"Chile's Codelco could face $8 million fine for tailings dam violations", 22 August 2024

...Chile's environmental regulator on Thursday said it filed two charges against state copper giant Codelco over the management of its Talabre tailings dam at its Ministro Hales division in northern Chile. The charges were for the lack of a contingency plan to avoid affecting underground water, and for the incorrect deposit of tailings materials dating to 2017.

The company, the world's biggest copper miner, has ten days to submit a compliance plan and an additional five days to appeal, and could face a fine of about 8 billion pesos ($8.71 million)...

Codelco, which investing in electric buses, cactus nurseries and recycling as part of a drive to reduce environmental impacts, said it would work quickly to address the matter. "We completely understand the concern this situation causes, and we will be exhaustive in detailing the plans we have developed and will deploy to comply with our obligations," Codelco said in response to questions from Reuters."We hope to overcome this situation as soon as possible and, if shortcomings are identified, to correct them as soon as possible."

The SMA labeled the charges as "serious," which ranks as the second of three levels of offenses...