Chile’s competition authority has approved a joint mining plan between state-owned copper producer Codelco and Anglo American, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for the companies’ plan to integrate operations at neighboring mines in the Andes.
The approval from Chile’s National Economic Prosecutor’s Office (FNE) follows similar clearances from competition regulators in China, Brazil and South Korea. With antitrust approvals now secured, the project will move forward to the next stages of the regulatory process, including environmental permitting, consultations with local communities and the creation of a joint entity to coordinate the shared operations.(Reuters)
The agreement, finalized in September 2025, aims to develop a coordinated mining plan for Codelco’s Andina division and Anglo American’s Los Bronces operation, two adjacent copper mines located in central Chile. The initiative seeks to optimize the use of existing infrastructure and processing capacity through integrated planning and operational coordination across the district.
According to the companies, the plan could increase copper output from the district by around 120,000 metric tons per year between 2030 and 2051. Over that period, the integrated operation is expected to unlock approximately 2.7 million additional tons of copper production while lowering unit costs and avoiding major new investments.
The companies estimate that the project could generate at least $5 billion in additional pre-tax value through production gains and operational synergies. The Andina–Los Bronces district is considered one of the most significant copper resource areas in Chile, the world’s largest copper producer.
Codelco board chairman Máximo Pacheco said the regulatory progress underscores the importance of collaboration between mining companies to develop large resource districts more efficiently. He noted that partnerships allow the state miner to share risks, accelerate project development and unlock greater long-term value.
For Chile, the project is expected to support economic growth while improving the efficiency and sustainability of existing mining infrastructure. Officials also see the initiative as strengthening the competitiveness of the country’s mining sector and boosting copper supply needed for the global energy transition.
The companies are now preparing to advance the environmental review process and establish the coordinating entity that will oversee the joint mining plan and optimize production planning across the two operations. The Andina–Los Bronces initiative is widely viewed as one of the most important collaborative mining projects in Chile in recent decades.
