Hidden within the nearly 800 waste piles across the South American country lie untapped resources, including rare earth elements.
Mining plays a significant role in Chile, which holds some of the world’s largest reserves of copper and lithium, ranking first and second in global production of these metals, respectively. In addition to extracting these vast mineral resources, the country is now turning its attention to repurposing the legacies of centuries of mining activity.
Through a new initiative, Chile’s Ministry of Mining aims to manage the nearly 800 waste piles more sustainably, reduce environmental impacts, and recover valuable materials, according to industry reports. The remnants of past mining often still contain essential resources like cobalt and rare earth elements—materials that were once economically unviable but are now in high demand for rapidly growing sectors such as renewable energy.
Chile’s national development agency Corfo plans to invest approximately $3 to $4 million per project over the next three years, as reported by Mining.com. Proposals for tenders can be submitted until March.
“The world needs critical minerals, and at the same time, Chile needs solutions for recycling and remediating its mining legacy,” said Patricio Aguilera, national director of Chile’s Geological Service Sernageomin. According to government data, Chile has a total of 795 waste piles, of which 60% are inactive, 22% are abandoned, and only 16% are still in operation.
The full Agenda de Relaves 2025/2026 is available ici (PDF, in Spanish).
More on Mining Waste as a Source of Raw Materials: Three years ago, we rapporté on the potential of waste piles, mine drainage, and similar byproducts to help meet the growing demand for critical minerals needed for the energy transition and digitalization. One institution that has been actively involved in this field for decades, including in partnership programs with Chile, is the Institut fédéral allemand des géosciences et des ressources naturelles (BGR).
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