June 11 (Reuters) - Copper giant Freeport-McMoRan ( FCX )

officially installed Kathleen Quirk as its next CEO on

Tuesday, making her the highest-ranking woman ever in the mining

industry at a time of surging demand for the red metal used

across the global economy.

The move, first announced in February, occurred during the

company's annual shareholder meeting. The mining industry has

been working aggressively to attract more women, especially as

copper and other critical minerals are seen as crucial in the

fight against climate change.

"I hope that being in this role can inspire other women,"

Quirk, 60, told Reuters. "We're seeing more and more women join

our industry and build their careers over time and lead."

Quirk, who has worked closely with outgoing CEO Richard

Adkerson since joining the Phoenix-based company in 1989, said

the company's strategy will largely remain unchanged by focusing

on internal growth projects, especially leaching technologies

that Freeport estimates could boost copper production by 100

million pounds annually.

Freeport does not need to buy another copper company to grow

but would not be opposed to one, Quirk said.

There have been a flurry of proposed deals in the copper

industry. BHP made an unsuccessful $49 billion offer

for rival Anglo American this year in a play for its

smaller rival's copper mines.

"If there are opportunities out there that would make sense

for our shareholders ... we would certainly be interested to

look at them," Quirk said. "But it's not something we have to

do, and we think we can create value for shareholders with our

current strategy."

The company's stock is up 17% this year amid a similar rise

in copper prices. Fourteen analysts recommend buying the

company's stock and none recommend selling, according to LSEG

Workspace data.

Quirk noted Freeport was not looking to make a deal in 2007

when it bought larger rival Phelps Dodge for $26 billion, a deal

that made it the world's largest publicly traded copper

producer.

Citing a longstanding policy of not discussing specific

companies, Quirk declined to comment when asked if Freeport was

interested in acquiring smaller rival First Quantum,

which faces opposition to its Panama operations.

Freeport operates across the U.S., Spain, Chile, Peru and

Indonesia, including Grasberg, the world's second-largest copper

mine.

"We have a pipeline for future growth," said Quirk. "There's

this mood of innovation that we're pushing on to find ways to

get more out of the assets."

Quirk said she plans on continuing Adkerson's direct

outreach to the leaders of Indonesia, Chile and Peru. Elsewhere,

Freeport is interested in expanding its nascent copper recycling

business, she said.

"It's going to require some other things besides mine supply

to supply the market if these scenarios play for rising global

copper demand," said Quirk.

Also on Tuesday, Freeport's shareholders re-elected all 12

members of the company's board, including Quirk, who is also on

the board of aggregate supplier Vulcan Materials ( VMC ), and

Adkerson, who will stay on as chairman.