Chile mining watch: Centinela, Codelco, energy-mining platform, employment

Chile’s Antofagasta Minerals started partial remote operations at its Centinela copper mine on Wednesday. 

In northern Antofagasta city, the company opened the first control room that is part of an integrated operations management strategy to boost local innovation and employment. 

According to a press release, the digitization of the mining equipment required investment of US$63mn. 

The center is set to be 100% operative next year. 

At Centinela, Antofagasta Minerals also plans to include robots to carry out maintenance. 

The company is controlled by Chile’s Luksic group.

Environmental charges

Chile’s environmental watchdog SMA filed five charges against state copper miner Codelco for alleged non-compliance with water management procedures at its Potrerillos smelter since 2018. 

Potrerillos is part of the company’s Salvador division in northern Atacama region. 

According to the filing, Codelco kept copper concentrate pulp in an unauthorized sector, causing a spill in May 2018, and then the affected area was only partially cleaned. Likewise, in July that year the company did not have a mechanism to prevent the overflow of an industrial water pond, according to SMA. 

The charges may result in the annulment of the environmental resolution (RCA) or the closure of the flotation system.

Codelco can submit a compliance program until May 17. 

Energy-mining platform

German cooperation agency GIZ together with Chile’s energy sustainability agency launched the Energy in Mining platform, providing information on 118 energy efficiency measures that can be implemented in the sector.

The measures are related to extraction processes, and the use of electricity, transport and energy management. Some of them can be adopted in the early stages of mining projects and others during production phases. 

Rising employment

National mining association Sonami reported this week the highest employment in the industry in the last 11 months. 

In a release, Sonami’s chief of studies Álvaro Merino said the level reached 215,000 people in the rolling first quarter. 

"Today unemployment in mining regions reaches 10.2%, which is lower than countrywide unemployment which reaches 10.4%," he added. 

Photo credit: Antofagasta Minerals