Responsible Water Management at Candelaria
In the Atacama Desert, a region where water is scarce, responsible water management isn’t just an operational priority; it’s a shared responsibility to ensure that both local communities and industry have continued access to this essential resource.
For more than 30 years, Candelaria has been a leader in water efficiency. Since its earliest days, the operation has implemented systems to recover and recirculate industrial water. Today, more than 90% of the water used in its production processes is recirculated, one of the highest rates in the Chilean mining sector. This commitment extends to continually reducing water consumption per tonne of ore processed, keeping performance well below the national mining average.
In 2013, Candelaria reached a major milestone with the launch of its desalination plant, the first in the Atacama region.
This innovation enabled Candelaria to fully eliminate the use of groundwater in its industrial processes. Since then, 100% of the water required to produce copper concentrate at Candelaria has come from desalinated seawater.
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