- Investment: The project, awarded by Codelco, has a €244 million budget to expand the storage capacity of the mining facilities
Codelco, Chile's state-owned mining company, has awarded ACCIONA the ninth stage of the expansion of the Talabre tailings pond, located in the Chuquicamata Division of the Atacama region, with a total investment of €244 million.
The project, which aims to increase the storage capacity of these facilities, entails the execution of various civil works that will increase the height of five perimeter walls to 2,500 meters above sea level in the first stage and will raise the northern wall to 2,503 meters above sea level in the second stage.
The execution of all these initiatives will involve the movement of 9.7 million cubic meters of compacted earthfill and the excavation of more than two million cubic meters of earth.
In addition, the contract includes the execution of various related works, such as the installation of 30 kilometers of medium-voltage power lines, pumping stations and water collection and recirculation systems, among others.
The works are expected to be completed in three years, during which around 1,000 jobs will be created.
MINING EXPERIENCE
ACCIONA is currently building the 3,336-meter-long air extraction and injection tunnels to provide ventilation in the Chuquicamata underground mine, also for Codelco.
The company is also working on the macro-block mining development of the Chuquicamata Underground Mine Project (PMCHS). This consists of the construction of more than 30 kilometers of tunnels and related works that will allow Codelco to mine underground for the next 50 years.
Furthermore, the company is carrying out the seventh stage of the expansion of the Carén reservoir, awarded by Codelco's El Teniente Division.
Finally, in Rajo Inca, ACCIONA is building the Pampa Austral tailings pond. The project, which includes various construction, assembly and infrastructure improvement works, is part of the expansion process promoted by the Chilean state-owned company to give operational continuity to the Salvador Division in the Atacama region.