Chile mining investment reaches US$104 billion amid infrastructure risks

Chile is entering a major mining investment cycle, with Cochilco identifying a project portfolio for 2025–2034 valued at US$104.549 billion. This represents the highest level recorded in over a decade.

However, experts warn that the primary bottleneck may lie in infrastructure outside the traditional mining process. Critical requirements for operational continuity and expansion include water, energy, transmission, pipelines, and logistics.

Water supply is a significant concern. Cochilco projects that seawater consumption for copper mining will increase from 7.5 m³/s in 2024 to 13.9 m³/s by 2034, accounting for approximately 68% of the sector's water supply. Large-scale projects, such as Collahuasi’s C20+ system, highlight the complexity of this need, involving 194-kilometer pipelines and multiple pumping stations to transport water to altitudes exceeding 4,400 meters. Similarly, Codelco’s Northern District must coordinate desalination plants, extensive pipeline networks, and electrical transmission systems to supply mines like Chuquicamata and Radomiro Tomic.