Antofagasta Sets Out Sustainability Targets

By Joe Hoppe

Antofagasta PLC said Tuesday that it will set out a raft of new targets at its capital markets day later today, including ensuring 100% of its operational energy requirements come from renewables by the end of 2022.

The Chilean copper miner said it will set out a range of ways to sustainably improve mining and improve growth. By 2025, it intends for 90% of the water used in its operations to be from seawater or recirculated water.

Antofagasta said five-year production could reach around 900,000 metric tons of copper by 2026 if the second concentrator project at Centinela is approved by the end of 2022, and it has a proprietary primary sulphide leach technology which--if proved successful--could allow for use of previously uneconomic lower grade chalcopyrite ore.

An expanded capital allocation framework now includes climate change factors and the company said it will build out new ways of mining using autonomous trucks, remote operating centers and a digital academy for its employers.

"Today you will hear from our team as we discuss how we mine and what we are doing to progress the future of mining in a way that is sustainable and delivers value for all our stakeholders," Chief Executive Ivan Arriagada said.

Write to Joe Hoppe at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 14, 2021 02:29 ET (07:29 GMT)

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