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Located in the country’s Atacama Desert, Chile’s Antofagasta region is considered one of the world’s premier copper-producing hubs, but it faces a pressing challenge: freshwater scarcity.

This shortage affects both local communities and the continued growth of the mining industry.  

As Antofagasta Minerals, a Chilean copper mining group, looked to expand its Centinela mining district, the need for a sustainable water solution that would preserve essential continental water resources without the need for desalination¹ became paramount. 

To address the challenge, Almar Water Solutions, a global water infrastructure developer, and Transelec, a leading provider of high-voltage systems in Chile, formed the Aguas Esperanza consortium. Together, they agreed to a $US1.5 billion critical water transportation system to support the expansion of Centinela.  

This partnership included the acquisition and operation of an existing 144-kilometre seawater pipeline and the construction of a second pipeline of equal length, enabling the extraction of an additional 144,000 tonnes of copper, 3,500 tonnes of molybdenum, and 130,000 ounces of gold annually.¹ 

At the heart of the project is an innovative approach: transporting more than 1,100 litres of seawater per second from the Pacific coast to the mine site.¹ By using seawater instead of scarce inland supplies, the project safeguards local aquifers and sets a new standard for environmentally responsible mining. It also advances Antofagasta’s commitment to source 90 per cent of its mining division’s water from seawater, recycled or reused sources by 2025,² helping secure the region’s future and promote sustainable growth.