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Critical minerals news
Short summaries written by MineralLink editors, always linking to the original source. We never republish articles.
15 of 211 items
29 Oct 2026 · Codelco
Codelco dismisses eight executives after audits find irregular production reporting for 2024-2025
Chile's state copper miner said its board dismissed eight executives and professionals from the Chuquicamata, Ministro Hales and Salvador divisions and head office, including the Salvador general manager, after internal audits and reviews by KPMG and EY found irregularities in how 2024 and 2025 output was recorded and reported. Investigations continue and Codelco did not quantify the overstatement.
28 Oct 2026 · Ministerio de Minería de Chile · official source
Chile passes Kast government bill replacing progressive mining concession fees with a flat rate
Chile's Chamber of Deputies sent to enactment the government's first mining bill, which replaces the progressive concession fee (up to 12 UTM per hectare) introduced in 2022 with a flat 0.4 UTM per hectare, widens access to a reduced 0.1 UTM fee for small and medium producers, and defers payment of 2026 fees to 28 February 2027, postponing concession auctions nationwide.
26 Oct 2026 · Codelco
Codelco and BHP sign agreement to explore the Anillo copper prospect in northern Chile
Codelco said it signed an exploration agreement with BHP for the 24,000-hectare Anillo prospect in the Antofagasta Region, under which BHP may invest up to USD 40 million in reconnaissance, geophysics, geology and drilling. The deal, first announced in May 2025, went ahead after the approvals required under Chilean law, including a supreme decree, registration by the Comptroller General and publication in the Official Gazette.
26 Oct 2026 · Ministerio de Minería de Chile · official source
Capstone Copper unveils plan of more than US$3 billion to double its Chilean copper output by 2031
At a ceremony at Mantoverde led by President Kast, Capstone Copper presented investments of more than USD 3 billion in Chile's Atacama Region, including about USD 2.3 billion for the Santo Domingo project, USD 220 million for two Mantoverde growth projects and USD 70 million for exploration, aiming to double its copper production in Chile by 2031. Santo Domingo construction would need more than 8,000 workers at peak.
19 Oct 2026 · Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of Korea (via Korea.kr) · official source
Korea and Chile discuss minerals cooperation in talks to upgrade their free trade agreement
At the 11th Korea-Chile Free Trade Commission, the two governments reviewed implementation of the 2004 agreement, including updating product-specific rules of origin to HS2022, and discussed how to advance negotiations to improve the FTA, including cooperation in the minerals sector.
15 Oct 2026 · Mining.com.au
Codelco calls shareholders' meeting over reported overstatement of 2024–2025 output
Chile's state copper company Codelco called a shareholders' meeting for 5 November to address press reports that its production for 2024 and 2025 was over-reported. The board will review possible legal, regulatory and financial risks and the steps taken to protect the company; the size of the overstatement was not given.
13 Oct 2026 · Mining Technology
Trafigura signs ten-year take-or-pay lithium offtake with EnergyX for Chile and Texas projects
Trafigura agreed to buy 100,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium products from EnergyX over ten years on a take-or-pay basis: lithium carbonate from the Black Giant project in Antofagasta, Chile, and lithium hydroxide from Project Lonestar in Texas. EnergyX values the deal at over US$2 billion, targets production in 2028 in Chile and 2029 in Texas, and says the offtake supports financing that includes a non-binding US$690 million EXIM letter of interest.
12 Oct 2026 · Mining Technology
Codelco partially halts El Teniente after landslide kills two contract workers
A landslide after heavy rain in the south pit of Codelco's El Teniente copper mine, about 75 km south-east of Santiago, killed two contractor employees and led to a partial suspension of operations. Chile's mining regulator, police investigators and prosecutors are looking into the accident.
8 Oct 2026 · Mining Technology
Aclara and CAP open rare earth metals demonstration plant in Chile
Aclara Metals, a 50:50 venture of Aclara Resources and steelmaker CAP, opened a molten salt electrolysis plant at the Huachipato steelworks in Talcahuano that turns neodymium and praseodymium oxides into metals and alloys. Designed for up to 175 kg of metal a day, it will supply operating data for a planned industrial plant in Louisiana, and a later phase could add dysprosium alloys.
1 Oct 2026 · Cochilco · official source
Chilean copper mines cut continental water extraction by 7% as seawater share rises
Cochilco reported that Chilean copper mining reduced continental water extraction by 7% in 2025, while seawater use rose to 36.8% of water extracted for operations. Desalinated water made up about 70% of seawater use, and recirculation remained the main water source for the industry.
24 Sept 2026 · Mining Technology
BHP suspends operations at Chile's Escondida copper mine after fatal accident
BHP halted all operations at Escondida, the world's largest copper mine, after a worker died during maintenance work involving a front-end loader. No restart date was given; BHP had guided output of up to 1.28 million tonnes of copper for 2026 at the mine, which it owns with Rio Tinto and Japanese partners.
17 Sept 2026 · Cochilco · official source
Cochilco reports lithium carbonate spot price at US$19,525/t in August after correction
Chile's copper commission said the lithium carbonate spot price stood at US$19,525 per tonne on 19 August 2026, about 12% below its mid-May peak but well above the 2025 average. It attributed the pullback mainly to easing supply-risk premiums rather than a change in demand.
29 Aug 2026 · Anadolu Ajansı
Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru sign joint declaration on strategic minerals cooperation
Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru signed a joint declaration to strengthen regional cooperation on strategic minerals such as copper and lithium. It covers responsible investment, regional supply chains, geological information, regulation and technology, and sets up working groups on geological research and mining skills. The countries also plan to seek technical and financial support from multilateral institutions.
21 Aug 2026 · Reporte Minero
Cochilco raises 2026 copper price forecast and expects Chilean output to dip 2.6%
Chile's copper commission projected an average copper price of US$5.95/lb for 2026, easing to US$5.10/lb in 2027. It forecast Chilean mine output falling to 5.27 million tonnes in 2026 before recovering to 5.55 million tonnes in 2027, with world output roughly flat in 2026.
3 Jul 2026 · Reporte Minero
Codelco–SQM venture Novandino files US$3bn Salar Futuro lithium plan for environmental review
Novandino Litio, the Codelco–SQM joint venture, submitted the environmental impact study for Salar Futuro, a roughly US$3 billion plan to continue lithium production in the Salar de Atacama from 2031 to 2060. The proposal includes direct lithium extraction, membrane separation, brine reinjection and a phased end to continental freshwater use.
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