Minera Escondida to Build Wastewater Treatment Plant at Chile Copper Mine

Minera Escondida has submitted an environmental impact assessment application (EIA) to the environment ministry for new potable water and wastewater treatment plants in Chile.

The proposed $120m water treatment project will be built for a new camp at the company’s copper mine.

According to the EIA, the reverse osmosis potable water plant will treat about 30l/s of water and produce about 1,500m³/d of potable water, which will be used at the camp.

A 4.5km pipeline will be built to transport water from the mine’s existing storage reservoirs to the plant.

The wastewater treatment plant will use activated sludge aeration to treat a maximum 1,500m³/d of wastewater, and about 80% of the treated wastewater will be transferred through a 4km pipeline for use in the mining operation.