BHP has entered into an agreement to sell the Cerro Colorado copper mine in Chile to private equity manager EMR Capital for a total cash consideration of US$230 million, plus approximately US$40 million in proceeds from the post-closing sale of certain Cerro Colorado copper inventory, and a contingent payment of up to US$50 million to be paid in the future, depending upon copper price performance.
The sale is subject to financing and customary closing conditions, and is expected to close during the fourth quarter of calendar-year 2018.
Cerro Colorado is located in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile and represents one of two copper mining operations of BHP’s Pampa Norte division. In fiscal-year 2017, Cerro Colorado produced 65,000 metric tons (mt) of copper cathode.