The President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, together with prominent authorities such as the Minister of Finance, Mario Marcel, the Minister of Public Works, Jéssica López, and the Minister of Mining, Aurora Williams, have started the operation of the Complementary Mining Infrastructure project (INCO) at the Los Pelambres mine, owned by Antofagasta Minerals.
This project, which represented an investment of US$2.2 billion and created employment for 21,000 people during its four-year construction, marks a significant milestone in the mining industry. mining industry and in the country’s environmental sustainability practices.
The President highlighted the relevance of this project, which began exploration in 1921 and started its exploitation around the year 2000, as an example of the challenges that must be overcome to materialize large initiatives, especially in complicated contexts such as the current one, marked by the climate crisis. The Coquimbo Region, where the mine is located, faces a worrisome water situation, which the INCO project seeks to alleviate significantly.
The importance of the desalination plant in the mine
President Boric underscored the importance of copper mining. copper mining and the positive impact of the desalination plant incorporated in the project, which will allow the mine to dispense almost completely with the use of inland water for its operations. This change, projected for 2027, is expected to substantially improve the management of water resources in the area, as well as contribute to the inclusion of women in a sector traditionally dominated by men.
Boric also recalled the inauguration of the Los Pelambres mine by President Ricardo Lagos in 2000, highlighting this moment as a reflection of the confidence of investors, both Chilean and foreign, in the conditions that Chile offers for economic growth and sustainable development.
It should be noted that the infrastructure implemented includes a reverse osmosis desalination plant with a capacity of 400 l/s, together with marine facilities for seawater collection and brine discharge. In addition, a fourth grinding line has been added to adapt to the decreasing quality and increasing hardness of the ore mined.
The start-up of the INCO project at the Los Pelambres mine not only represents a breakthrough in terms of efficiency and sustainability for the Chilean mining industry, but also demonstrates the country’s commitment to innovation in desalination and water management technologies, setting a precedent for future mining projects and other industrial sectors.
Don’t miss any of our posts and follow us on social media!
Inspenet.com YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Instagram
Source and photo: nuevamineria.com
Loading...
