For a copper mine, the extraction period or lifespan is generally expected to be somewhere between 5 to 70 years. Other mines, such as diamond mines or nickel mines, have a significantly shorter duration of extraction with some 27 and 22 years, respectively.
Duration of the extraction period of a mine by selected commodities
Mine life is the extraction period in years for scheduled ore reserves comprising proved and probable reserves only. For diamonds, life of mine (years) is reported and is based on scheduled probable reserves including indicated and some inferred resources considered for life of mine planning.
*The 30 years for platinum is due to 30 years being the maximum number of years for which a mining right is granted in South Africa.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
Anglo American plc. (March 19, 2013). Duration of the extraction period of a mine by selected commodities [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 02, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/255479/mine-life-per-commodity/
Anglo American plc. "Duration of the extraction period of a mine by selected commodities." Chart. March 19, 2013. Statista. Accessed November 02, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/255479/mine-life-per-commodity/
Anglo American plc. (2013). Duration of the extraction period of a mine by selected commodities. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: November 02, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/255479/mine-life-per-commodity/
Anglo American plc. "Duration of The Extraction Period of a Mine by Selected Commodities." Statista, Statista Inc., 19 Mar 2013, https://www.statista.com/statistics/255479/mine-life-per-commodity/
Anglo American plc, Duration of the extraction period of a mine by selected commodities Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/255479/mine-life-per-commodity/ (last visited November 02, 2024)
Duration of the extraction period of a mine by selected commodities [Graph], Anglo American plc, March 19, 2013. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/255479/mine-life-per-commodity/
