Seawater use: a challenge and an opportunity for the mining industry
There are currently 22 desalination plants in operation in Chile with a combined capacity of 8,000 liters per second, of which 75% is used in mining.
In a context of climate change and water scarcity, desalination is an issue that is becoming increasingly relevant in our country. We will have less and less access to inland water sources, both for human and industrial consumption. Therefore, having new water resources is essential for life and economic development.
There are currently 22 desalination plants in operation in Chile with a combined capacity of 8,000 liters per second, 75% of which is used in mining. For the next ten years, it is estimated that we will have an installed capacity of 42,000 liters per second. There are currently 27 projects in the pipeline that should begin to be developed within the next few years.
Undoubtedly, this panorama represents great opportunities for the mining industry and its environment, but also important challenges. Our country has a history and experience in the construction and operation of desalination plants. The technology is therefore well known, and international experience serves to understand how the development of these projects and their business models have adapted to changing market conditions.
However, in our particular case, it is crucial that we move forward in terms of territorial planning, but above all in the search for synergies. The use of desalinated water is going to increase fivefold in the next decade, and from our point of view, we believe that this is a good opportunity to promote economies of scale and shared infrastructure, to promote the production of "green water", i.e. reducing the carbon footprint and using renewable energies in the processes, and of course to develop the human capital and local skills that these new projects and their subsequent operation will require.
From our Research Department, our objective is to contribute with knowledge to the conversations that mining is having today, in order to plan a greener, more inclusive and sustainable future for the national industry.
In the last ten years we have conducted more than 50 studies for the areas of supply, projects, people, environmental analysis and sustainability in mining, analyzing trends and market information and its environment, in order to provide advice and ongoing intelligence to the sector on critical issues, such as today, the use of seawater in mining.
