Antofagasta invests $900 million to extend Zaldívar mine life to 2051
2026-06-09 11:08:47 [Print]
Antofagasta has committed $900 million to extend the operational life of its Zaldívar copper mine in northern Chile through 2051, while shifting the operation toward a more sustainable future by replacing freshwater with treated wastewater.
The investment was announced at the Exponor mining and energy conference. Antofagasta operates the mine and co-owns it with Barrick.
The project includes the construction of a new water conveyance and pumping system, which will begin delivering treated wastewater from the sanitation company Econssa to the mine starting in 2028. The transition will enable Zaldívar to eliminate the use of continental water in its operations.
Construction is set to begin in the second half of this year, with the investment expected to create up to 5,000 jobs at peak activity. The life extension secures an additional 25 years of production at a mine that has already been operating for more than three decades in Chile's Antofagasta region. In 2025, the mine produced 36,700 tonnes of copper metal attributable to Antofagasta, which holds a 50% stake.
The investment was announced at the Exponor mining and energy conference. Antofagasta operates the mine and co-owns it with Barrick.
The project includes the construction of a new water conveyance and pumping system, which will begin delivering treated wastewater from the sanitation company Econssa to the mine starting in 2028. The transition will enable Zaldívar to eliminate the use of continental water in its operations.
Construction is set to begin in the second half of this year, with the investment expected to create up to 5,000 jobs at peak activity. The life extension secures an additional 25 years of production at a mine that has already been operating for more than three decades in Chile's Antofagasta region. In 2025, the mine produced 36,700 tonnes of copper metal attributable to Antofagasta, which holds a 50% stake.
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