Senators fear Chile's smelter standards already obsolete

A group of senators on the mining and energy committee of Chile's upper house expressed their concerns that the new emissions standards for smelters will become obsolete even before they are effectively implemented.

The new rules, which aim to ensure 95% of emissions of sulfur dioxide and arsenic are captured, are due to be enforced in December next year, but international standards are now setting that limit at 98%, according to the legislators

Chile is home to seven copper smelters, four in the hands of state miner Codelco, one controlled by state minerals firm Enami, one owned by Glencore (Altonorte) and one by Anglo American (Chagres).

The two owned by the private sector are already capturing more than 95% of emissions, while the government is investing US$1.8bn in its smelters in order to meet the new rules, largely focused on the Codelco plants.

In the case of Enami, the government is currently working on adapting its Hernán Videla Lira smelter to meet the new rules, and is working on a program to upgrade the smelter to improved standards.

Enami is considering implementing the BBR-BBC (bottom blowing reactor) Chinese technology, which would allow the capturing of 99% of emissions, as well as recovering copper, gold and silver, and having the potential to recover other metals, such as zinc, selenium, tellurium and platinum.

The government is yet to make public the results of a special commission it formed in late 2015 to look into the issue of smelting and refining.

When asked for comment by BNamericas, a spokesperson said the mining ministry does not have any additional information on the issue.