Southern Copper: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors

Southern Copper (SCCO) demonstrated impressive financial results during its Q3 2026 earnings call on October 22, 2026, as the company reported record net sales and net income. Management highlighted three key factors that position the miner for long-term success in the industry.

Firstly, Southern Copper emphasized the value of by-product credits, which are revenue offsets generated from selling secondary minerals such as molybdenum, silver, and zinc. These credits significantly reduce net mining expenses and serve as a buffer against inflation in fuel, power, and labor costs when metal prices rise. For the nine months of 2026, the operating cash cost per pound, net of by-product credits, amounted to $0.01, a remarkable decrease of 98% from the $0.61 recorded for the same period in 2025.

Secondly, organic mine development plays a crucial role in expanding refined output without necessitating expensive corporate acquisitions. Projects like Tia Maria in Peru and El Pilar in Mexico are currently under construction and are expected to add 156,000 tons of refined copper to the company's total production capacity. As of now, the company has already surpassed the milestone of 1 million tons annual production.

Lastly, Southern Copper is making strides in increasing daily processing throughput at existing sites to extract more valuable metal from existing reserves. The company is evaluating an expansion of milling capacity at the Cuajone facility in Peru, increasing it from the current 90,000 tons per day to a projected 120,000 tons per day – a 33% increase.

This focus on operational efficiency and infrastructure upgrades allows the company to enhance long-term scale with relatively low incremental capital investment, further strengthening its competitive position in the market.