Codelco's $1.3 Billion Bid to Sustain Copper Production at Radomiro Tomic

Codelco proposes a $1.3 billion project to extend operations at its Radomiro Tomic mine. The plan aims to increase production capacity and improve waste management over four decades, including expanded facilities and infrastructure. Environmental approval is sought for continued use of leaching methods at increased daily rates.

Chile's state-owned miner Codelco is seeking environmental approval for a $1.3 billion project aimed at extending operations at its Radomiro Tomic copper mine until 2058. The proposal, submitted on Tuesday, involves enhancing the mine's leaching capacity and infrastructure.

The plan proposes to increase the mine's daily average production to 725,000 tonnes, up from the current 675,000 tonnes. It also includes expanding the pit, waste dumps, and ore stockpile areas, along with extending the use of the chlorinated leaching process at an annual average rate of 154,000 tons per day.

To support these expansions, Codelco plans to enhance its waste treatment line and install a hydraulic barrier system to manage water infiltration. Moreover, an additional 20,000 daily tons of ore will be transported to the Chuquicamata facility over the next decade. The Radomiro Tomic is one of Codelco's top mines in Chile.