Giant copper mines brace for winter deluge in top producer Chile

Chile convened mining companies and industry groups for emergency talks as a powerful winter storm threatens to dump heavy rain across key copper-producing regions, risking disruptions to mines, ports and transport networks. 

Economy and Mining Minister Daniel Mas called a meeting Tuesday with companies including Codelco, Antofagasta Plc and Teck Resources Ltd. to review contingency plans, while regulator Sernageomin activated its crisis committee to monitor the risk of landslides and mudslides.

The deluge in a country that accounts for almost a quarter of the world’s mined copper will be watched closely by traders at a time of tightening global supplies of a metal used in everything from air conditioners to electric vehicles and data centers. The storm is the latest threat to Chilean production, which has already been constrained by operational setbacks and deteriorating ore quality that is forcing miners to invest heavily just to maintain output.

Authorities said the meeting would focus on ensuring mines have emergency protocols, equipment and personnel in place to protect workers, operations and communities as a so-called atmospheric river moves into central Chile later this week. 

Authorities have warned that the prolonged nature of the event — rather than a single storm — could pose the greatest challenge for mining operations and transport links.

Chile has periodically suffered weather-related disruptions to copper production, with heavy rains capable of flooding open pits, damaging roads and interrupting concentrate shipments. The extent of any impact this week will depend on how far north the storm reaches and whether rainfall extends into the country’s main mining districts.

(By James Attwood)