Contract with Econssa establishes the supply of treated wastewater for industrial processes. Compañía Minera Lomas Bayas will be the first copper operation in Antofagasta to apply the model.
Thursday, June 13, 2024.- Desalinated seawater, which is then used by the population, and finally treated to be used in their operations. With this unprecedented circular model, Glencore will be at the forefront of water security in Chile.
To this end, the company of Swiss origin signed a contract with the Empresa Concesionaria de Servicios Sanitarios SA (Econssa), where the supply of treated wastewater is agreed for a period of 35 years for its operations Compañía Minera Lomas Bayas and Complejo Metalúrgico Altonorte, located in the Antofagasta Region.
The measure was highlighted by the Minister of Mining, Aurora Williams, who expressed that “in the Government of President Gabriel Boric we believe in the development of mining 4.0, in harmony with the environment and communities, because we understand that one of the great challenges of current mining is to confront the effects of climate change, moving towards more sustainable production. In this framework, reducing the use of continental water to a minimum is one of the objectives that the mining industry has assumed as a priority goal to maintain social and environmental balance. In this sense, Glencore has been a pioneer in implementing this water circularity model in part of its operations in Chile and with this milestone it aims to reach 100% under this model, giving a concrete signal of commitment to more sustainable mining. Actions like this are in line with the proposed Climate Change Sector Plan that as the Ministry of Mining we are proposing to the country and which is currently in a public consultation open to all citizens,” the authority closed.
For his part, Glencore’s Legal Manager, Carlos Prat, explained that “this agreement is not only a milestone within copper mining in the region, but it is also very important for us, since it ratifies our purpose of being a responsible supplier in the mining industry in Chile. At Glencore we understand the importance of effective water management to improve our processes and minimize the water footprint of operations. For this reason, the commitment we made today is part of a new chapter in the history of Glencore in Chile, achieved thanks to a collaborative project through which we hope to contribute to a better development of the Antofagasta mining industry,” stated the executive.
With the objective of guaranteeing the feasibility of supply, the agreement considers the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant for the city of Antofagasta, which will be located in the Uribe node sector, and whose cost will amount to more than US$270 million , of which US$125 million will be contributed by Glencore’s operations in the region.
“We deeply value the contract signed with Glencore, which will allow – on the one hand – a developer to implement a wastewater reuse project in Antofagasta and, on the other hand, for different clients – including Glencore – to use this water. This is a significant example of a circular economy in the northern part of our country,” highlighted Patricio Herrera, general manager of Econssa.
Mining milestone and previous experience
The implementation of this circularity model in water supply will mark a milestone for Compañía Minera Lomas Bayas, a company that with 26 years of experience and the lowest mineral grade in Chile has established itself as a modern and efficient mining company, demonstrating its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Principles of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), related to water management, the recovery of territory, the health and safety of people and the relationship with the community.
“At Lomas Bayas we are convinced that the reuse of wastewater is the path we must follow as an industry to achieve this new way of mining, which offers environmental, economic and social benefits. With this strategy, we seek to recover water that was being dumped into the sea to turn it into a valuable resource, alleviate water stress in the Antofagasta Region, and contribute concretely to a sustainable future for the mining industry and neighboring communities,” he stated. Pablo Carvallo, general manager of Lomas Bayas.
During the signing ceremony, the experience of Complejo Metalúrgico Altonorte, a copper smelter that began operations in 1993 and is also owned by Glencore, who have been pioneers in the use of treated wastewater in their processes for more than 20 years, was highlighted. .
“At Altonorte we have strived to ensure the sustainable management of water resources, which is why we have worked based on a strategy that seeks to have operations and processes that allow the use of different qualities of water and that lead us to minimize final disposal. and maximize reuse,” said Juan Carrasco, general manager of Altonorte.
The executive added that “this experience has been a clear example of how we can generate a positive impact with important benefits, such as the conservation of inland waters, reduction of the impact of final disposal in the sea and minimization of the carbon footprint of our operation.”
Construction of the Econssa treatment plant is estimated to begin during 2025.
