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Chile

Open in the explorerOrganisations (17)Events

Production, refining and reserves

CommodityMetricValueWorld rank · shareSource
LithiumMine production 202556,000 t Li content#3 · 19%USGS MCS 2026
LithiumRefinery production 202552,057 t Li content—IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 (Critical Minerals Dataset, July 2026)
LithiumReserves 20259.2 million t Li content#1 · 25%USGS MCS 2026
CopperMine production 20255.3 million t Cu content#1 · 23%USGS MCS 2026
CopperRefinery production 20251.7 million t Cu content#3 · 6%USGS MCS 2026
CopperReserves 2025180 million t Cu content#1 · 18%USGS MCS 2026
BoronMine production 2025300,000 t ulexite—USGS MCS 2026
BoronReserves 202535 million t (basis not stated)—USGS MCS 2026
ZincMine production 202322,000 t Zn content#32 · 0.2%USGS Minerals Yearbook 2023 (zinc, tables-only release), table 16
MolybdenumMine production 202542,000 t Mo content#2 · 16%USGS MCS 2026
MolybdenumReserves 20252.6 million t Mo content#3 · 15%USGS MCS 2026
UraniumResources 20231,400 t U content#57 · 0%NEA/IAEA Red Book 2024 (Uranium 2024), Table 1.2a, <USD 260/kgU
RheniumMine production 202530,000 kg Re content#1 · 37%USGS MCS 2026
RheniumReserves 20251.3 million kg Re content—USGS MCS 2026
SeleniumRefinery production 201550 t Se content (refined)—USGS MCS 2016
SeleniumReserves 201525,000 t Se content#2 · 21%USGS MCS 2016
Iron oreMine production 202519 million t usable iron ore#14 · 0.7%USGS MCS 2026
Iron oreReserves 20253,000 million t crude ore#12 · 2%USGS MCS 2026
ArsenicRefinery production 201410,000 t arsenic trioxide (gross weight)—USGS MCS 2015
MercuryMine production 201350 t Hg content#3 · 3%USGS MCS 2014
SilverMine production 20251,400 t Ag content#5 · 5%USGS MCS 2026
SilverReserves 202533,000 t Ag content#7 · 5%USGS MCS 2026
PotashMine production 2025600,000 t K2O equivalent#9 · 1%USGS MCS 2026
PotashReserves 2025100 million t K2O equivalent#8 · 2%USGS MCS 2026
SulfurRefinery production 20251.4 million t S content#13 · 2%USGS MCS 2026
LimeRefinery production 2015910,000 t lime—USGS MCS 2016
GoldMine production 201450 t Au content—USGS MCS 2015
GoldReserves 20143,900 t Au content#4 · 7%USGS MCS 2015
IodineMine production 202523,000 t I content#1 · 68%USGS MCS 2026
IodineReserves 2025750,000 t I content#2 · 12%USGS MCS 2026
DiatomiteMine production 200925,000 t diatomite—USGS MCS 2010
Pumice and pumiciteMine production 2025530,000 t pumice and pumicite#9 · 3%USGS MCS 2026
SaltMine production 20259 million t salt#7 · 3%USGS MCS 2026
Sand and gravel (industrial)Mine production 20161.3 million t industrial sand and gravel—USGS MCS 2017
Zeolites (natural)Mine production 2025240 t natural zeolites#13 · 0%USGS MCS 2026

Policies and export measures

Policy tracker →

  • 2025-12-19 · agreement

    Corfo–SQM–Codelco Salar de Atacama lithium contracts (approval by the Comptroller General)

    On 19 December 2025 the Comptroller General approved Corfo's resolution covering amended SQM lease and project contracts (valid to 2030) and new contracts with Codelco and its subsidiary Minera Tarar (2031–2060). Through the Codelco–SQM public-private partnership, the State gains a strategic majority. The date is the approval date announced by the ministry.

    Source: Ministerio de Economía, Fomento y Turismo (Chile)

  • 2023-07-18 · agreement

    EU–Chile memorandum of understanding on sustainable raw materials value chains

    Signed on 18 July 2023 (signature date), creating an EU–Chile partnership on raw-materials value chains. The Commission lists it among its strategic raw-materials partnerships.

    Source: European Commission, DG GROW

  • 2023-04-20 · strategy

    National Lithium Strategy (Estrategia Nacional del Litio)

    Announced by the President in a national broadcast on 20 April 2023 and launched in Antofagasta on 21 April 2023. The State will take part in the whole lithium production cycle. Plans include a bill to create a National Lithium Company, a public lithium and salt-flats research institute, and State entry into Salar de Atacama production through Codelco from 2024.

    Source: Ministerio de Economía, Fomento y Turismo (Chile)

Trade in critical minerals

Exports 2024$57 bn

  1. Copper$51 bnto China 52%, United States of America 12%, Japan 11% · 40 more
  2. Lithium*$3.1 bnto China 66%, South Korea 16%, Japan 4% · 47 more
  3. Molybdenum$2.6 bnto Japan 21%, United States of America 15%, Netherlands 14% · 24 more
  4. Zinc$172 mto China 38%, Sweden 25%, Australia 17% · 14 more
  5. Potash$130 mto Brazil 23%, South Africa 18%, Ecuador 12% · 17 more
  6. Boron$96 mto Brazil 44%, China 39%, Japan 3% · 37 more
  7. Aluminium$92 mto Brazil 32%, India 18%, China 8% · 24 more
  8. Tin$40 mto Netherlands 83%, United States of America 10%, Türkiye 4% · 2 more

and 25 more commodities

Imports 2024$998 m

  1. Molybdenum$818 mfrom Peru 80%, Mexico 9%, United States of America 4% · 15 more
  2. Copper$82 mfrom Brazil 49%, Peru 40%, Bolivia 10% · 32 more
  3. Zinc$19 mfrom Peru 86%, Japan 8%, Australia 2% · 8 more
  4. Manganese*$16 mfrom Brazil 28%, China 27%, Australia 26% · 9 more
  5. Chromium$14 mfrom Brazil 35%, South Africa 29%, India 15% · 15 more
  6. Silicon$11 mfrom China 78%, Brazil 16%, Argentina 3% · 7 more
  7. Potash$10 mfrom Bolivia 51%, Canada 19%, Germany 19% · 10 more
  8. Boron*$5 mfrom Bolivia 77%, Peru 15%, Argentina 5% · 8 more

and 35 more commodities

Trade values in current US dollars (ores, concentrates, intermediates, chemicals and refined metal), not prices. * Includes HS codes that also cover other products. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22), Etalab Open Licence 2.0 — details.

Fiscal regime for mining

InstrumentApplies toRateLegal basis
RoyaltyCopperAd valorem component for miners whose annual sales exceed the equivalent of 50,000 t of fine copper; reduced by any negative adjusted operating income1%annual copper salesLey N° 21.591 sobre Royalty a la Minería (DO 10 Aug 2023) · Art. 2in force 2024-01-01
Corporate income tax (mining)All mineralsImpuesto de Primera Categoría for companies in the general regime of Art. 14 letter A (25% under the Pro Pyme regime of Art. 14 D); creditable against final taxes (Arts. 56 No. 3, 63). The first category explicitly covers mining enterprises. Mining royalty (Ley 21.591) is separate (regimes.csv)27%renta líquida imponible de primera categoría (first-category taxable income)Ley sobre Impuesto a la Renta (Decreto Ley 824 de 1974), Art. 1, as amended (LeyChile version of 27 Mar 2026) · Art. 20in force 2026-03-27
Windfall / resource-rent taxCopperMargin component for miners with >50% of sales from copper and sales > 50,000 t fine Cu: 8% when operating mining margin (MOM) <= 20; formula-based rate for MOM 20-45 (effective max 12%) and 45-60 (effective max 26%); 26% when MOM > 60. Not applied when adjusted income is negative8-26 sliding scalerenta imponible operacional minera ajustada (adjusted taxable operating mining income)Ley N° 21.591 sobre Royalty a la Minería (DO 10 Aug 2023) · Art. 3in force 2024-01-01
Windfall / resource-rent taxAll mineralsOther miners (not under Art. 3): exempt up to 12,000 t fine-Cu-equivalent sales; 12,000-50,000 t: marginal rates by sales tranche 0.4%, 0.9%, 1.4%, 1.9%, 2.4%, 2.9%, 4.4% (averaged per tonne); above 50,000 t: by MOM, 5% up to 35, then marginal 8% (35-40), 10.5%, 13%, 15.5%, 18%, 21%, 24%, 27.5%, 31%, 34.5% (80-85); 14% stated where MOM > 850.4-34.5 sliding scalerenta imponible operacional minera ajustada (adjusted taxable operating mining income)Ley N° 21.591 sobre Royalty a la Minería (DO 10 Aug 2023) · Art. 4in force 2024-01-01
OtherAll mineralsCap on potential maximum tax burden (first-category tax + final taxes at 35% + Royalty) of 46.5% of adjusted operating mining income; 45.5% for miners with sales up to 80,000 t fine Cu; royalty reduced to meet the cap46.5%renta imponible operacional minera ajustada (adjusted taxable operating mining income)Ley N° 21.591 sobre Royalty a la Minería (DO 10 Aug 2023) · Art. 8in force 2024-01-01

Rates and terms as set in the cited law or regulation; agreements with individual projects can differ. Not legal or tax advice.

Deals and financing (16)

  1. 2026-07-07 · Royalty · signed · US$15 m

    OR Royalties Inc. → Hot Chili Limited · La Verde (Costa Fuego) copper-gold project

    OR Royalties agreed to pay a further USD 15 million for an NSR royalty over Hot Chili's La Verde project, bringing its Costa Fuego royalty consideration to USD 30 million.

    official release

  2. 2026-02-03 · Acquisition · announced

    Market buyers (open-market sale) → Tianqi Lithium Corporation · SQM shareholding (Salar de Atacama lithium)

    Tianqi's board approved selling up to 3.57 million SQM Class A shares (no more than 1.25% of SQM) at an appropriate time, after having sold its remaining 0.29% Class B stake from December 2025; it keeps 21.90% of SQM.

    official release

  3. 2025-09-16 · Joint venture · signed

    Codelco → Anglo American · Andina-Los Bronces joint mining plan

    Codelco and Anglo American signed the definitive agreement for a joint mining plan across Andina and Los Bronces, run by a jointly owned operating company, expected to add about 120,000 t/y of copper over 21 years from around 2030.

    official release

  4. 2025-07-24 · Joint venture · signed · US$425 m

    Rio Tinto → Empresa Nacional de Minería (ENAMI) · Salares Altoandinos lithium project (Atacama)

    Rio Tinto and Chilean state miner ENAMI signed a binding agreement for Rio Tinto to take 51% of the Salares Altoandinos lithium brine project, contributing up to USD 425 million in cash and non-cash items including its DLE technology.

    official release

  5. 2025-05-19 · Joint venture · signed · US$900 m

    Rio Tinto → Codelco · Salar de Maricunga

    Rio Tinto signed binding agreements to take a 49.99% stake in Codelco's Salar de Maricunga lithium company, committing USD 350 million for studies, USD 500 million at FID and USD 50 million if first lithium is achieved by end-2030.

    official release

  6. 2025-03-28 · Government loan · signed · US$666 m

    Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and a private co-lender → Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (CODELCO) · Copper concentrate supply to Japanese smelters

    JBIC signed a loan of up to USD 466 million to Codelco, co-financed to USD 666 million, tied to the stable import of Codelco copper concentrates by Japanese manufacturers.

    official release

  7. 2024-11-19 · Government loan · signed · US$300 m

    Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and private co-lenders → Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. · Quebrada Blanca Phase 2

    JBIC signed a loan of up to USD 180 million to Sumitomo Metal Mining, co-financed to USD 300 million, to provide additional funding for its share of the Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 copper expansion operated by Teck in Chile.

    official release

  8. 2024-06-26 · Acquisition · completed · US$350 m

    Lundin Mining Corporation → JX Advanced Metals Corporation · Caserones copper-molybdenum mine

    Lundin Mining exercised its option to buy a further 19% of Caserones owner Lumina Copper from JX Advanced Metals for USD 350 million, taking its stake to 70%.

    official release

  9. 2024-05-31 · Joint venture · completed

    Codelco → SQM · Salar de Atacama (NovaAndino Litio)

    Codelco and SQM signed a partnership agreement to jointly develop lithium and potassium production on Corfo's Salar de Atacama properties for 2025-2060, with Codelco holding 50% plus one share; the JV, NovaAndino Litio, became effective in December 2025.

    official release

  10. 2024-04-25 · Government loan · signed · US$355 m

    Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC); Mizuho, SMBC, MUFG → Compañía Minera Arqueros S.A. (Nittetsu Mining / FIP Talcuna) · Arqueros copper mine (Coquimbo)

    JBIC signed a loan of up to USD 248 million, co-financed with three Japanese banks for a total of USD 355 million, to Compañía Minera Arqueros to develop Nittetsu Mining's Arqueros copper mine in Chile's Coquimbo Region.

    official release

and 6 earlier deals

Mines and facilities (54)

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