Zaldívar mine
| Location | |
|---|---|
  Zaldívar mine | |
| Location | Commune of Antofagasta |
| Region | Antofagasta Region |
| Country | Chile |
| Coordinates | 24°12′10.97″S 69°4′1.96″W / 24.2030472°S 69.0672111°W |
| Production | |
| Products | Copper |
| Production | 40,500 tonnes copper cathode |
| Financial year | 2023 |
| Owner | |
| Company | Antofagasta Minerals (50%) Barrick Mining (50%) |
The Zaldívar mine is an open pit copper mine located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. More precisely it lies in the inland portion of the commune of Antofagasta in the Antofagasta Region.[1] In 2023 it produced 40,500 tonnes copper cathode.[1] In December 2015 Antofagasta Minerals purchased 50% of the shares from Barrick Gold and thus took full control of the operation.[1] Previously, the mine was fully owned by Placer Dome.[2]
As of 2023 it employed on average 3,102 workers, including contractors.[1]
Starting in 2022 the mine's usage of the Monturaqui-Negrillar-Tilopozo aquifer has been challenged by indigenous Atacameño communities. According to BNamericas premature mine closure was avoided on May 2025 when Chile's Environmental Evaluation Service extended continental water use rights until 2028.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Zaldívar". Consejo Minero (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-05-09.
- ^ Chilean Copper Commission (2009). Propietarios Mineras Chile (PDF) (Report). Ciper. Retrieved 2025-05-25.
- ^ "Antofagasta Minerals avoids closure of Chile's Zaldívar copper mine with key water approval". BNamericas. 2025-05-16. Retrieved 2025-07-19.
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