Chilean Copper Mines Resume Operations After Major Power Outage

Chilean copper mines, including those operated by BHP, Codelco, Antofagasta, and Anglo American, resumed operations after a major power outage caused by a transmission line failure. The outage affected a significant portion of the national power grid, but most residential power has since been restored. Authorities are investigating the cause, with concerns raised by the Interior Minister about the reliability of safety measures.

Several of the world’s largest copper mines in Chile have resumed their operations following a significant disruption caused by a major power outage. This outage occurred due to a failure in a transmission line located in northern Chile, impacting the national power grid from the mining-heavy regions in the north to the central and southern areas, according to sources cited by Reuters.

BHP’s Escondida copper mine experienced a complete power loss as reported by reliable sources. State-owned copper mining giant Codelco indicated that its entire operations were affected as well, including the Chuquicamata, Andina, Salvador, and El Teniente mines, which lost power, while others operated partially on backup generators.

Mining companies Antofagasta and Anglo American also confirmed the utilization of generators to sustain their operations during the outage. The National Electricity Coordinator of Chile (CEN) stated that by Wednesday morning, over 90% of residential power consumption had been restored, although some areas continued to experience intermittent outages.

Escondida has since returned to full operation, and Anglo American’s Los Bronces and El Soldado mines, along with the Chagres smelter located in central Chile, had their power restored after the disruption. Codelco has started a gradual process of returning to normal operations throughout all its divisions, while Antofagasta affirmed the resumption of its own activities.

During a press conference, Interior Minister Carolina Toha expressed concern regarding the outage, emphasizing the failure of several safety measures and the recurrent problems faced by various power stations attempting to restart their operations. The outage has been attributed to ISA Interchile, an energy distributor subsidiary owned by Colombia’s ISA and state oil company Ecopetrol.

Luis Llano, the general manager of ISA Interchile, stated that the company is currently investigating the outage’s causes, noting malfunctions in both electronic and software protection systems that resulted in the disconnection of a high-voltage line, leading to the shutdown of the power grid.

In summary, Chile’s major copper mines have resumed operations following a substantial power outage caused by a transmission line failure. While most power has been restored, concerns remain regarding the reliability of safety protocols. The investigation into the causes of the outage continues, underscoring the importance of robust power infrastructure for mining operations.

Original Source: www.mining-technology.com