Chilean Copper Miners to Increase Seawater Use by 2034 Amid Rising Demand
Chile's copper mining industry plans to significantly increase seawater use for operations by 2034, as total water consumption rises to 20.6 cubic meters per second from 18.5 in 2024. Seawater will constitute 67.6% of total water use by 2034, up from 40.7% in 2024. A study by Cochilco outlines this shift as a key adaptive response amidst water scarcity in the Atacama desert, with concerns about environmental impacts from desalination processes.
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Cochilco forecasts that Chile's copper mining industry will increase water use to 20.6 cubic meters per second by 2034, up from 18.5 in 2024. The shift towards seawater as the primary source, projected to reach 67.6% of total consumption by 2034, aims to address water scarcity in the Atacama desert.
This represents an 85% increase in seawater usage, from 7.5 to 13.9 cubic meters per second. Nearly 75% of this seawater will be desalinated. A temporary decline in seawater use is expected between 2028 and 2030 as miners ramp up fine copper production and expand operations.
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