Codelco's Green Makeover: Electric Buses and Cactus Nurseries Lead Sustainability Effort

Chilean copper giant Codelco is striving to meet global demands for sustainable mining by investing in electric buses, recycling initiatives, and cactus nurseries. The company's flagship El Teniente mine is at the forefront of this green makeover, despite the continued environmental challenges of copper mining.

Chilean copper giant Codelco is under increasing pressure from global clients to demonstrate sustainable mining practices. In response, the state-owned firm is investing in a range of green initiatives, including electric buses, cactus nurseries, and recycling of metal materials and tools.

The world's largest producer of copper has centered these efforts on its flagship El Teniente mine, located 75 km south of Santiago. While part of the initiative aims to improve public relations, Codelco CEO Ruben Alvarado emphasized its importance in meeting customer demands for traceable and sustainable copper, used in products from electric cars to wind turbines.

Despite these measures, experts like Patricia Munoz, an economist at the University of Santiago, argue that the benefits are still marginal. Nonetheless, initiatives such as a fleet of 100 electric buses, which avoid around 3,000 tons of CO2 annually, and recycling systems show promise. The firm is also working with the government to regenerate areas damaged by mining waste through the production of native plant species, including endangered cactus plants.

(With inputs from agencies.)