Lundin Mining Subsidiary Fined $3.3M Over Alcaparrosa Mine Sinkhole

Minera Ojos del Salado, a subsidiary of Lundin Mining, has been fined $3.3 million by Chile’s Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente (SMA) following an investigation into the 2022 sinkhole at the Alcaparrosa mine. The ruling also mandates the continued closure of the mine due to four environmental violations.

Mining operations at Alcaparrosa have been suspended since the incident, and its reserves were removed from Lundin Mining’s statements. The company’s Candelaria mine remains unaffected and produced record copper output in the second half of 2024. Forecasts for Candelaria project copper production of 140,000 to 150,000 tonnes in 2025.

Lundin Mining has cooperated with the SMA’s investigation, providing monitoring technology and expert studies. The company will review the charges related to alleged environmental permit breaches before determining its next steps.

Lundin Mining is a Canadian base metals producer with operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and the U.S., primarily focusing on copper, gold, and nickel. In December 2024, it announced the sale of its European assets to Boliden, a deal expected to close in mid-2025 pending regulatory approvals.