McEwen Copper, a subsidiary of Canadian gold and silver producer McEwen Mining, has secured approval for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) to proceed at the Los Azules copper project in the pro-mining province of San Juan, Argentina.
This development, marked by the issuance of the environmental impact statement from the San Juan Provincial Government's Ministry of Mines, signifies a major permitting milestone, paving the way for the project's feasibility, construction and future operation.
Los Azules is on track to publish a definitive feasibility study by H1 2025. Construction is expected to commence by 2026.
The comprehensive review process, which began with the submission of the EIA documentation in April 2023, involved more than 3,000 pages scrutinised by the Ministry of Mining and an Evaluation Committee comprising 14 public and private institutions.
The Los Azules project is a large high-grade, open-pit copper project around 80km west-north-west of Calingasta town and 6km east of the Chilean border, at an elevation of 3,500m in the Andes Mountains.
The project's design, which includes operating on renewable electric energy and achieving carbon neutrality by 2038, sets a benchmark for a low water footprint in the mining industry.
Los Azules is projected to produce 322mlb of copper cathode annually over its 27-year lifespan, according to the updated preliminary economic assessment (PEA) completed in 2023.
McEwen Copper is seeking investors to raise $2.5bn (£3.51bn) to develop the Los Azules project.
McEwen Mining CEO and founder Robert McEwen said: "Our commitment to modern, sustainable and regenerative mining practices at Los Azules is reflected in our PEA and EIA, and we continue this work through our upcoming definitive feasibility study. We thank the 14 institutions for their work, whose efforts helped secure this key environmental permit."
McEwen Copper vice-president and GM Michael Meding said: "This milestone propels Los Azules forward and highlights its transformative potential for the province and Argentina's mining industry. As we advance, sustainability and community engagement will remain at the heart of our project development."
