Mining Industry Plans Massive Use of Seawater in Arid Northern Chile
Mining Industry Plans Massive Use of Seawater in Arid Northern Chile
By Marianela Jarroud
SANTIAGO, Aug 8 2013 (IPS) - The arid climate in northern Chile has forced mining companies to seek out new sources of water. The main source is seawater from the Pacific Ocean, whose use is expected to increase significantly in the coming decade despite the high costs of extraction and transport.
The vast northern region of Chile encompasses the Atacama Desert, one of the most arid spots on the planet. It is also home to the world’s biggest copper reserves, the main source of revenue in this South American nation with 6,435 kilometres of Pacific coastline.
“In arid and semi-arid regions, where the availability of water is very limited, the ocean is an alternative for industrial processes and other uses,” Luis Cisternas of the Centre of Scientific and Technological Research for Mining told Tierramérica*.
According to figures from the Chilean Mining Council, 12,615 litres of freshwater were used for copper extraction in 2011 – the same year that a World Bank report warned of a considerable decline in the availability of surface water in Chile.
More:
http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/08/mining-industry-plans-massive-use-of-seawater-in-arid-northern-chile/