Identifying gaps in mine closure planning in Chile: moving from permitting to engineering

Authors: López Skoknic, A; Puggioni, P; Campos, J Download Paper Open access courtesy of:

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2515_56

Cite As:
López Skoknic, A, Puggioni, P & Campos, J 2025, 'Identifying gaps in mine closure planning in Chile: moving from permitting to engineering', in S Knutsson, AB Fourie & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2025: Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 1-14, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2515_56



Abstract:
Implementation of the Mining Closure Law in Chile in 2012 (Government of Chile 2011) constituted a significant milestone in mining regulation. This law supports advancement towards a contemporary legislative framework governing the assessment of closure costs and establishes the requirement for a bond with the state which can be levied in the event of mining site abandonment by a company. The industry has responded favourably to this initiative and most submitted mine closure plans have been found to be in accordance with the standards established by the Mining Closure Law. Updates have been made to these plans as necessary over the years, resulting in a high rate of compliance to date. However, most of mine closure plans submitted to the Ministry of Mining are not derived from engineering design; rather, they have been developed from conceptual closure measures. Industry is currently confronted with a series of challenges, including a progressive depletion of reserves, elevated mineral production costs, the presence of facilities that have been non-operational and an escalation in socio-environmental issues. These factors have prompted mining companies to prioritise mine closure engineering in their strategic portfolios, thereby addressing novel challenges. The authors’ experience in development of several mine closure engineering projects based on the closure plans approved by the Authority has identified important gaps in the closure planning process. These gaps were classified into gaps in design, constructability, environmental and social matters. Addressing these discrepancies is imperative to progress to subsequent engineering phases, a process which necessitates substantial undertaking from mining companies. Additionally, limited cases of implementing mine closure engineering in Chile represents a knowledge gap which must be addressed by the industry at the public, private and academic levels. This paper presents the primary gaps identified in the transition from permitting to mine closure engineering, case studies of such gaps and recommendations to facilitate the successful implementation of mine closure plans, ensuring compliance with regulations while minimising the impact on budgets and deadlines.

Keywords: closure engineering, mine closure, closure plans, gaps

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