Codelco Applies for Environmental Permit for Water Treatment Project

Written by Amir Richani for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Codelco (Santiago, Chile) announced the start of an environmental permit process that would allow the construction of a water treatment system for its Andina mine.

Codelco, the Chilean state miner and the world's largest copper producer, submitted an environmental permit request for the construction of a water treatment project. The development would entail more efficient water use.

The company plans to transport water from the Ovejerias tailing through 28-inch pipelines for 70 kilometers (43.4 miles) to the concentration plant in the Andina Division. Codelco's objective is to make its operations more sustainable across assets.

The project will take 36 months to be constructed and employ 1,650 people. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can learn more by viewing the project report.

"This project will improve the availability of water resources with the implementation of a sustainable alternative that addresses the scarcity scenario facing the region. This allows us to continue reducing our environmental footprint and address the consequences of climate change," explained the general manager of Codelco Andina, Lindor Quiroga.

Water use in mining operations is a major concern for Chilean authorities, especially in the northern and desertic areas of the country where important copper mines are located, given recent droughts and the intensity of water use in the extractive industries.

A recent report from Cochilco, the Chilean mining regulator, suggests that in 2023, the copper industry utilized water at a rate of 73,02 cubic meters per second (m3/s), from which 74.2% came from recirculated and reused water, 16.5% from continental water, and 9.3% from seawater.

In 2023, the copper mining sector required the highest water extraction from continental and sea water sources in at least the last 10 years with 18.83 m3/s extracted.

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