Anglo American secures desalinated water supply for Los Bronces copper mine in 2025
Reuters
Published Nov 23, 2022 15:33
Updated Nov 23, 2022 15:52
SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Anglo American (LON:AAL) said on Wednesday that it reached an agreement to supply half of its Los Bronces copper mine in Chile with desalinated water from 2025.
The agreement with Aguas Pacifico, controlled by Patria Investments, will bring water from Chile's coast to the mine's water recirculation systems. The system will also supply municipalities in northern Santiago.
Central Chile, where Los Bronces is located, has been hit particularly hard by a persistent drought that has hit mining output.
In the first phase, Anglo American said it will use 500 liters per second of desalinated water to cover 45% of its operations. In the second phase, the company said it will use treated waste water in exchange for supplying desalinated water for human consumption.
"In a scenario of water scarcity like the one we are currently in, human consumption has priority," Anglo American's interim executive president in Chile, Patricio Hidalgo said in a press release, adding that the project will generate "social value" for the country.
In June, Anglo American said that it planned to stop using fresh water altogether by 2030 through desalination and water recirculation.
The miner is trying to convince a government committee, led by the environment minister, to extend its mining permit at the site after being rejected by the country's environmental permit evaluator earlier this year.
The $3.3 billion mining project has been criticized for its impact on water availability in the capital region.
Los Bronces is part of Anglo American Sur, owned by Anglo American (50.1%), the Codelco-Mitsui consortium (29.5%) and Mitsubishi (20.4%).
Get The App
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.