Former Cananea Airport

Replacement and Infrastructure Modernization. The old airport was a relatively small, private airstrip primarily serving the needs of the local mining company. Grupo México, the operator of the massive Buenavista del Cobre mine, invested in building a new, larger, and more modern airport (MMCA) to better handle the corporate jets, charter flights, and logistical needs of their expanding operations. The old facility was inadequate for modern requirements, prompting its replacement rather than an upgrade.

The airport is abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery shows the runway is still clearly visible but in a state of disrepair, with faded markings and no signs of aviation activity. The land is adjacent to the sprawling Buenavista del Cobre mine. While the infrastructure remains, the site is effectively derelict and may be used by the mining company for storage, equipment staging, or simply held as part of their extensive land holdings pending future industrial use.

For decades, this airport was the primary air link for the city of Cananea, a community historically centered around copper mining. Its operations were intrinsically tied to the Mexicana de Cananea mining company (now a subsidiary of Grupo México). The airport primarily handled general aviation, air taxi services, and corporate flights for mining executives, engineers, and critical cargo. It was not a major commercial passenger hub but served as a vital piece of private infrastructure for the region's dominant industry, facilitating business and emergency transport in a relatively isolated area.

Effectively zero. The existence of the new, superior Aeropuerto Nacional de Cananea (MMCA) negates any practical or economic reason to reopen this older, smaller facility. The land is more valuable for potential expansion or support activities for the adjacent mine than for a redundant aviation purpose. There are no known plans or proposals for its reactivation as an airport.