The Copper Development Association estimates that throughout history about 700 billion pounds of copper have been mined and that a majority of this copper is still in use. Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. recycles a variety of copper-containing materials, including copper wire, copper alloys, copper-bearing sludges and soils. We are aggressively applying environmental process technology and copper-bearing waste recycling to capture metal value from waste and effluent streams.

Used oil is a common waste stream at our locations worldwide. We have established facilities to produce blasting agents for rock fragmentation from used engine oil. Previously, used engine oil was handled by a hazardous waste disposal firm or returned to the supplier for recycling. By utilizing this used oil, we are currently reducing diesel consumption by approximately 460,000 gallons annually while safely eliminating the same quantity of used oil.

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