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Business|Contractor|Copper|Mining|PROJECT|Water|Environmental|Operations
Business|Contractor|Copper|Mining|PROJECT|Water|Environmental|Operations
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Antofagasta wins enviro approval to extend Zaldivar mine life

16th May 2025

By: Mariaan Webb

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

     

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London-listed Antofagasta has secured environmental approval in Chile to extend the life of its Zaldívar copper mine through 2051 and advance a planned transition to a new water supply.

The Chilean environmental authority has signed off on the project’s environmental impact assessment, the company said on Friday. 

The official environmental qualification resolution, known by its Spanish acronym, RCA, is expected in the coming days.

The approved plan includes continued exploitation of Zaldívar’s secondary sulphide ore and allows for the potential future development of its primary sulphide resource. It also sets the stage for shifting the mine’s water supply after 2028 to either seawater or a third-party source.

“Following two years of permitting process, and through a detailed and proactive engagement with communities, government and other stakeholders, we have achieved a result that facilitates operational continuity and employment for our own and contractor workforce, as well as for numerous local businesses that support Zaldívar in its operations,” Antofagasta CEO Iván Arriagada said in a statement.

Zaldívar will continue to rely on its existing water supply until 2028, while evaluating long-term supply alternatives.

“Looking forward, today’s announcement further derisks our business, allowing us to focus on realising Zaldívar’s full potential,” Arriagada added.

Zaldívar is a 50:50 joint venture between Antofagasta and Barrick Mining.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

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