 | 2,828 | 3,101.6 | 3,323.9 | 3,436.4 | 3,912.5 | n.d. |
| (MJ per tonne of contained copper in ore) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Concentrator plant | 7,240.7 | 7,424.5 | 7,862.8 | 8,208.6 | 9,055.5 | 8,945.6 | 10,283.5 | 11,250.3 | 10,557.2 | 10,810.4 | 11,325 | 11,875.9 | 12,147.4 | 11,790.3 | 11,405.5 | 11,459.1 | 12,000 | 12,346.4 | 13,072.8 | 13,079.3 | n.d. |
| (MJ per tonne of contained copper in concentrate) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Smelter | 3,771.7 | 3,778.7 | 3,887.1 | 3,962.1 | 3,531.9 | 3,741 | 3,920.4 | 3,918 | 4,363.6 | 4,224.8 | 3,885.5 | 3,961.6 | 4,687.5 | 4,275.8 | 5,109 | 4,951.1 | 5,287.9 | 5,429.6 | 4,954.5 | 5,338 | n.d. |
| (MJ per tonne of contained copper in anodes) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Refinery | 1,269.9 | 1,233.4 | 1,221.2 | 1,285.1 | 1,254.8 | 1,311.2 | 1,337.9 | 1,341.6 | 1,354.5 | 1,278.1 | 1,306.7 | 1,303.7 | 1,344.7 | 1,357.2 | 1,481.9 | 1,474.6 | 1,362.3 | 1,397.3 | 1,360.2 | 1,249.7 | n.d. |
| (MJ per tonne of contained copper in electrorefined cathodes) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Leaching (SX-EW) | 10,082.3 | 10,128.7 | 10,479.6 | 10,702.3 | 10,295.8 | 10,633.8 | 11,067.4 | 10,892.1 | 11,613.3 | 12,085.8 | 12,015.3 | 12,461.1 | 12,412.8 | 12,782.7 | 11,956.7 | 12,793.4 | 13,104.4 | 13,289.7 | 12,956.3 | 13,848.2 | n.d. |
| (MJ per tonne of contained copper in electrowon cathodes) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | 576.09 | 502.46 | 443.21 | 558.01 | 611.1 | 679.7 | 603.14 | 713.59 | 740.75 | 838.65 | 1,122.7 | 1,151.7 | 1,341 | 1,778.3 | 1,608.9 | 2,201.8 | 2,575 | 2,598.8 | 922.72 | 836.33 | n.d. |
| (MJ per tonne of total copper production) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Seawater use (2) | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | 4,445.1 | 4,425 | n.d. |
Notes of the table
- (MJ/TMF total producido) / (MJ per tonne of total copper production)
- (1) Información correspondiente al año 2025 no disponible al momento de cierre de esta edición del Anuario. / Information for 2025 was not available at the closing date of this edition of the Yearbook.
- (2) A partir de 2023, la encuesta utilizada para recopilar información de las empresas modificó su metodología, reportando por separado los ítems "Servicios" y "Uso de agua de mar". Antes de este cambio, tanto la desalinización como la impulsión de agua de mar se encontraban incluidas dentro de "Servicios". / Since 2023, the survey used to collect company information has modified its methodology by reporting the items "Services" and "Seawater Use" separately. Prior to this change, both seawater desalination and seawater pumping were included under "Services".
Source stated in the table
Comisión Chilena del Cobre (COCHILCO), en base a información reportada por las empresas mediante encuesta anual. / Chilean Copper Commission (COCHILCO), based on information reported by companies through an annual survey.
Source: Chilean Copper Commission (Cochilco), Cochilco, Anuario Cochilco 2025 (XLSX), 2026. Read on Oct 6, 2026.
n.d.: no data · n.a.: not applicable · “< 1”: less than one unit.