... Corp.'s (SCC) ratings are supported by its position as one of the lowest cash-cost producers of copper in the world -- due to its diversified mining assets in Peru and Mexico -- and its strong profitability while historically maintaining a very conservative leverage profile. For the nine months ended September 2015, SCC had an industry-leading operating cash cost of USD1.06/pound of copper production, including by- products such as molybdenum, zinc, gold and silver, and USD1.64/pound excluding by-products. Industry-Leading Reserves: SCC's ratings are supported by its substantial copper reserves -- 69.9 million metric tons of contained copper -- that equate to over 105 years of mine life at current production rates. This ranks SCC at No. 1 among globally listed companies and significantly higher than the companies with the next highest mine life, Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile (56.7 years) and Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (36.6 years). Management...
