All posts by Paul Moore

Codelco achieves ISO 50001 energy management certification for 100% of its operations

Environmental, Mine surveying, Mining consumables, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining

After a corporate review at its headquarters and the visit of an independent audit committee to the Radomiro Tomic, Salvador and El Teniente divisions, Chilean copper mining giant Codelco says it has achieved the ISO 50001 international certification on energy management systems, a standard that specifies practices and processes in public and private companies to improve their performance in energy use and consumption.

This milestone transforms Codelco into the first large mining company to achieve ISO 50001 both corporately and in a multi-site sense in Chile. While other companies have an independent Energy Management System (EMS) for each operation, Codelco has a single standard to monitor the efficient use of energy, identify and apply savings initiatives, and establish clear goals for all of its various work centres.

“Receiving this recognition reaffirms our commitment to being industry leaders in energy efficiency. This, added to the recent achievement of The Copper Mark seal, concretely shows our effort to have environmentally responsible production, in line with our purpose of being a pillar for the sustainable development of Chile and the world,” says Rubén Alvarado, Executive President of Codelco.

Mauricio Acuña, Vice President of Supply of the state company, adds: “An internationally certified Energy Management System means that we are applying the best standards in the industry, which implies energy savings and, therefore, directly impacts the costs of our operations.”

The path to obtaining ISO 50001 began a year ago with the process of updating the SGE that already existed in Codelco. To achieve this, energy management was incorporated into the Sustainability Policy and a simplified system was sought, in which the divisions would be in charge of improving their energy performance with the practices and tools provided by the Operational Excellence area.

The audit process, carried out by the certification company Bureau Veritas, consisted of two stages: the first involved collecting and reviewing corporate records from the headquarters and the second was carried out on the ground at the Radomiro Tomic, Salvador and El Teniente divisions, chosen randomly as representative samples. The accreditation covers a period of three years, both in the corporate and in the eight divisions, after which the reviewing entity will audit and visit other work centres again to verify the operation and functioning of the management system.

Caterpillar signs deal with CRH for electric off-highway trucks and charging solutions

Bulk handling, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining

Caterpillar Inc has announced it has signed an electrification strategic agreement with CRH to advance the deployment of Caterpillar’s zero-exhaust emissions solutions. CRH is the number one aggregates producer in North America across 44 US states and six Canadian provinces and the first company in that industry to sign such an agreement with Caterpillar. It is headquartered in Ireland and outside North America also operates quarrying sites across Europe spanning 28 countries.

The agreement is focused on accelerating the deployment of Caterpillar’s 70 to 100-ton-class battery electric off-highway trucks and charging solutions at a CRH site in North America. Through the agreement, CRH will participate in Caterpillar’s Early Learner program for battery electric off-highway trucks, testing and validating the units in real-world applications. CRH will also provide voice of customer feedback to address safety, performance, operational and compliance requirements for the aggregates industry.

“We are pleased to work with CRH, as our first aggregates industry customer, to expand our electrification solutions beyond mining. When it comes to sustainability, the quarry and aggregates industry requires diverse solutions. Our collaboration with CRH is an exciting opportunity to learn together and gain valuable insights into how our products can best support CRH’s long-term objectives to decarbonise its operations,” said Resource Industries Group President Denise Johnson.

The collaboration supports CRH’s climate-related objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by utilising more sustainable equipment. CRH has set a target to deliver a 30% reduction in absolute carbon emissions by 2030 (from a 2021 base year) and an ambition to be a net-zero business by 2050.

Scott Parson, President, CRH Americas Materials Solutions said: “At CRH, we recognise that collaboration and innovation are critical to delivering our industry-leading decarbonisation targets and achieving our ambition of net-zero by 2050. Through this partnership with Caterpillar, we will advance the use of sustainable equipment in our operations and build on our shared commitment to a low-carbon future.”

 

Metso to deliver primary gyratories & apron feeders to two copper mines in Central Asia

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining maintenance, Mining services

Metso says it has signed contracts for the delivery of three Superior™ MKIII primary gyratory crushers to copper processing plants in Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Deliveries also include a total of 18 apron feeders, systems engineering, electrical and control solutions, and other auxiliary equipment. The combined order value of over €30 million is booked in the Minerals segment’s fourth-quarter 2023 orders received.

“Primary gyratory crushers are the initial driving force for the entire mineral processing circuit. We’ve supported both customers from the very early stages of their projects and are pleased to see Metso’s powerful Superior™ MKIII primary gyratory crushers implemented in the process to ensure high throughput. This crusher is one of the most capex efficient primary gyratory crushers in the industry,” shares Erwin Huber, Vice President, Crushing and Conveying Systems at Metso.

“These projects are also strong examples of Metso’s ability to supply feeders for all applications, but most notably, to complement our extensive crusher portfolio,” says Brian Bookamyer, Director, Bulk Materials Handling at Metso.

Metso’s Superior™ MKIII primary gyratory crushers it says provide high throughput and less downtime enabling maximum efficiency to the operation. The product family has been developed especially to meet the needs of customers facing changing ore grades and conditions in mining operations. Metso also provides a comprehensive scope of spare and wear parts and services to optimise the crushing circuit operation throughout the life-cycle. Since the product family’s launch in 2018, Metso has sold more than 50 Metso’s Superior™ MKIII primary gyratory crushers around the world.

SANY banks on hybrid mining truck demand with SET150S and SET240S models

Bulk handling, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Sustainable mining

Due to concerns about maintaining productivity using all battery powered large mining trucks, in particular relating to charging strategy and energy management, there is a lot of attention towards development of hybrid solutions, as evidenced by POC testing being carried out by First Mode at its proving grounds in the US for its Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) retrofit solution.

In China, XCMG’s collaborative project with CRRC, Weichai, CATL & Hunan University on the 240 t class XDE240H truck now running at the Xiwan mine. Also in China, Eacon Mining has deployed hundreds of its hybrid 90 t EL100 autonomous trucks, which were developed with LGMG, to TBEA’s South Pit coal mine in China.

One of China’s other big hitters in mining and construction equipment is SANY – which has had its 136 t class SET150S hybrid mining truck running for some time now at sites in Russia, China and Uzbekistan; plus has now developed a larger follow up model, the 220 t class SET240S at its mining truck development and manufacturing facility in Shenyang. The battery supplier for these trucks is the same as for some of the Eacon Mining EL100 trucks – namely RiseSun MGL based in Beijing, sometimes called Rongsheng Menguli.

Both trucks have electric wheel motors powered by hybrid diesel engine and battery power. Interestingly SANY has opted for a multi-engine approach where smaller engines replace high-power engines, it says reducing overhaul costs by half and maintenance costs by 20%. It adds that they also have dual braking with a high-power electric brake plus hydraulic brake for superior braking performance.

The SET150S has two 565 kW Weichai WP17 engines and a 300 kW battery pack for a gross power of 1,430 kW. The SET240S has three 565 kW Weichai WP17 engines plus a 396 kW battery pack for a gross power of 2,091 kW. Volvo engines are available as an option. Through electric turbine control technology and energy flow management, SANY says the engines can supply different power levels to work reliably under different working conditions. SANY says this will overcome the pain points of traditional mining trucks, such as high fuel consumption, high noise, and emissions, while greatly improving their energy efficiency and reliability.

RiseSun MGL stated in 2023 on the SET240S: “The battery box has been verified by heavy-duty mining trucks under actual road conditions, and the product is safe and reliable. With the three-engine system, the maximum power of the vehicle can reach 2,091 kW, which is 12% higher than similar products on the market. It has fast heavy-load climbing speed and high transportation capacity; the battery has built-in PTC heating and an insulation layer, which can meet the ambient temperatures of -35 to +55℃ for normal operation. It has strong environmental adaptability, ensuring efficient operation of mining trucks under extreme working conditions such as extreme cold, high heat, high humidity, and high altitude. The SET240S mine car is not only powerful, but also has excellent braking performance. It is equipped with a dual braking system of high-power electric braking and hydraulic braking, which ensures the efficiency and safety of the vehicle during transportation work in the mine.”

SANY launched the SET240S at its factory in Shenyang and carried out an acceptance review on June 8, 2023 with attendees including Qi Jian, Chairman of SANY Heavy Equipment, Qu Xiaofei, General Manager of SANY Heavy Equipment, and Huang Xianhui, President of SANY Heavy Equipment Mining Truck Research Institute. SANY says the SET240S total power exceeds competitor mining trucks of the same tonnage class by 12%. The heavy load climbing speed is fast, and the comprehensive transportation capacity is cited to be increased by more than 10%.

“The SET240S electric wheel mining truck is an industry-leading three-engine hybrid off-highway mining dump truck. Compared with traditional electric wheel mining trucks, it saves more than 15% of energy and reduces maintenance costs by more than 50%, which can create greater benefits for customers…it took one year from the investment in R&D efforts to the completion of the vehicle off the production line. It is currently a main model independently developed and produced by SANY Heavy Equipment, which can meet the use needs of various working conditions in open-pit mines,” said SANY’s Zhou Xu, a Deputy Director of the company’s Research Institute.

Autonomous systems integrator & installer Autonomo opens new dedicated base in Perth

Automation, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software

On the ground commissioning and integration of the infrastructure needed to support autonomous fleets is a vital but specialised field. Autonomo Pty Ltd was formed in 2018 and remains a firmly West Australian owned and operated business.

It specialises in managing end to end services for automation technology, starting from design, through to installation, commissioning and ongoing maintenance. It also does the same for other systems including fleet management, fatigue monitoring and TPMS.

MD Gerard McNamara recently announced that it has opened a Perth based installation centre built for purpose and fully equipped to complete all its clients’ new & operational fleet technology installs. From there it can service full mobile fleet rollouts as well as one off installations.

The company designs, manufacture and deployment of wireless network solar trailers, skids, automatic boom gates, solar power generation and electrical control stations which are all designed to support communication technology and automation. It specialises in automation, wiring harnesses, instrumentation, electrical and telecommunications systems, providing engineering, integration, product sales, customised service kits and full maintenance solutions for customers.

It also provides skilled and competent people for short and long term labour hire arrangement. The team it says consists of highly trained and experienced engineers, mining system technicians, auto-electrical & electronic technicians, project managers, electricians, signal specialists, communication technicians and fabricators.

Across the board experience includes Caterpillar MineStar, Komatsu Frontrunner AHS, Cisco Radio Networks, Modular PTX Dispatch, Caterpillar Terrain, Caterpillar DSS, In Vehicle Monitoring Systems, Autonomous Drilling Systems, Tyre Sense and others.

 

First Mode to begin hybrid electric mining truck piloting in 2024 prior to 2025 commercial availability

Bulk handling, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining

Before 2023 was out, First Mode’s proof-of-concept Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) mining truck was successfully demonstrated in a controlled test area at its proving grounds in Centralia, Washington, USA. Proving that it works was just the first step – 2024 will see the start of pilot-scale deployments for the HEV solution as part of First Mode’s Path to Zero program, with commercial availability scheduled for 2025.

The HEV serves as the first step in Path to Zero by reducing emissions by up to 25%, and it says also provides customers with a ‘seamless transition’ to the Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) and Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) by leveraging the existing retrofit work from the HEV. This transition is facilitated by the shared HEV battery pack, which is also utilised in the FCEV and BEV systems.

In the HEV, the engine remains unchanged, allowing the vehicle to operate regardless of the battery pack status. The choice of battery pack is contingent upon the truck model, with a Komatsu 930E HEV retrofit carrying a 375 kWh LTO battery pack. This strategic battery integration First Mode told IM ensures flexibility and adaptability in its decarbonisation solutions, accelerating the path to zero emissions, adding: “Altogether, the HEV is a cost-effective technology demonstrator for customers looking to immediately start their Path to Zero.”

Julian Soles, First Mode CEO, in an end of year summary of First Mode’s impressive 2023 evolution milestones on December 29 also emphasised the important role played by mining customer feedback: “Heavy haulage innovations vary significantly in their upfront investment requirements. Some may also require infrastructure shifts beyond a mine site’s immediate control, such as clean hydrogen’s maturing supply chain. These considerations among several others were shared with us mid-year by a range of customers eager to strengthen their entry points for decarbonisation, including through the adoption of our FCEV solution.”

He continued: “Their feedback was invaluable, pushing us to further de-risk and empower decarbonisation as the hydrogen economy continues to grow. With world-class speed and agility, we expanded our product line to include a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) retrofit, which helps customers bridge to zero emissions at a pace that works for them on a timeline that they control. Importantly, while our HEV solution leverages regenerative braking to deliver immediate fuel savings and reduce emissions by up to 25%, it is the solution’s design as a versatile feedforward platform that sets it apart from the rest.”

He concluded on the First Mode HEV option: “Nothing like it exists in the market today because it enables customers to seamlessly build on it – rather than discard it and their initial investment – when they and the broader supply chain are ready to convert their fleets into zero emissions vehicles using either First Mode’s full battery or hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrains.”

First Mode will be covering all three of its retrofit options in a talk at The Electric Mine 2024 conference at Crown Resorts Perth, May 21-23, for which it is also a Gold Sponsor. See www.theelectricmine.com to register and for more information.

FLANDERS converts blasthole drill for autonomy at Debswana’s Orapa – the first in Botswana

Automation, Communications in mining, Diamond mining, Equipment maintenance, Explosives and blasting, IoT, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, Sustainable mining

Late last year, leading autonomous drilling technology provider FLANDERS embarked on a project to begin automation of the blasthole drilling fleet at Debswana’s Orapa diamond mining operation in Botswana, situated 240 km west of Francistown. The conversion of the first drill to autonomous operation, an Epiroc Pit Viper PV-271, has now been completed, which will also have the distinction of being the first autonomous drill in Botswana.

The conversion to the ARDVARC system was carried out by FLANDERS’ South Africa-based team working closely with local technicians and the Debswana staff at Orapa. It marks the beginning of a new way for the mine to carry out drilling, with operators now monitoring the autonomous rigs from an air conditioned command centre well away from the high temperatures of the open pit itself.

In some online comments on the project, Johan Booysen, FLANDERS’ Senior Operations Manager, based in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, South Africa, stated: “Once again, we are pleased to announce that the project was delivered on time and within the expected quality standards. This was only possible through the close collaboration with our valued customer. With the lead of Jackson Moore, SA Product Support Specialist, the team which comprised of South African FLANDERS employees as well as technicians from Botswana, completed the autonomous solution conversion, on time and meeting quality standards.”

A nod was also given to Kane Van Boxtel for flying in from Australia as FLANDERS’ Automation Implementation Specialist for this build, to ensure the command centre and technical setup are completed.

FLANDERS says it has not only executed the conversion of the first autonomous drill in Botswana, but as part of that has up-skilled a number of individuals in Botswana to work with the new technology. This year 2024 is kicking off with the communications link establishment between the drill and the command centre, fine tuning the drill parameters, and of course making the first full autonomously drilled holes in Botswana.

Booysen added: “At the hands of the site’s senior leadership team we are confident that this drill will be a benchmark autonomous drill, considering the excellent mining standards observed. In addition, the mine’s leadership’s change management process was shared with FLANDERS EVP Willie van Ryneveld and GM Hein Grosskopf. We are excited to see the expected performance of this drill become a reality.”

XCMG partners with Hunan University, CATL, Weichai & CRRC on new diesel-battery mining truck

Automation, Coal technology, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Sustainable mining

A major development in China’s national R&D project ‘Research and Demonstration Application of Key Technologies for Intelligent Electric Driven Heavy-Duty Vehicle Platforms’ is the launch of ‘the world’s first’ 240 t intelligent hybrid heavy-duty vehicle – XCMG’s XDE240H diesel-battery mining truck, which is now running at Shaanxi Shenyan Coal’s Xiwan open pit coal mine in Yulin. 

This is a commercial operation but also functions as a national-level intelligent demonstration open-pit coal mine. The first new truck recently entered the Xiwan mining fleet with the number ‘00’ and began demonstration operations. Shaanxi Shenyan is part of China’s coal mining giant China Energy Investment Corporation (CEIC, also known as CHN Energy, created from the merger of China Guodian Corporation and Shenhua Group in 2017). 

XCMG’s XDE240H mining truck is a national key research and development project led by Hunan University and XCMG Mining Machinery with other major participants including Chinese engine manufacturer Weichai, battery major CATL and industrial manufacturing and R&D giant CRRC. The project has been running for two years and the trials at Xiwan are part of the implementation test which began in July this year. 

The XCMG XDE240H is described as the world’s first 240 t diesel-electric hybrid mining dump truck. It is equipped with an intelligent driving system and XCMG says not only has the advantages of its large-tonnage mining dump trucks with reliable and durable structure, comfortable driving and convenient maintenance, but additionally is greener having lower relative diesel consumption to a conventional truck. 

The mine truck uses a 2,300 HP electronically-controlled engine, combined with a customised high-voltage platform battery system, with an installed capacity of 441 kWh. It is ‘perfectly integrated’ with the high-voltage platform of the electric drive dump truck and has a cited braking energy recovery and utilisation efficiency of over 96%. 

The more energy is recovered, the more diesel is saved. The truck uses an independently developed high-torque wheel hub drive system with a maximum output torque of 720,000 Nm, which means it always maintains strong power and can run smoothly even with heavy loads uphill. XCMG says it also passes efficiently; has an intelligent driving system; plus is capable of autonomous operation, making it safer and more efficient. 

Ultimately, the comprehensive fuel consumption the Chinese OEM says is reduced by 17% compared with traditional mine trucks, including imported brands. The truck is described as a breakthrough “achieved by XCMG’s years of persistence in technological innovation. It is also a staged victory for XCMG’s firm implementation of the ‘five modernisations’ transformation and upgrading of the industry, illuminating the future of smart mines and green mines.” 

HPY’s dry coal sorting brings economic benefits for Guizhou Hebian Coal Mine

Automation, Bulk handling, Coal technology, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mineral commodities, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining maintenance, Mining services

Guizhou, a province situated in the southwest of China, is renowned for its mountainous terrain. Historically, the unique landscape posed challenges to transportation before the era of modern infrastructure projects in China, making travel to and from the region exceptionally challenging. Despite these difficulties, Guizhou’s terrain also harbours valuable resources, with coal being a particularly significant asset for the region. Back in 1885, Guizhou Governor Pan Wei reported to the Qing court: “Guizhou is barren and poor; all areas are mountainous, although it is rich in mineral resources, especially coal and iron.”

In 1996, Guizhou reported that over 40% of the province’s total land area had mine-able coal resources. Of the 86 counties, 74 produced coal. Back then, only 10% of the coal resources were being excavated and utilised. To unlock the full economic potential of Guizhou’s coal mines, many, including Guizhou Guineng Investment Stock Co Ltd. have resorted to giving their mines a ‘technical’ upgrade. In 2020, Guineng’s Deputy General Manager, Hongdeng Qiu, stated: “Beginning this year, we will vigorously promote the innovation and application of artificial intelligent equipment and technology, especially integrating the Internet, big data, and coal mining technology.”

With the aim of revolutionising the coal beneficiation process, increasing coal production, and reducing environmental pollution, Guineng decided to collaborate with HPY Technology and utilise its Golden Coal Series dry coal sorter at their Hebian Coal Mine, located in the city of Liupanshui, Shuicheng county. In 2020, the mine’s annual coal production capacity was only 300,000 t. According to the mine’s Electromechanical Deputy Manager Mr Li, the mine has now increased its throughput to 600,000 t per year.

Before adopting HPY’s dry coal sorting machine, Hebian mine after extracting coal from underground used a large amount of water and various chemicals for coal sorting. This has been known as the ‘wet’ coal preparation method, which is also the most prevalent process used for sorting coal and gangue in the industry. Not only flotation and dense medium cyclone plants need to be built using this method. It also means that the mine needs to build a special treatment facility to deal with the wastewater afterward, incurring additional expenses and higher demands for process water. With HPY’s dry coal sorting method, the process flow occupies significantly less space, is easy to assemble and operate, and conserves water resources.

The mine opted for a 1.6 m wide Golden Coal Series dry coal sorter, directly placed next to the underground mining site to reject the gangue using the machine. After the raw coal is mined, it is then hoisted up from underground to the surface, and then gets transported via a belt to the coal processing plant nearby. Situated at the top of the coal processing plant, the HPY Technology’s Golden Coal Series employs X-ray transmission (XRT) detection to sort coal from gangue by exploiting the distinctive density and atomic number characteristics.

The X-ray source emits rays through the material, and the X-ray detection system on the opposite side measures attenuation. Computer analysis, using algorithms, distinguishes coal from gangue based on X-ray attenuation profiles. The computer’s instructions then facilitate a sorting mechanism to efficiently separate coal and gangue streams, ensuring precise material sorting. The Golden Coal Series in the Hebian mine, can sort a particle size range of +40-300 mm; reach a processing capacity of 180-200 t/h; produce a coal content in the gangue of ≤ 1%; reject more than 95% of the gangue; and increase the calorific value from 2,000 kcal/kg to 4,000 kcal/kg. By eliminating the gangue in coal, HPY’s Golden Coal Series eliminates a significant cost associated with the original wet washing system. The sorted coal is subsequently transported by trucks for commercial distribution in the market.

When asked about the present issues that many of the mining plant faces, Mr Li stated: “For many coal mine owners nowadays, because of the coal quality requirements, big coal mines have built complex coal washing plants – ordinary coal mines don’t even have them. The disadvantage is that it comes with high water usage, and it needs more equipment, leading to higher capital investments and use of more operating space. The investment period and costs are longer and larger. It also requires a matching wastewater treatment system.” He noted there are many requirements for environmental protection that one needs to be mindful of.

In Hebian Coal Mine, HPY Technology helps save transportation and flotation costs to the tune of approximately US$770,000 per year. Currently, the company is still conducting tests on the second generation of the Golden Coal Series and says it has made a breakthrough with the sorting air jets, reducing maintenance time and according to HPY will make it the longest-lasting sorting machine of its kind in the industry.

Codelco & SQM reach partnership deal for lithium resources development in the Salar de Atacama

High tech minerals, Industrial minerals, Mineral exploration, Mineral project development

In a major development for the Chilean mining industry, Codelco and SQM have announced a public-private partnership to jointly develop productive and commercial lithium activities in the Salar de Atacama for the coming decades. This association, to the extent that certain conditions are met, will materialise as of January 1, 2025, and will be structured through a common company with a majority participation of the State of Chile (50% plus one share).

The new company will assume the current contracts between Corfo and SQM until December 2030 (their original expiration date), to then transition to an operation governed by the new contracts signed between Corfo and Minera Tarar (100% subsidiary of Codelco), which will be contributed to the common company and will be effective from January 2031 to December 2060.

From the beginning of the association, Codelco will have an early participation in the profits of the common company, amounting to 201,000 t of lithium carbonate equivalent obtained from the contracts between Corfo and SQM, which will increase to 50.01% of the total production of lithium and other substances as of January 2031. This agreement Codelco said “ensures the continuity of the production of lithium and other substances and expands the scope of Codelco’s participation in the global challenge of energy transition, taking advantage of the opportunities generated by the intensive use of copper and lithium.”

The Memorandum of Understanding, prepared by Codelco and SQM and unanimously approved by Codelco’s Board of Directors, establishes that the basis of this public-private partnership will be the development of the Salar Futuro Project (the exploitation of the Salar de Atacama as of 2031), which will incorporate new technologies to improve efficiency and advance towards the water balance of the Salar de Atacama basin, in order to move towards an environmentally sustainable production.

Codelco says its early entry into the Salar de Atacama will allow its involvement in all stages of evaluation, development, engineering, feasibility and permitting of the Salar Futuro Project with the necessary anticipation to ensure operational continuity and considering the development timings involved in large mining projects.

The agreement also incorporates the operation of the tripartite table established in San Pedro de Atacama on December 14, 2023, with representatives of Codelco, SQM and the Asociación Consejo de Pueblos Atacameños. This table will establish a common regulation to guarantee ecosystem sustainability, early participation, transparency and legitimacy of the actors involved.

The statement adds: “With this step, Codelco fulfills the mandate of the State of Chile and Corfo to seek the best paths to achieve State participation in the exploitation of lithium and other mineral substances in the Salar de Atacama. Codelco’s board of directors thanked the trust placed in the company, the work of its professionals and advisors, and SQM’s willingness to reach this beneficial agreement for both parties.”

Máximo Pacheco, Chairman of the Board of Directors and leader of the negotiations on behalf of Codelco, highlighted the importance of this agreement. “This is a historic moment for Codelco and for each of its workers. These have not been easy years for the company, which has had to make enormous efforts to sustain its copper production and continue contributing to the well-being and progress of Chile. Today Codelco begins a new cycle. From now on we will be a leading copper and lithium mining company worldwide. This makes us a more robust and sustainable company. We thank our shareholder, the State of Chile, and the President of the Republic, Mr Gabriel Boric Font, for having trusted Codelco to make Chile a key player in the planet’s energy transition.”