Two major global copper producers – Codelco and Teck – have announced that all of their copper operations have now met The Copper Mark – this means that more than 30% of the copper mined globally now comes from sites that have received the certification. To be verified for Copper Mark, operations are assessed and independently verified against 32 responsible production criteria including greenhouse gas emissions, community health and safety, respect for Indigenous rights and business integrity.

Codelco has achieved The Copper Mark certification for 100% of its operations after an exhaustive independent review. This covers the eight divisions of Chile’s main state company, which are now recognised for using production processes that meet high sustainability standards. The announcements mean that more than 30% of the copper mined globally now comes from sites that have received The Copper Mark.

Teck has also announced that its newly expanded Quebrada Blanca Operations (QB) and Carmen de Andacollo Operations (CdA) have been awarded the Copper Mark in recognition of environmentally and socially responsible production practices. Its other copper mining complex, Highland Valley Copper (HVC) achieved The Copper Mark in 2022.

“Copper is an essential metal for the transition to a low-carbon economy and our new Quebrada Blanca operation, as well as our Carmen de Andacollo operation, are contributing to helping sustainably meet growing demand,” said Jonathan Price, President and CEO, Teck. “Being awarded the Copper Mark demonstrates our operations’ commitment to responsible copper production, both for our customers and for the environment and people where we operate.”

“We are pleased to welcome Quebrada Blanca and Carmen de Andacollo among the growing number of sites that have received the Copper Mark,” said Michèle Brülhart, Executive Director of the Copper Mark. “Teck’s operations are a great example of our multi-metal approach, having achieved the Copper Mark, the Zinc Mark and the Molybdenum Mark. We are grateful for Teck’s commitment to the Copper Mark assurance framework and look forward to continuing our partnership on the responsible production of key metals supporting the clean energy transition.”

The newly expanded QB Operation is currently ramping up to full production, which will double Teck’s annual consolidated copper production. In 2022, Teck’s Highland Valley Copper Operations was the first mine in Canada to achieve Copper Mark verification. In 2023, Teck’s Trail Operations was the first smelting and refining facility globally to achieve the Zinc Mark verification.

To be verified for Copper Mark, operations are assessed and independently verified against 32 responsible production criteria including greenhouse gas emissions, community health and safety, respect for Indigenous rights and business integrity.

Back to Codelco and President of the Codelco Board of Directors, Máximo Pacheco states: “Obtaining The Copper Mark seal for all of our operations demonstrates that we are taking concrete actions to fulfil our commitments to sustainable development. At Codelco we have the most important copper reserves in the world, more than 47 million tons, equivalent to 5.3% of the planet; That, added to the challenges of the climate crisis and the energy transition, imposes on us the responsibility of guaranteeing production processes with high standards.”

The Copper Mark verification process began with a letter signed in 2022, through which Codelco committed the entry of its El Teniente Division into the program review chain. In March 2023, after going through the complete accreditation process, its southernmost work centre was the first to obtain this seal and began certification for the other seven operations, a process that was successfully completed this month.

“Our copper is part of the solution to climate change that threatens the planet and must be produced responsibly in accordance with that cause,” said Codelco Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Patricia Provoste. The executive highlighted some milestones of recent years, among them, the cessation of operations of the Ventanas Foundry, the awarding of the contract to build a desalination plant for the divisions in the northern part of the country, the modification of the energy contracts with Colbún and AES Andes for the provision of clean energy, and the activation of the largest fleet of electric personnel transport buses in Chile.