Operating Expenses
Exploration expense
Southern Copper Exploration expense decreased by 37.2% to $10.80M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 7.7%, from $11.70M to $10.80M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Exploration expense shows an upward trend with a 5.0% CAGR.
Analysis
StatementIncome Statement
SectionOperating Expenses
CategoryGrowth
SignalContext dependent
VolatilityVolatile
First reportedQ1 2013
Last reportedQ1 2026Apr 30, 2026
How to read this metric
An increase signals a commitment to future production growth, while a decrease may indicate a focus on short-term cash preservation or a lack of viable new projects.
Detailed definition
Exploration expense covers the costs associated with searching for new mineral deposits or evaluating the viability of e...
Peer comparison
Specific to mining and oil/gas sectors; peers are evaluated on their exploration success rate and reserve replacement ratios.
Metric ID:
scco_exploration_expenseHistorical Data
20 periods
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $9.50M | $10.90M | $16.70M | $9.10M | $11.80M | $9.60M | $11.10M | $11.90M | $12.10M | $15.50M | $15.50M | $12.70M | $18.60M | $13.20M | $16.50M | $11.70M | $13.70M | $10.20M | $17.20M | $10.80M |
| QoQ Change | — | +14.7% | +53.2% | -45.5% | +29.7% | -18.6% | +15.6% | +7.2% | +1.7% | +28.1% | +0.0% | -18.1% | +46.5% | -29.0% | +25.0% | -29.1% | +17.1% | -25.5% | +68.6% | -37.2% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +24.2% | -11.9% | -33.5% | +30.8% | +2.5% | +61.5% | +39.6% | +6.7% | +53.7% | -14.8% | +6.5% | -7.9% | -26.3% | -22.7% | +4.2% | -7.7% |
Range$9.10M – $18.60M
CAGR+2.7%
Avg YoY Growth+6.6%
Median YoY Growth+3.4%
Business Segments
| Segment | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peruvian Operations | $10.70M | $7.30M | $9.40M | $3.80M | $8.40M | $4.80M | $8.30M | $3.50M |
| Mexican IMMSA Unit | $2.60M | $2.60M | $3.50M | $2.40M | $3.60M | $2.70M | $3.10M | $1.90M |
| Mexican Open Pit | $2.40M | $1.30M | $1.40M | $1.30M | $1.50M | $1.90M | $1.00M | $1.30M |
| Total | $18.60M | $13.20M | $16.50M | $11.70M | $13.70M | $10.20M | $17.20M | $10.80M |
Exploration expense at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Southern Copper's exploration expense?
- Southern Copper (SCCO) reported exploration expense of $10.80M in Q1 2026.
- How has Southern Copper's exploration expense changed year-over-year?
- Southern Copper's exploration expense decreased by 7.7% year-over-year, from $11.70M to $10.80M.
- What is the long-term trend for Southern Copper's exploration expense?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Southern Copper's exploration expense has grown at a 5.0% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $43.50M to $52.80M.
- What does exploration expense mean?
- Costs spent on searching for new mineral resources to replenish or expand reserves.