Construction on some facilities, including a water-treatment center, is complete at the Climax molybdenum mine, scheduled to reopen in 2010.
In addition, more than 150 antiquated buildings from the old operation have been razed and removed, said Kurt Keskimaki, general manager of the Climax operation.
Keskimaki gave an update on the mine, which is just outside Leadville, at the National Western Mining Conference in Denver on Tuesday. Climax reduced operations in 1981 and shut down completely in 1995. Leadville’s economy tanked after the closure, with unemployment as high as 80 percent at one time.
When the mine reopens, Keskimaki estimates, it will employee 350 people. A majority of workers will be recruited from the area around Leadville, including Chaffee, Lake and Summit counties.
Production assessments estimate that the mine could produce 30 million pounds of molybdenum each year through open-pit mining.
International mining giant Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. acquired the Climax and Henderson mines in Colorado in late 2006.
Keskimaki also said the company is overseeing maintenance and upgrade work at the Henderson facility in preparation for more stringent environmental standards taking effect in May.
The mining conference continues through Thursday.
Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier: 303-954-1661 or jsteltonholtmeier @denverpost.com
