SILVER CITY - A spokesman for Freeport-McMoran Copper and Gold Inc. said Wednesday that the number of workers at Chino Mines has doubled since it began a hiring process in November to add 570 jobs.

Richard A. Peterson said Chino Mines is currently employing about 480 workers.

There were only 240 employees at Chino Mines in October before Freeport announced it would be rehiring. At the end of 2008, Freeport announced its plan to suspend mining and milling at Chino Mines Co. and about 400 mine operations employees were placed on paid leaves of absence. When the remaining crushed ore at the concentrator was processed, the concentrator ceased production and about 200 more employees were placed on paid leave. These 600 employees were then laid off in February 2009.

Peterson said providing a total of 570 positions continues to be the target.

"In some instances, employees are being added only when positions become available," Peterson said.

He said some jobs have been more difficult to fill than others.

"Positions that are taking comparatively longer to fill include diagnostic-level electricians, diagnostic-level mechanics, boilermaker/welders and support equipment operators," he said.

Those who have been hired are filling the company's need in professional/administrative areas as well as operations and maintenance, he said.

"Operational and maintenance areas include heavy equipment operators, concentrator operators and filter plant operators, as well as heavy duty

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truck mechanics, drill mechanics, oilers, industrial mechanics, industrial electricians and laborers, to name only a few," Peterson said.

He said some of those workers who were laid off in 2009 have been rehired.

Peterson said current production at Chino Mines continues to come from leaching residual copper in stockpiles. Incremental annual copper production is expected to be 100 million pounds in 2012 and 2013 and 200 million pounds in 2014.

He said the company has no projections regarding the economic impact the increase in employment at Chino Mines has had on the area.

Silver City Town Manager Alex Brown has said renewed activity at the mines led to increases in gross receipts and lodgers tax revenue in November and December, and that has helped offset declines in revenue earlier in the year.

Terrance Vestal can be reached at (575) 538-5893, ext. 5803.

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•Openings for all Freeport-McMoRan properties are listed at www.fcx.com, where applicants can apply online.