https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Chile regulator fines BHP's Escondida mine for damage in Salar de Atacama

11th March 2022

By: Reuters

  

Font size: - +

SANTIAGO – Chile's environmental regulator said on Thursday it had fined Escondida mine, controlled by company BHP, $8.2-million for damage caused by water extraction in the Salar de Atacama salt flat.

Chile's SMA environmental watchdog had filed charges against the world's largest copper mine in mid-2020, saying it had been exceeding the maximum level allowed for water extraction since 2005, going over the 2019 limit threefold.

"After processing the penalty procedure, the SMA endorsed the charge made against the mining company, showing that the owner caused irreparable environmental damage in Las Vegas de Tilopozo," the regulator said in a statement.

BHP denied non-compliance with its environmental permit and said it is evaluating further action.

"Escondida reiterates that at no time did it exceed what was approved by the RCA in the Las Vegas de Tilopozo area, as has been reported to the authority every six months since 2001," the company said in a statement.

BHP added that it ceased the extraction of water from high Andean aquifers in 2019 and currently operates only with desalinated water.

Water use has been a big point of tension with regulators for copper and lithium miners in the Andean country, including lithium companies Albemarle and SQM.

Edited by Reuters

Article Enquiry

Email Article

Save Article

Feedback

To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here

Showroom

Astore Keymak
Astore Keymak

Astore Keymak is one of South Africa’s leading suppliers of high-quality Thermoplastic Pipeline Systems, with branches in the major provinces.

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Monitor Distributors
Monitor Distributors

We at Hawk High Pressure Pumps specialise in industrial pumps and pumping systems. Our high pressure washing equipment is locally manufactured and...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







301

sq:0.06 1.21s - 140pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now