Codelco Commenced Works on Salvador Copper Mine Expansion

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Codelco- the Chilean state miner, announced that it has broken ground on the expansion of the Salvador copper mine. The $1.4 billion Rajo Inca project aims to deliver continuity to Salvador Division. The project will extend the productive life of the mine by 47 years and boost its output by almost 50%.

The project will convert Salvador from an underground mine to an open pit. It was expected to run out of ore this year. However, the proposed expansion project provides the company access to additional 796 million tonnes of mineral. Furthermore, the project will focus on optimizing the existing mine infrastructure.

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The surface exploitation at the mine is expected to yield 90,000 tonnes per year, when compared with current production of 60,000 tonnes of fine copper. Codelco expects full production to begin from the new section during the first half of 2023. Around 2,400 jobs will be generated during the peak construction period.

The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by President Sebastián Piñera, the Biminister of Energy and Mining, Juan Carlos Jobet, the Minister of Defense, Baldo Prokurica, and the Executive President of Codelco, Octavio Aravena.

The project is one among the six major projects, currently under progress, as part of its $40 million initiative to upgrade its depleting mines.