BHP and Antofagasta Chile Mines Sued Over Alleged Environmental Damages

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Chile has reportedly sued mines operated by BHP, Antofagasta and Albermarle over alleged environmental damages caused to the northern Salar de Atacama salt flats by their mine operations. A legal action has been launched by the State Defense Council (CDE) in the environmental court over Atacama water use.

According to the lawsuit, increased exploitation at the mines has resulted in serious, permanent and irreparable deterioration of the aquifer, of the Tilopozo plains, of the fauna, and of the life systems and customs of the Peine Indigenous Community. The damage was foreseeable, since the companies were already aware of the maximum limit of descent that the acquifer could have, it added.

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Meantime, the miners refuted the allegations. Antofagasta’s Zaldivar copper mine said that it had extracted water only in accordance with the permit and that there was no evidence of any environmental damage. BHP’s Escondida mine too claimed that it has acted in accordance with the obligations and that technical studies have shown that there has been no deterioration in the Tilopozo area of the aquifer. Abermarle did not immediately comment on the allegations.

The CDE urged the mining companies to launch remedial measures to correct the cited environmental damage and ensure that such events are not repeated in future.