Water and mining for sustainable development

By Diana Ewing, vice president of the Chilean Desalination Association (Acades).

Water supply in mining is a very important issue with the water crisis we are experiencing. The implementation of desalination and water recycling technologies has been established as an essential solution to guarantee the sustainability of an industry that is as vital to the country's economy as it is to produce the metals of the global energy transition.

Although all productive sectors require water, guaranteeing its supply in mining regions like Antofagasta continues to be a tremendous challenge, which until now has been possible to tackle thanks to the fact that the industry has been at the forefront of the use of recycled industrial water and of seawater.

In fact, according to Cochilco's 2023 report, 74% of mining companies in Chile recycle the water they use in their industrial processes, and 34% use unprocessed or desalinated seawater, figures that demonstrate the unrestricted commitment of the mining industry with the sustainability of its operations. Among them, large copper mining companies such as BHP lead the way, which has proposed to progressively reduce continental water consumption until supplying all its operations with non-continental sources by 2030.

Along the same lines, Anglo American aims to achieve “zero consumption” of continental water by 2030 in all its operations globally. These goals are part of a water transition that will allow the development of green mining that not only focuses on the sustainable use of water but also on the use of renewable sources to energize the production and transportation processes of water.

To achieve water security in the face of the effects of climate change, solutions such as the reuse of industrial water and the desalination of seawater using renewable energy are essential for all industries that need to ensure their supply in a sustainable way and aligned with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) policies.

However, the implementation of these technologies is not without challenges, especially for small and medium mining. For some, the development and investment costs required to migrate to new water sources may be unaffordable. In many cases, the lack of continental sources has led to mineral production costs skyrocketing, making some mining operations and projects unviable.

A solution to this problem may lie in the design and implementation of an integrated water supply system that allows the investment and operation cost curves to be reduced thanks to the economies of scale that it could generate. Indeed, a water transportation system that allows existing infrastructure to be interconnected with new aqueducts on routes of optimal elevation could significantly lower the entry barriers faced by small and medium-sized mining projects to supply recycled and desalinated water.

Our mining industry must continue to lead the adoption of recycling and desalination technologies because they not only ensure the continuity of its operations but also contribute to the sustainability and resilience of the sector in the face of the challenges of climate change, but it is everyone's task to think about the large works of shared infrastructure that could provide the same water security to multiple industries and projects that will enable the path to development in the future.

This content is the sole responsibility of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of BNamericas. We invite those interested in participating as guest columnists to submit an article for possible inclusion. To do so, contact the editor at mining@bnamericas.com.