Collahuasi mine

Collahuasi mine
Collahuasi mine is located in Chile
Collahuasi mine
Location within Chile
Location
ProductsCopper
Molybdenum
CompanyCompañía Minera Doña Inés de Collahuasi

The Collahuasi or Ujina mine is a large copper mine located at 4,200 m (13,800 ft) altitude in the north of Chile in the Tarapaca Region. Collahuasi represents one of the largest copper reserves in Chile and in the world having estimated reserves of 3.93 billion tonnes of ore grading 0.66% copper. It lies about 15 km east of the copper mine of Quebrada Blanca.

The mine produced 560,000 tonnes of copper in 2018, making it one of the world's largest copper mines.

The ore concentrate produced in Collahuasi mine contain about 41% chalcopyrite, 18% chalcocite, 16% pyrite and 4% pyrrhotite.

FCAB ore train crossing the Ascotán salt flat at the mine

An early period of mining in Collahuasi occurred from about 1905 until 1930.

2020s: Water scarcity and expansion project

In the 2020s the mine has faced difficulties relating to water scarcity and decreasing ore grades. In May 2026 the mine suffered a major legal reversal as the First Environmental Court of Antofagasta annulled a key permit (RCA) for a $3.2 billion expansion of the mine. The Environmental Assessment Service is set to reassess two items of the expansion project, the desalination plant and the "human environment" (Spanish: medio humano). The approval of other items remain intact. If approved as whole, the expansion project will delay for 20 years the planned mine closure.

Climate

Climate data for Collahuasi, elevation 4,800 m (15,700 ft)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 12.2
(54.0)		 8.3
(46.9)		 9.3
(48.7)		 9.3
(48.7)		 5.9
(42.6)		 1.9
(35.4)		 3.0
(37.4)		 3.9
(39.0)		 4.0
(39.2)		 7.7
(45.9)		 9.6
(49.3)		 10.3
(50.5)		 7.1
(44.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 3.5
(38.3)		 1.7
(35.1)		 1.3
(34.3)		 0.6
(33.1)		 −2.6
(27.3)		 −5.9
(21.4)		 −4.0
(24.8)		 −3.3
(26.1)		 −2.8
(27.0)		 −0.9
(30.4)		 0.0
(32.0)		 2.5
(36.5)		 −0.8
(30.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −1.5
(29.3)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 −3.1
(26.4)		 −4.4
(24.1)		 −7.0
(19.4)		 −10.4
(13.3)		 −9.1
(15.6)		 −8.3
(17.1)		 −8.4
(16.9)		 −6.3
(20.7)		 −5.7
(21.7)		 −2.7
(27.1)		 −5.7
(21.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 5.5
(0.22)		 5.1
(0.20)		 2.5
(0.10)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 4.5
(0.18)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 10.0
(0.39)		 2.5
(0.10)		 0.0
(0.0)		 5.0
(0.20)		 35.1
(1.39)
Source: Bioclimatografia de Chile

Notes

  1. ↑ When dry and as weight percent.

References

  1. ↑ "Copper mines". angloamerican.com. 2011. Archived from the original on 2013-02-02. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
  2. 1 2 Millán 1996, p. 152.
  3. ↑ "Chile's Collahuasi copper mine expects to match 2018 record output this year – CEO". MINING.COM. 2021-05-12. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  4. ↑ Alvear Flores, Gerardo; Risopatrón, Carlos; Pease, Joe (2020). "Processing of Complex Materials in the Copper Industry: Challenges and Opportunities Ahead" (PDF). JOM. 72 (10). doi:10.1007/s11837-020-04255-9.
  5. ↑ "Collahuasi pierde 74 % de utilidades por escasez hídrica y menor ley del cobre". Chile País Minero (in Spanish). 2025-06-30. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  6. 1 2 Jamasmie, Cecilia (2026-05-22). "Collahuasi permit setback jolts Chile copper sector". Mining.com. Retrieved 2026-05-22.
  7. 1 2 3 Rifo, Miguel (2026-05-22). "Collahuasi logra aclaración judicial sobre anulación de RCA del proyecto C20+". Reporte Minero & Energético (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-05-22.
  8. ↑ Hajek, Ernst; Castri, Francesco (1975). "Bioclimatografia de Chile" (PDF) (in Spanish). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 November 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
Bibliography