Chile
News

Chile's environmental approvals and submissions drop in January

Bnamericas

A total of 20 projects involving investments of US$1.49bn obtained environmental approval in Chile during January, a drop compared with December. 

In December last year, there were 27 initiatives approved entailing combined investments of US$3.25bn, mainly due to a drop in mining investments.

The figures were also lower than in January 2024, when 29 initiatives were approved for a total of US$1.62bn, according to the monthly report from environmental evaluation agency SEA.


Dec 2024
Jan 2025
Variation
Sector Approvals Investment Approvals Investment Approvals Investment
Agriculture 1 US$6.2mn 0 0 -1 -US$6.2mn
Energy 8 US$384mn 11 US$1.09bn +3 +US$708mn 
Equipment 0 0 0 0 0
Forestry 0 0 0 0 0
Transport Infrastructure 0 0 0 0 0
Water infrastructure 0 0 0 0 0
Port Infrastructure 1 US$2.5mn 0 0 -1 -US$2.5mn
Real estate 10 US$253mn 5 US$294mn -5 +US$41.3mn
Factory facilities 1 US$2.8mn 0 0 -1 -US$2.8mn
Mining 3 US$2.37bn 2 US$4.55mn -1  -US$2.37bn
Fishing and aquaculture 0 0 1 US$2.2mn +1 +US$2.2mn
Environmental cleanup 1 US$5.82mn 0
-1   -US$5.82mn
Others 2 US$322mn 1 US$100mn -1 -US$222mn
Total 27 US$3.35bn
20 US$1.49bn
-7 -US$1.86bn 


The biggest projects approved in January this year were: 

Electrification of mining trucks at Escondida Norte (US$250mn);
– Zaldivar solar power plant (US$238mn);
Vernazza solar power plant (US$285mn);
Algarrobal solar power plant (US$220mn).

In terms of submissions, 60 projects were presented for review last month, down from 68 in December. The total associated investments, meanwhile, fell to US$4.64bn from US$20.2bn, as the last month of 2024 featured massive projects such as AES Andes' US$10bn INNA green hydrogen initiative. 

In January 2024, there were 53 projects submitted involving investments of US$5.74bn.


Dec 2024
Jan 2025
Variation
Sector Submitted Investment Submitted
Investment Submitted
Investment
Agriculture
1  
US$11.2mn 1 US$6.663mn 0   -US$4.57mn
Energy  26
US$5.41bn
22
US$2.81bn
-4
-US$2.60bn
Equipment 0 0 0 0 0 0
Forestry  0 0 0 0 0 0
Transport Infrastructure 1 US$371mn
0 0 -1 -US$371mn
Water Infrastructure 4  US$41mn
2 US$280mn -2 US$229mn
Port Infrastructure 0 0 2 US$220,000
2 US$220,000
Real Estate 13 US$480mn 11  US$241mn
-2 -US$239mn
Factory Facilites 0 0 2 US$135mn
2 US$135mn
Mining 6 US$3.62bn 8 US$1.11bn
2 -US$2.51bn
Fishing and Aquaculture 7 US$3.65mn
3 US$13.5mn
-4 US$9.86mn
Environmental Cleanup 5 US$59.3mn
5 US$7.05mn
0 -US$52.2mn
Others 5 US$10.18bn
4 US$37.3mn
-1 -US$10.1bn
Total 68 US$20.2bn
60 US$4.64bn
-8 -US$15.5bn


The biggest projects submitted during January were

– Polpaico BESS energy storage project (US$225mn);
Kanut energy storage system (US$255mn);
– Prospection of Cachorro minerals deposit (US$220mn);
Modification to Aconcagua desalination plant (US$280mn);
Los Colorados mine modifications and operational continuity (US$344mn);
– Marimaca copper oxides project (US$500mn);
– Mila transmission line and BESS energy storage (US$263mn);
– Las Cañas BESS storage system (US$300mn);
– Lena transmission line and BESS energy storage (US$527mn).

The government submitted a bill to shorten environmental review times last year, though it remains in legislative debate and there are doubts over a key provision to scrap a ministerial comittee that acts as an appeals body in these processes. 

Subscribe to the leading business intelligence platform in Latin America with different tools for Providers, Contractors, Operators, Government, Legal, Financial and Insurance industries.

Subscribe to Latin America’s most trusted business intelligence platform.

Other projects in: Mining & Metals (Chile)

Get critical information about thousands of Mining & Metals projects in Latin America: what stages they're in, capex, related companies, contacts and more.

  • Project: Challacollo
  • Current stage: Blurred
  • Updated: 2 months ago

Other companies in: Mining & Metals (Chile)

Get critical information about thousands of Mining & Metals companies in Latin America: their projects, contacts, shareholders, related news and more.

  • Company: Codelco División Salvador
  • Chilean state copper producer Codelco's Salvador division oversees the combined open-pit and underground El Salvador copper mine in northern Atacama region. Codelco began exploi...
  • Company: Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A.  (SQM)
  • Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) is a Santiago-based non-metallic miner engaged in the production and distribution of specialty fertilizers. The company operates in...
  • Company: Compañía Minera del Pacífico S.A.  (CMP)
  • Compañía Minera del Pacífico S.A. (CMP), the mining arm of Chilean iron ore and steel group CAP S.A., engages in iron ore production with properties in regions II, III and IV. I...