Company History


1899
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Asarco organized as American Smelting and Refining Company.  Included in original consolidation were mines and mining claims in Colorado and Mexico. Major plants in consolidation included: Globe by-products plant (Denver, Colorado),  East Helena lead smelter (Montana), El Paso lead plant (Texas).
1901
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Merged with M. Guggenheim's Sons.   Included in the merger were the Perth Amboy copper refinery (New Jersey) and smelters in Mexico (Chihuahua lead smelter, San Luis Potosi lead and copper smelter, Monterrey lead and copper smelter). Acquired five additional mines in Mexico.
1910
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Purchased mining properties in Silver Bell district of Arizona. Copper smelters built in El Paso, Texas, and Hayden, Arizona.
1922
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Amarillo, Texas, zinc plant constructed.
1942
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Corpus Christi, Texas, zinc plant constructed.
1954
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Production commenced at Silver Bell, Asarco's first open-pit copper mine.
1960
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Southern Peru Copper Corporation opened the Toquepala mine and Ilo smelter.
1961
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Mission copper mine in Arizona started up.
1967
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Mexican mines and plants reorganized as Asarco Mexicana, S.A., and 51% interest sold to Mexican investors.
1971
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Four Tennessee zinc mines purchased.
1973
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San Xavier copper mine and leach plant in Arizona started production.
1974
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Asarco Mexicana, S.A. reorganized as Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. and 15% interest sold to Mexican investors reducing equity to 34%.
1975
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Corporate name changed to ASARCO Incorporated.
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Amarillo zinc refinery closed.
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Amarillo copper refinery commenced production.
1976
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Southern Peru Copper Corporation opened Cuajone copper mine.
1978
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Industrial Minera Mexico, S.A. (IMM) reorganized. Asarco owns 34% of Mexico Desarrollo Industrial Minero, S.A., a holding company formed to hold shares of IMM and shares of certain IMM operating subsidiaries.
1979
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Modernization of El Paso Plant completed.
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Eisenhower Mining Company, a partnership of Anamax and Asarco, began mining the Palo Verde copper deposit located between Asarco's Mission and San Xavier copper mines.
1983
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Hayden copper smelter modernization completed.
1985
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Corpus Christi zinc smelter and refinery operations suspended indefinitely.
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Pima copper mine in Arizona acquired.
1986
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Ray copper mine and smelter purchased.
1987
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Anamax interest in Eisenhower mineral reserves acquired.
1988
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Encycle, Inc. started up waste treatment facility at Corpus Christi.
1989
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IMASA Group acquired.
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49.9% interest acquired in copper mining business of Montana Resources, Inc.
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Asarco announces decision to end involvement in coal mining.
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Asarco announces board approval to expand copper facilities at Mission and Ray mines and El Paso smelter.
1991
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Expansion of Mission mine completed.
1992
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Expansion of Ray mine completed.
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Asarco becomes a fully integrated copper producer.
1993
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Modernization of El Paso smelter completed.
1994
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Acquisition by Southern Peru Copper Corporation of Ilo Refinery.
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Underground operation at Mission mine announced.
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Asarco and Coeur d'Alene Corp. form Silver Valley Resources, Inc.
1995
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Asarco purchases an additional 10.7% interest in SPCC, increasing holdings to 63%; consolidates results.
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SPCC starts SX/EW facility at Toquepala.
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New sulfuric acid plant started at SPCCs Ilo smelter.
1996
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Asarco announces construction of a new mining and SX/EW facility at Silver Bell mine.
1997
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Silver Bell solvent extraction/electrowinning facility started.
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Asarco sells shares in Grupo Mexico, S.A. de C.V. for $323 million.
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Expansion program started at SPCC's Cuajone mine; to increase mine's production 50%.
1999
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Asarco suspends operations at El Paso, Texas copper smelter
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Asarco exchanges interest in Coeur and Galena mines for interest in Coeur d'Alene Mines Corp.
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Grupo Mexico purchases shares of Asarco for $2.2 billion (including debt); retains Asarco as wholly-owned U.S. operating subsidiary.
2000
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2001
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2002
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2003
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2004
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2005
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2006
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2007
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2008
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