Chile Charges Codelco with Environmental Violations at Talabre Tailings Dam

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Chilean environmental authorities have charged state-owned mining giant Codelco with failing to comply with regulations at the Talabre tailings dam. The Superintendency of the Environment (SMA) has filed two charges, alleging that Codelco did not validate or implement a contingency plan to manage the “progressive alteration” of underground water resources and mishandled tailings materials between 2017 and 2024.

These measures were mandated in response to public concerns about potential contamination of the Rio Loa River and local spring sinkholes. The SMA has given Codelco 10 business days to submit a compliance program and 15 business days to appeal the charges. If found liable, the company could face fines of up to $8.7 million.

Codelco acknowledged the charges and stated it would carefully review them to respond appropriately, aiming to meet both regulatory requirements and community expectations. The company emphasized its commitment to addressing the situation and indicated it would submit detailed plans to fulfill its obligations.

This increased scrutiny comes as Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, reported a decline in output, producing 580,000 metric tons of fine copper in the first half of 2024, an 8.4% decrease compared to the same period in 2023.

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