Antofagasta Minerals pledges $4.4bn investment as Expornor 2026 logs record business

At Expornor 2026 in Antofagasta, Chile, Antofagasta Minerals announced more than US$4.4 billion in new investments aimed at extending regional mining operations to 2051. Highlights included the construction of a second concentrator at Minera Centinela, reaching 30 % local workforce hiring ahead of schedule, and the start of a 163‑kilometre water pipeline for Minera Zaldívar, projected to create up to 5 000 construction jobs and extend the mine’s life.

The exhibition itself set several records, attracting 60 000 visitors and generating an estimated US$1.2 billion in business activities. Over 1 382 companies exhibited, including 552 international firms from 36 countries, and the event featured more than 3 400 business‑to‑business meetings, numerous technical seminars and a showcase of innovative mining and energy technologies. President José Antonio Kast opened the fair, and Switzerland was named the Guest of Honour for Expornor 2028.