https://www.miningweekly.com

Chile top court ratifies closure of Canadian-owned Pascua Lama mining project

15th July 2022

By: Reuters

  

Font size: - +

SANTIAGO - Chile's Supreme Court on Thursday ratified the definitive closure of Canada-based Barrick Gold's controversial $8.5-billion Pascua Lama gold and copper mining project, previously ordered to shutter by the country's environmental regulator in 2018.

The Andean site along the border between Chile and Argentina was the subject of an extensive legal dispute, leading the firm to halt operations before opening due to increased costs and criticisms from shareholders.

The court upheld the three charges from the environmental regulator, despite Barrick's allegations the regulator had acted outside of its powers, it said in its ruling.

The country's environmental regulator had said the project damaged native flora and fauna, did not fully monitor melting rates of nearby glaciers and dumped acidic waters into a local river.

Barrick appealed the 2018 ruling, though in 2020 an environmental court affirmed the decision, which included a fine of more than seven-billion pesos ($6.72-million).

Environmental organizations and local communities had strongly opposed the project, located in Chile's Atacama region, on the grounds that it reduced the availability of water in the area and impacted nearby glaciers.

Edited by Reuters

Article Enquiry

Email Article

Save Article

Feedback

To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here

Showroom

Roytec Global (Pty) Ltd
Roytec Global (Pty) Ltd

Roytec Global is an international company specializing in liquid / solid and mineral separation technologies for the Mining and Industrial sectors.

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Tradestream
Tradestream

We partner growth of our select clients through our comprehensive and competitive integrated international logistics, trade finance and information...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

This week: Mintek targeting global flotation research recognition; First doré gold bar pour at DRDGOLD’s new Far West smelt house and, Expansion plans pointing to 75% increase in Sibanye-Stillwater’s chrome volumes
Resources Watch
22nd July 2026

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.045 0.066s - 110pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now