Chile information environmental costs towards Anglo American copper mine

(This Dec. 23 story has been corrected to repair the Los Bronces output figures in 2023 to 215,500 metric tons of copper, not 255,000 tons, in paragraph 3)

By Fabian Cambero

SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chile’s environmental regulator has filed 4 costs towards the main Los Bronces copper mine, managed by Anglo American (JO:AGLJ), for noncompliance with environmental permits, the company stated on Monday.

The costs might carry a high quality of almost 17 billion pesos ($17.17 million), in keeping with the Superintendency of the Atmosphere, or SMA.

Los Bronces is one among Chile’s largest copper mines with output of 215,500 metric tons final 12 months, in addition to a key venture for Anglo American, which has been a takeover goal of bigger rival BHP.

Anglo American stated in an announcement that it was analyzing the accusations to find out its subsequent steps.

One of many costs was deemed “very critical,” the best of three offense ranges, for noncompliance relationship again to a 2014 sanction.

On the time, the SMA discovered that Anglo American Sur, the native unit that operates Los Bronces, did not resolve acid drainage on the Esteriles Donoso tailings deposit, designed to carry mine waste.

“The corporate has not carried out a definitive answer … it constitutes a repetition of acts beforehand sanctioned,” the SMA stated.

The tailings deposit just isn’t presently in use, Anglo American stated, stating that in October it submitted a request for an environmental allow to repair the problem.

The regulator additionally filed two costs within the mid-level “critical” class. One was towards Anglo American for not designing a mitigation system for acid waters collected downstream of the Esteriles deposit, and one other for not taking measures to regulate seepage in Las Tortolas tailings dam.

The miner stated it’s “working to optimize the hydraulic barrier authorised by the regulator to enhance seepage management.”

The SMA additionally discovered that Anglo American had not reported to the company full knowledge associated to water and tailings, a violation it categorized as “minor.”

The miner has 15 days to current a mitigation program, and 22 days to contest the fees.

The SMA earlier this month additionally filed three costs towards Anglo American for violations at its El Soldado copper mine within the Valparaiso area.

($1 = 989.9000 Chilean pesos)