VOL. 07  |  ISSUE 3  |  September 2024

The Scoop

It’s a great time to be a Freeporter!

As I reflect on all we are doing to supply important metals to the global economy, I am incredibly proud of our work to build a better future for our employees, communities and society at large. We are setting the example for the industry, grounded in hard work, commitment to keeping ourselves and co-workers safe, supporting one another as we execute our plans, and leading the way on innovation that will make us even stronger in the future.

In talking with people across the organization, I am moved by your drive and passion to make us better, and am inspired every day by the spirit of “Team Freeport,” which defines our culture.

As we look forward, we see a world that will need more and more responsibly produced copper. There is no better company than Freeport to rise to the challenge.

Our innovative leach initiatives continue to build momentum. Morenci is leading the way in showing us how it’s done. New technologies, know-how with a few extra shots of creativity and the can-do Freeport spirit are the recipes for success. The industry is watching with envy.

I recently had the opportunity to visit our Bagdad operation to see first-hand the work we are doing to prepare for a major expansion and the exciting innovation to become the first operation in the U.S, with a fully autonomous haul truck fleet. I toured the construction site of our new housing facilities and the recently completed beautiful new studio apartment units.

In Safford, we are embarking on a study to define a major expansion, and I am optimistic we will have the opportunity to expand this operation to more than double the current rate.

Team Freeport also is busy preparing an application in Chile for a major expansion at El Abra. Watch out, as they aspire to produce as much copper as Cerro Verde in the future!

You may have noticed that some of your U.S.-based co-workers are racking up frequent flyer miles with a 22-hour airplane trip to Surabaya, Indonesia, where we are starting up one of the world’s largest smelters. This incredibly valuable “boots on the ground” support demonstrates the strength of our team-oriented culture across the organization. I am grateful for those who have made the trek to support your colleagues and this important project.

As the summer winds down, back-to-school time is here, and we look forward to football season and better weather. It’s also time to remind ourselves of what we need to do to finish the year safely, meet our production targets and motivate one another to be our best every day. I know we have challenges, and I hope each of you will continue to step up to these challenges with a can-do and unwavering spirit to win as a team.

Shortly after assuming the role as your CEO, I joined Erich Bower, our General Manager-Strategic Workforce Development, for a town hall discussion with employees in North America, South America and Europe. It was a fun discussion with Erich, and I appreciated your questions. Our conversation is captured in the pages of this publication.

I look forward to continuing our conversations, and I know you will speak up to offer guidance that will help me and our management team better support you.

Sincerely,