Chile investigates Antofagasta’s Los Pelambres mine after water discharge from rains

Chile’s Antofagasta Minerals said on Thursday its flagship Los Pelambres copper mine remains safe after Chile’s environmental regulator opened an investigation into a water discharge incident triggered by severe weather.

The regulator on Wednesday said Antofagasta had released water from a drainage pond into the Pupio waterway after heavy rains caused a landslide near the site.

Antofagasta said the controlled release of water from two pools downstream of the tailings dam wall is part of the mine’s water management system. Some of the water was channeled into the Pupio stream, whose flow had already risen significantly due to rainfall.

Inspections of the tailings dam showed it “is stable and in line with its design and safety parameters, with no risks to people or the surrounding environment,” the company said. The regulator said it would continue evaluating whether further action is needed.

Heavy rains have hit Chile from the north-central zone to the south, causing floods, road closures and damage to homes.

Copper mines in the area typically operate under winter contingency plans, but the storm’s intensity has forced some to scale back activities even further.

Los Pelambres, in Chile’s north-central Coquimbo region, is Antofagasta’s largest copper mine.

(Reporting by Fabian Cambero, Editing by Daina Beth Solomon)