Chile’s environmental agency, Superintendencia de Medio Ambiente (SMA), has ordered the complete and definitive closure of the Mina Alcaparrosa project, operated by Compañía Contractual Ojos del Salado, the local mining unit of Lundin Mining.
The order follows an investigation launched by the SMA due to the development of a sinkhole exceeding 60m in depth in 2022, approximately 900m from the urban area of Tierra Amarilla in the Atacama Region.
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The SMA initiated a sanctioning procedure against the mining company, formulating four charges for various breaches committed by the owner, including a total fine exceeding $3.3m (3.25bn pesos).
The charges filed against the mine’s owner also included serious allegations of over-extraction of minerals, modification of mining infrastructure and failure to comply with transportation conditions for minerals.
The first charge was classified as serious, concerning the over-extraction of minerals, as the mine exceeded the permitted extraction rate in 2019.
The second charge, deemed very serious, related to the modification of the mine’s infrastructure, which caused irreparable environmental damage to the Copiapó River aquifer.
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By GlobalDataThe third and fourth charges, classified as minor, involved non-compliance with transportation conditions and modifications to the destination of environmentally assessed minerals from the mine.
Regulator head Marie Claude Plumer said in a statement: “The owner operated in unauthorised sectors, up until the Copiapo River aquifer, which allowed more water to infiltrate in and subsequently weaken the rock mass. The company caused irreparable environmental damage.”
The Alcaparrosa project was previously classified as environmentally friendly under RCA No. 158/2017, which allowed for the extension of operations until 2022, exploiting new mineral reserves at an average extraction rate of 4,300 tonnes per day.
A further extension of the project’s useful life was authorised through RCA No. 163/2021, allowing operations to continue until 2025.
Under this new authorisation, the company had planned to exploit additional mineral reserves.
However, on 31 July 2022, the SMA received a contingency report from the company detailing the discovery of a sinkhole measuring 33m in diameter and approximately 64m deep.
Lundin Mining said in a statement: “Minera Ojos del Salado has received a notice from the Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente (SMA) following its investigative proceedings involving the sinkhole that occurred at the Alcaparrosa mine in 2022.
“The company has collaborated with investigative proceedings initiated by the national environmental regulator (SMA), including providing monitoring technology, studies and experts to guide the process.
“The company will review the notification and determine the next steps relating to the charges that it allegedly breached its environmental permit at its Minera Ojos del Salado operation, which owns the Alcaparrosa mine.”
