Chilean state-owned copper miner Codelco is exploring the adoption of a novel technology developed by American-Canadian billionaire Robert Friedland’s I-Pulse that utilises electricity to fracture rocks, reported Bloomberg.
Chilean miners are facing the challenge of declining ore quality, which necessitates processing more rock to maintain metal production levels.
During an interview, Codelco’s executive chairman, Maximo Pacheco, expressed his company’s interest in collaborating with I-Pulse.
Both the companies “have a lot of interest in working together”, he said, noting the “very good relations” formed with I-Pulse after visiting their laboratories in Toulouse, France.
Pacheco emphasised the importance of innovation in meeting the surging demand for critical minerals such as copper and lithium.
“I-Pulse and Robert Friedland have a lot of experience and are doing very interesting things. We are following them very closely,” he added.
I-Pulse, a private US company, specialises in pulsed power technology with applications across various industries including mining.
The company’s I-ROX venture specifically targets the mining sector, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of rock shattering.
The technology has already attracted investments from major players such as BHP Group and a European fund connected to Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures.
Robert Friedland has confirmed ongoing discussions with Codelco. “We are in discussions with Codelco and many others about the use of I-Pulse technology,” he stated during a telephone interview.
Friedland’s company has also garnered investments from other mining companies including Rio Tinto Group, Newmont and Teck Resources.
In January 2025, Chile’s national development agency, Corfo, launched an initiative to extract cobalt and rare earths from mining waste.
