Illegal mining in Chile
Illegal mining is a concern in Chile. As of 2025 it was considered to be on the rise but still far below the levels of neighbouring countries like Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.[1][2] In 2024 there were 20 formal complaints of illegal mining before the National Geology and Mining Service.[1] There is as of 2025 no large-scale illegal mining in Chile and most illegal mining is deemed equivalent to small-scale theft from prospects or closed mines.[1][2] Illegal mining in Chile lacks so far the typical structures of organized crime.[2]
The fact that most small-scale mining in Chile focus on copper, which means handling large volumes difficult to smuggle or hide has been thought to be a contributing factor to the low levels of illegal mining.[3] State-owned company Empresa Nacional de Minería has also a role in disincentivise illegal mining among small-scale miners by providing them with; free legal advice, technical and financial assistance in addition to purchasing their ore.[2]
The term chucullero is sometimes used pejoratively for artisan miners known as pirquineros who carry out illegal mining, but this is not always the case as chucullero also refers more generally to any pirquinero specialized in precious metals, mostly gold.[4][5]
Some communes where illegal mining have been reported in the 2020s are: Hijuelas in Valparaíso Region, Illapel[6] and Ovalle[7] in Coquimbo Region and Copiapó and Huasco in Atacama Region.[1][8][9] The placer deposits of some areas of difficult access in Patagonia are also subject to sporadic small-scale illegal gold mining.[3]
Llanos de Challe National Park had an incident of small-scale illegal mining in 2021.[8]
Illegal mining is greatly overrepresented relative to legal mining in deadly accidents in Chile.[10]
| Date | Deaths | Mine/mining district | Cause of death | Commune | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 28, 2025 | 3 | Jesús María mine | Rockfall | Copiapó | [1] |
| December 18, 2024 | 2 | La Fe | Carbon monoxide poisoning | Hijuelas | [9][11] |
| September 4, 2020 | 1 | Cavilolen | Rockfall | Illapel | [6] |
| January 10, 2011 | 2 | El Indio mine/El Indio Gold Belt | Rockfall | Vicuña | [5] |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Guzmán, José Tomás (2025-03-04). "Minería ilegal en Chile: Las cifras detrás del tipo de extracción que terminó en un derrumbe fatal en Copiapó". Emol (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-03-05.
- ^ a b c d "Perú enfrenta auge de minería informal mientras Chile consolida modelo de control institucional". Minería y Futuro (in Spanish). 2025-06-27. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ a b Scholvin, Sören; Atienza, Miguel. "La formalización de la pequeña minería en Chile: logros y desafíos de la Empresa Nacional de Minería (ENAMI)". Investigaciones Geográficas (in Spanish). 66: 1–13.
- ^ "chucullero". Tesauro Regional Patrimonial (in Spanish). Centro de Documentación de Bienes Patrimoniales. Retrieved 2025-03-07.
Término utilizado para designar, por lo general, a pirquineros especialmente dedicados a la tarea de extraer pequeños volúmenes de oro. El término también se usa de forma negativa para identificar a los extractores ilegales de metales preciosos.
- ^ a b "Dos muertos deja derrumbe en pique minero clausurado". Minería Chilena (in Spanish). 2011-01-11. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
- ^ a b "Fatal accidente minero se registró en Illapel". Reporte Minero & Energético (in Spanish). 2020-09-04. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
- ^ "Ovalle: Mina El Dorado arriesga multa ante explotación no autorizada". Codex Verde (in Spanish). 1 June 2023. Archived from the original on 23 June 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ^ a b González Encina, Verónica (2022-02-21). "CDE presenta querella por minería ilegal en el Parque Nacional Llanos de Challe". Reporte Minero & Energético (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-03-04.
- ^ a b Gómez S., Rodrigo (2024-12-18). "Qué se sabe del accidente químico en mina ilegal que dejó tres muertos en Hijuelas". La Tercera (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-03-04.
- ^ "Sernageomin hace enérgico llamado a no ejercer actividades mineras sin respectivos permisos". Sernageomin.cl (in Spanish). 2020-09-04. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
- ^ Minera irregular en Hijuelas se denunció un mes antes de la muerte por intoxicación de dos trabajadores en faena La Fe