Andreessen Horowitz-Backed Firm to Revive Abandoned Copper Mine
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A startup backed by Silicon Valley venture firm Andreessen Horowitz plans to revive an abandoned copper mine in Utah to test new technology aimed at automating operations.Author of the article:You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — A startup backed by Silicon Valley venture firm Andreessen Horowitz plans to revive an abandoned copper mine in Utah to test new technology aimed at automating operations. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Mariana Minerals acquired the idled Centennial copper mine from Lisbon Valley Mining Co. LLC last year and will reopen it in April, according to Mariana’s Chief Executive Officer Turner Caldwell. The small mine produced about 2,500 tons of copper a year under Lisbon Valley’s ownership, though Mariana plans to scale the output to 50,000 tons of copper cathode by 2030. The firm will deploy autonomous equipment including haul trucks and drill rigs, Caldwell said. “There just hasn’t been a lot of mining in the US in the last 50 years, partly because we don’t have the people to design and operate these assets,” said Caldwell, who spent about a decade at Tesla Inc. managing the automaker’s battery minerals unit before founding Mariana Minerals. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.The reopening is the latest example of mining firms looking to revive idled US operations as metal prices climb and the Trump administration pushes to onshore critical minerals. BHP Group and Faraday Copper Corp. are exploring a deal to restart a historic copper mine in Arizona, while Blue Moon Metals Inc. acquired a defunct germanium and gallium mine in Utah from Teck Resources Ltd. in February. The closely held firm was among several commodity companies that went to Venezuela last week as part of US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s visit to revive oil and mineral production in the South American country.Mariana closed a Series A funding round in June 2025 backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Khosla Ventures. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4© 2026 Financial Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited.This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.You can manage saved articles in your account.and save up to 100 articles!You can manage your saved articles in your account and clicking the X located at the bottom right of the article.