Name of the Project

Los Pelambres copper mine expansion.

Location

The project is located in Chile’s Coquimbo region, 240 km north-east of Santiago.

Client

Antofagasta.

Project Description

Los Pelambres has resources of 1.3-billion tonnes at 0.61% copper, 0.019% molybdenum and 0.05 g/t gold.

The project entails the incremental expansion of the Los Pelambres mine.

The expansion project has been split into two phases to facilitate its progress, simplify permitting applications and spread the cost over a longer period.

Phase 1 is designed to optimise throughput within the limits of the existing operating, environ-mental and water extraction permits so that only relatively simple updates will be required.

During this phase, Los Pelambres will operate at an average throughput of 190 000 t/d, following  the addition of a new grinding and flotation circuit to mitigate the hard ore currently being mined, and a 400 ℓ/s desalination plant and pipeline. 

Desalinated water will be pumped to the tailings storage facility (TSF) at El Mauro, where it will flow into the recycling circuit returning water to the Los Pelambres plant.

The expansion is estimated to increase copper production by an average of 55 000 t/y over 15 years.

In Phase 2, Antofagasta aims to increase throughput to 205 000 t/d and to extend the mine’s life beyond the currently approved 21 years. 

As part of this development, a new environmental-impact assessment must be submitted to increase the capacity of the mine’s El Mauro TSF and the mine waste dumps.

Potential Job Creation

Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return

Not stated.

Value

Phase 1 is estimated at $1.05-billion (feasibility study figures).

Phase 2 is estimated at $500-million (prefeasibility study figures).

Duration

Start-up is expected in 2021.

Latest Developments

The project is expected to be presented to the board for approval this year, once the environmental-impact assessment has been approved.

Key Contracts and Suppliers

None stated.

On Budget and on Time?

Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information

Antofagasta, tel +44 20 7808 0988, fax +44 20 7930 7578 or email info@antofagasta.co.uk.