Every Drop Counts
Managing water risk from mine design to closure
Around 70% of Chile’s copper production comes from the Atacama Desert and other northern, arid regions of the country, which are some of the driest places on Earth, with little to no freshwater available. Because of this, water is a critical constraint on operations and is a preoccupation of majors and juniors alike, particularly as copper mining requires between 70 and 150 liters of water per kg of copper produced. “Water scarcity is a major concern, seen through the growing investment in desalination plants. There is also increasing awareness regarding the environmental impact of tailings, even those located in desert regions. The industry recognizes that tailings can be a potential source of water for recovery and reuse, prompting a shift towards more sustainable tailings management practices,” said Fernando Tobar, director, equipment and services of ANDRITZ, an international technology group, offering plants, equipment, systems and services to mining.
The necessity for water solutions is reflected in the multi-year contracts being signed between environmental consultants and water management companies, as well as Chile’s largest mining companies. One example of this is Amphos21, which has signed contracts for several years at Escondida and Caserones, as well as with Codelco and Enami in their lithium projects. “We are advisors in mining hydrogeology, primarily in groundwater management, characterization, and prevention of water and soil contamination. We are dealing with the entire cycle of water in mining, from groundwater to surface water, and we help mining companies to follow a circular economy in water management, helping them with the reuse and regeneration of water,” commented Juan Castaño, CEO of Amphos21 Chile.
The company has increased its turnover by 40% over the last year and is now looking to expand into soil decontamination, soil dewatering, and the application of AI in mining to capitalize on the increased focus from mining companies on water issues.
As more and more mining companies are focusing on environmental liabilities and water management from an earlier stage, this has entailed a greater involvement for those in the value chain that offer such services. Castaño expanded: “Each mining company must implement characterization studies of the mining sites, develop a closure plan, and conduct an operational impact assessment. The more precise the assessment is and the lower the potential impact, the lower the closure funds will be. The immediate consequence of that regulation is that mining companies have worked hard to improve their plans for closure.”
Stantec Chile focuses on providing wall building, water management, and everything related to tailings management for the mining industry in Chile. The company is looking to expand further into different water management services, and recently started providing mine closure services in Chile. “Mine closure will remain a hot topic given the old age of many Chilean mines. We integrate closure considerations at every stage of mine development, design, and operation,” noted Rosario Urrutia, country manager of Chile, Stantec.
As a solution to the challenge of freshwater availability and to lessen their environmental and social impact, companies are increasingly turning towards desalination. In 2021, 25% of the water used in mining in Chile came from the sea, either through desalination or direct seawater use. This is expected to rise to over 50% by 2030, according to Cochilco, with companies investing upwards of US$1 billion in desalination plants and technologies.
Opportunities abound for specialists that can offer solutions. Jerome Poujaud, Chile development director at Veolia, explained: “We also provide chemicals, membranes, consumables, and a wide range of digital solutions that allow our customers to improve the efficiency of their assets. Veolia’s great asset is operating worldwide many models of plants from many manufacturers of different natures, such as potabilization, industrial treatment, or acid water treatment plants.”
“We have capabilities in seismic risk assessment and advanced data analysis from the field. This work directly helps mining companies improve efficiency, reduce risk, and understand their compliance with the Global Standard.”
Oscar Vera, General Manager, Fugro Chile
Due to the pressing issue of water management in Chilean mining, ANDRITZ is focusing on involving itself in all stages of the design and engineering of tailings plants. As well as a large presence in key copper projects, the company also has a 1 km2 facility near Albemarle’s operations and the largest base of any company in the sector at SQM’s project. Andrés Rojas, director, automation and digitalization, highlighted: “We integrate automation and digitalization right from the plant design phase. This involves collaborating with engineering firms and project management teams to develop accurate estimates of the equipment needed for water extraction, reinsertion, and tailings management. Tailings deposits are becoming increasingly critical, and our early involvement helps in designing and verifying configurations that address these challenges.”
Chile has over 700 tailings deposits, with many classified as inactive or abandoned, which pose major environmental and safety risks. Because of this, companies are increasingly turning towards dry tailings solutions and stacking methods to improve the storability of their tailings.
“Reprocessing presents a significant business opportunity, particularly in older tailings deposits where ore grades are often higher.”
Juan Andrés Campos, General Manager, Ingenalse
WSP is the designer of Anglo American’s High Density Stacking project at El Soldado. This method avoids the need to filter tailings with external filters, optimizing water use and eliminating the need for a containment wall. “Our work in mine water management complements our work in tailings deposit design, incorporating technology and digitalization that allows clients to make near real-time decisions rather than waiting for laboratory results that could take months,” discussed Carolina Páez, mining manager of WSP in Chile.
Her colleague, general manager Juan Ignacio Ríos, added: “We are now moving into the next stage of high-density stacking, working to expand the application of this technology. 2024 marked a pivotal year, as technology began to be openly shared, and being part of its origin is a source of great pride for us.”
Fugro is a leading specialist in geodata and recognized as a specialist in tailings management. "Chilean mining companies are actively aligning their practices with the Global Standard, striving for zero harm to people and the environment. Fugro is a key partner in this critical undertaking, providing comprehensive mapping, modeling, and monitoring of tailings dams. This includes detailed geotechnical investigations of both embankments and tailings basins, as well as seismic risk assessments and advanced field data analyses,” said Oscar Vera, General Manager, Fugro Chile.
The company has since been hired to conduct the entire geotechnical investigation for the project, demonstrating how water management and tailings solutions companies are becoming indispensable partners of the mining industry.
“We have grown organically, always staying close to our core. As our companies are independent but interlinked, this allows for cross-collaboration and innovation.”
Cristian Álvarez, CEO, Geoblast
With 21 years of experience in the Chilean market and a strong focus on tailings treatment, Ingenalse works with Codelco and Amerigo Resources at the Minera Valle Central (MVC) tailings reprocessing unit. Reprocessing tailings presents a significant business opportunity to Chile’s mining companies, allowing for greater profit to be extracted from operations and making them more environmentally stable. “Beyond MVC, companies such as BHP and Andina are also exploring tailings reprocessing. However, one of the primary challenges in this domain is the availability of water. MVC, for instance, relies on tailings from El Teniente, and any significant variation in solids content could severely impact their operations. This underscores the need for innovation in water recovery technologies, an area in which we are actively engaged,” noted Juan Andrés Campos, general manager, Ingenalse.
As Chilean mining expands in some of the world’s driest regions, water and tailings management have become critical to operational success and environmental responsibility. Companies are increasingly investing in desalination, digital tools, and innovative tailings solutions such as dry and high-density stacking to reduce water use and mitigate risk. At the same time, stricter regulations and rising public scrutiny are pushing water management and mine closure planning earlier into project lifecycles. This shift reflects a broader industry recognition that water is not just a resource, but a strategic asset essential to sustainability.
Article header image courtesy of WSP