Latest News

Antofagasta launches desalination plant for Los Pelambres copper mine in Chile

Chilean miner Antofagasta Minerals on Thursday inaugurated a more than $2 billion desalination plant for its flagship copper mine in Chile, Los Pelambres, aimed at easing the effects of extreme drought that has actually hit production.

The mine is the very first to run with desalinated water in an area of the country that has actually suffered a 15-year drought, drawing water from tanks and sparking concern over the fresh water supply.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric praised the project, stating the situation in the Coquimbo area, where Los Pelambres is located, is worrying.

Specifically with the climate change crisis, we must be not just a mining country, however likewise a country at the cutting edge of responsible, sustainable mining, he said at the inauguration for the plant, which is at coast in Los Vilos, a city within Coquimbo.

Antofagasta began building and construction in 2019 for the plant, and plans to pump 400 liters of water per second for use at Los Pelambres, located about 55 km inland.

The business plans to provide another 400 liters of water per 2nd in a second stage slated for completion in 2027, which it states would eliminate pressure on the nearby Choapa river.

Chile's historical drought has actually impacted almost ever element of life in the country that is the world's leading copper producer. Mining companies outside Coquimbo are already utilizing seawater, especially in Antofagasta, a northern desert area home to most of Chile's mining activity.

(source: Reuters)