Along with the monetary penalty, Los Pelambres was ordered to right away cease unauthorized water extractions and abide by the water distribution guidelines established by the Choapa River Surveillance Board.
The miner was additionally urged to adjust to every of the resolutions granted in its water use allow and to ship to the DGA all of the information of water extractions that have to be reported by the Efficient Extractions Monitoring System in order that the directorate can confirm that the water being extracted corresponds to the water use proper granted.
“After the on-site inspection and evaluation of all of the background info and extra requests made, it was concluded that within the case of 4 intakes and eight wells, extra water was extracted than what was allowed in keeping with the 6% professional rata that the Choapa River Surveillance Board licensed based mostly on the present river circulate and in keeping with the prevailing shortage situations,” the DGA mentioned in a media assertion. “Moreover, in those self same 4 intakes or assortment websites of floor waters, Minera Pelambres didn’t adjust to the identical proration rule that ruled the remainder of the Choapa River Surveillance Board customers, that’s, the mining firm didn’t adjust to the DGA requirement to respect the Board’s distribution commonplace.”
The Directorate identified that on the time of the sector inspection, a water shortage zone decree was in drive within the Coquimbo area, the Choapa River basin was exhausted and the hydrogeological sector of Choapa Alto had been declared a prohibition zone. These situations had been thought-about aggravating elements that elevated the quantity of the positive.
The central Coquimbo area has been experiencing extreme drought for the previous 15 years. Thus, three water redistribution agreements have been authorized within the Limarí River basin to prioritize human consumption, whereas in Choapa, the settlement that ordered water redistribution within the jurisdiction of the Choapa River Surveillance Board, in accordance with article 314 of the Water Code on extreme drought, was authorized with situations.
Again in December 2022, Minera Los Pelambres filed an attraction in opposition to the DGA Exempt Decision No. 3579 to counteract the Choapa River settlement. Nevertheless, it was rejected by the Santiago Court docket of Enchantment on December 12, 2023.
Water is required in copper smelting, and within the concentrator, which breaks down uncooked ore and processes it into usable materials.
In March 2024, Antofagasta inaugurated a greater than $2-billion desalination plant for Los Pelambres, geared toward relieving the consequences of the drought and supporting the operation’s multi-billion greenback growth.
