MINING and metals group Billiton has won the concession to develop the La Granja copper project in Peru’s northern Andes, one of the biggest copper deposits in the world. Mexican mining concern Grupo Mexico, the world’s third largest copper miner and owner of 54.2% of Southern Peru Copper, Peru’s biggest mining company, had also been seen as a contender, but it did not submit an offer. Billiton offered just over $15m to win the tender. The huge La Granja deposit has a potential of six billion tonnes of copper. The plant will be the biggest in Peru and officials have estimated it will need investment of $1.25bn. – Reuters