A committee of government ministers has approved an environmental permit for a $3 billion extension of Anglo American’s Los Bronces project in Chile that seeks to sustain production levels and extend the mine’s life through to 2036, the country’s ministry of environment announced on Monday.
Located in the Andes Mountains, near the Chilean capital, the initiative has been criticized by environmentalists and social groups for its long-term impact on a nearby glacier, as well as on the area’s water supply.
In May 2022, the global mining company said it would strive to get the Los Bronces copper mine approved after it had initially been rejected by the Environmental Assessment Service (SEA).
The committee is made up of the ministries of mining, agriculture, energy, economy, and health and chaired by the environment ministry has the power to hear and review environmental resolutions.
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In a statement released on Monday at the capital, the ministry of environment said the committee approved the permit on the grounds of a series of “demanding” environmental conditions proposed by the company.
The National Mining Society (Sonami) union said the approval would be a “powerful signal” to promote investment in the sector.
Anglo American said last year that it would supply half of its Los Bronces project with desalinated water from 2025, amid environmental criticism.
The project is part of Anglo American Sur, owned by Anglo American (50.1%), the Codelco-Mitsui consortium (29.5%) and Mitsubishi (20.4%).
Last year, Chilean authorities rejected a project that sought to extend the life of the small El Soldado copper mine, also owned by Anglo American.
Story was adapted from Reuters.
