Chile Pulls Environmental Permit for Collahuasi Copper Mine Expansion

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Written by Amir Richani for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

Chile's Environmental Tribunal has overturned environmental permits for the Collahuasi mine expansion project, which includes a desalination plant. Glencore does not expect any immediate impact to operations.

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Environmental Tribunal Ruling

Glencore and Anglo American stated that operations at the Collahuasi copper mine in Chile remain so far unaffected after the Second Environmental Tribunal overturned the environmental authorization for the mine's expansion project, including the nearly completed desalination plant.

According to Industrial Info Resources data, the mine expansion includes eight active projects. This includes the desalination plant as well as plant upgrades, a port plant expansion and processing plant expansions.

For more information, the Industrial Info Resources Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database offers details--including investment values and necessary equipment--in related project reports.

The tribunal's decision was issued on Friday, May 15. It annulled a favorable 2021 environmental approval (RCA) issued by the Environmental Assessment Service (SEA).

Glencore commented on the outcome, stating that the "ruling is limited to two specific aspects relating to analysis of the effects on a local community and on the marine environment. Collahuasi is currently in the process of seeking full clarification from the Tribunal and the SEA in order to determine the specific effects of its ruling, the matters that it requires SEA to re-examine, and any impact on Collahuasi's operation."

The tribunal's decision requires the completion of a new assessment, focused on human-environmental baselines that includes the use of marine and coastal territory around local ports, local impacts on indigenous communities and technical assessments on the desalination plant's operations.

The ruling follows a reclamation filed by indigenous and fishing associations in the area.

Glencore said Collahuasi's permitting process complied with local regulations and the relevant environmental framework, and that Collahuasi is seeking clarification from the tribunal and SEA.

The Collahuasi Mine

The Collahuasi mine is owned by a consortium composed of Glencore (44%), Anglo American (44%) and Mitsui (12%).

The asset's expansion project aims to improve mine operations over the next two decades, reduce continental water usage by building a desalination plant and strengthen growth.

In 2025, Collahuasi produced 406,100 tonnes of copper, 27.3% less than the previous year due to lower ore grades and recovery.

Separately, the proposed Anglo American--Teck merger keeps alive the possibility of optimizing the neighboring Collahuasi and Quebrada Blanca operations. This integration aims at increasing efficiency and reducing costs for both operations.

Key Takeaways

• Collahuasi expansion plan's environmental permit has been overturned.
• Further studies are required to regain the license.
• The desalination plant construction was almost complete.

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