Chilean miner Antofagasta applied for an environmental permit to extend operations at its Zaldivar copper mine through 2051, the company announced on Tuesday.
Antofagasta said its extension plan includes a projected investment of $1.2 billion for the base metals project.
The miner is asking regulators to prolong the mine’s operations by 26 years. Afterwards, it would implement a mine closure plan, estimated to last until 2054, according to a company statement.
The mine’s current environmental impact study permit, or EIA, will expire in 2025.
The requested extension will not modify the firm’s previously approved production capacity, the company added.
(By Fabian Cambero and Valentine Hilaire; Editing by David Alire Garcia)
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