Diapositiva 1

Participative closure of the
Los Quillayes tailings storage facility
• Minera Los Pelambres (MLP) has been operating in
the Choapa River Valley since 1999.
• In 2010, MLP produced 380,000 tons of fine copper
and 8800 tons of molybdenum. This amounts to
approximately 7% of the total Chilean copper output
and 2.4% of the world production.
• MLP ranks among the 10 principal copper deposits in
the world and among the first 5 in Chile.
• 5418 workers: approximately 60% belong to the
Coquimbo Region and, of these, 43% are from the
Choapa Valley.
Minera Los Pelambres relates with around 45 localities and more than 70,000
persons throughout all of the Choapa Valley in the Coquimbo Region.
To face the new challenges, MLP has
adopted a new target function.
With a New Model of conducting Relations,
the sustaining pillars of which are trust and
mutual benefit with stakeholder groups.
Los Quillayes Tailings Storage Facility
Approved by means of Environmental Permitting Qualification
Resolution (RCA) N 71/1997.
The community mobilizes and generates
agreements with MLP
In 2007, the communities organized and carried out actions to face the impacts
of mining in the upland portion of the Valley. The resulting protests movements
made it possible to set the bases for the conduct of joint work between Minera
Los Pelambres and organized citizens groups.
Framework Agreement between the community and MLP
On 22 October 2008, the “Framework Agreement between Minera Los Pelambres and the Upper
Salamanca Valley Work Roundtable : Quillayes Tailings Storage Facility Closure Plan” was signed,
in which representatives of the localities situated nearby the tailings facility and executives of
Minera Los Pelambres agreed to work together on the sustainable closure of this mine tailings
deposit through use of an innovative methodology and pioneering initiative in Chile named
“Phytostabilization”.
This historic agreement set the basis for an integral proposal of relations between MLP and the
Upper Salamanca Valley, which has made possible the creation of shared spaces to address three
common work pillars: the ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND PRODUCTION pillars.
The Framework Agreement was made operational in the venue of the “Quillayes
Tailings Storage Facility Closure Roundtable”
Who’s Who in the Membership Makeup of the Quillayes
Tailings Storage Facility Closure Plan.
Representatives of the Upper Choapa
River Valley and members of the
Salamanca
Citizens’
Environmental
Organization (OCAS):
•
•
•
•
Julio Molina (Cuncumén)
Tito Villalobos (Cuncumén)
Nelson Duran (Chillepin)
In appointment (Cuncumén).
Representatives of Minera Los Pelambres:
• Operations Manger
• Fluid Transport and Tailings Storage
Facility Manager
• Public Affairs Manager
• Superintendent of Water Resources.
Why the Quillayes Tailings Storage Facility Closure
Roundtable is an innovative initiative
1 Because it makes it possible for representatives of the community and Minera Los
Pelambres to “sit down together at the table” on an EAUAL FOOTING, for the
purpose of discussing various matters of interest and concern for both our
neighbours and the company.
2 Because the roundtable is made up of an equal number of REPRESENTATIVES who
have historically been concerned about environmental issues at each of the
localities of the Upper Valley and SENIOR EXECUTIVES of Minera Los Pelambres.
3 Because it is a DECISION-MAKING body in which the community can act through its
leaders to table for discussion the problems that affect them and, additionally,
propose alternatives for solutions.
Advantages of Phytostabilization
•360 hectares of the tailings storage facility are to be phytostabilized: 260
hectares of impoundment basin and 100 hectares of phytostabilized curtains
with creeper species and treated with riprap material.
• All equal to 396 million tons of tailings material.
• It is a clean technology that has not been used in Chile before on this
scale.
• Reduces the bioavailability (quantity present) of metals for entry into the
food chain.
•Makes it possible to stabilize: chemically, physically and biologically.
• Prevents and reduces the mobility and migration of contaminants by wind
and water erosion.
• Native species of vegetation are to be used to immobilize contaminants in
the soil, sediments and sludge by means of adsorption and accumulation in
plant roots
• The establishment of the phytostabilization takes between 10 and 15 years
to complete.
• The closure process lasts approximately 25 years.
• Allows Sustainability to be achieved because of not requiring further
human intervention once the process is completed.
What the activities are that have been carried out to publicize the project for
the participative closure of the Los Quillayes tailings storage facility
Publicity Meetings: carried out in August and September of
2010 in the localities of Cuncumén, Batuco, Tranquilla and
Chillepín. In all, more than 300 persons attended, including
young people, women, children, men and senior citizens. On this
occasion publicity was given to the progress and work carried
out for the success of the Quillayes Tailings Storage Facility
closure.
Environmental Familiarization Training Sessions: carried out
between September and October of 2010 to make it possible to
impart technical environmental knowledge to community
representatives participating in the work roundtables set up in
the Upper Salamanca Valley.
Environmental Talks: addressed to students, young people and
adults of the localities of Chillepín, Batuco, Tranquilla and
Cuncumén. These talks started in August and will finalize in
November 2011.
What the activities are that have been carried out to publicize the project
for the participative closure of the Los Quillayes tailings storage facility
www.mesaquillayes.cl
Environmental Impact Declaration (DIA): “Production of Granular Material for
Early Closure Construction Work for the Los Quillayes and El Chinche Tailings
Storage Facilities”
Objectives:
 The obtaining of appropriate supplies of granular material (rock cover, riprap and
impermeable material) of an approximate volume of 2,360,000 m3 for use as cover of
the dams and impoundment basins of the Los Quillayes and El Chinche Tailings Storage
Facilities.
 Covering of the impoundment basin, slopes and crest of the dams, to prevent emissions
of particulate matter as a result of wind action and the formation of gullies as a result of
storm water runoff.
The project plans call for execution in two phases:
 Phase I: corresponds to the complete cover of the dam and part of the impoundment
basin, with an approximate duration of work of 1 year 6 months
 Phase II: corresponds to the progressive covering of the rest of the impoundment basin
as the decant pond progressively dries up.
Current Situation of the Los Quillayes Tailings Storage Facility
Phytostabilization process Los Quillayes Tailings Storage (2022
projection)
Thank you