Water scarcity begins to affect major copper producer

Water scarcity is beginning to threaten copper production in a country that accounts for more than 25% of the global supply. In Chile this week, a BHP mine was ordered to suspend pumping groundwater for three months, while Antofagasta warned its production would be lower than expected this year amid water supply restrictions.

While BHP’s Cerro Colorado mine is a small operation whose production is nearly saturated and the cut designed by Antofagasta is not huge, the issues highlight the challenges of operating mines in one of the driest deserts in the world.

Copper mines have been pumping water from underground aquifers for decades, often to the detriment of local communities. The issue has gained prominence recently as the desert expands south amid a decade-long drought, potentially exacerbated by global warming.

Source: Valor Econômico

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https://valor.globo.com/empresas/noticia/2021/08/20/escassez-de-agua-comeca-a-afetar-maior-producer-de-cobre.ghtml

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