Fundición Ventanas

Fundición Ventanas is a copper smelter plant in Quintero, Valparaíso Region, Chile.[1] It is owned by Codelco.[2] The plant produces a significant amount of sulfuric acid. Its emissions of sulfur dioxide, an atmospheric contaminant, is within the limits allowed by Chilean environmental law but below international standards.[1] According to Codelco's CEO André Sougarret one of the problems of Fundición Ventanas is that on a third of the year's days meteorological "condictions are adverse for the dispersal" of its gas emissions.[2]

In June 2022 the government of Chile announced that a closure process for the plant was to begin.[1] Its workers have protested against the closure.[1] There is no consensus on where to build a new larger and more modern plant in replacement. Antofagasta Region or Atacama Region has been proposed by Chilean industry scholars as viable replacements.[1] Others have argued for keeping smelting in Valparaíso Region given the existence of nearby mines.[1] While some argue the replacement plant should be near the coast, inland Chuquicamata and El Salvador have also been proposed as alternatives.[1] The president of the National Mining Society (Sonami), Diego Hernández, estimates the construction period for a new smelter plant to be 5 to 7 years.[1] A 2024 study identified Antofagasta Region as the best place for a new copper smelter given logistical advantages and an existing and expandable supply of copper concentrate from nearby mines.[3]

The smelter closed in 2023[4] but the electrolytic refinery that is part of the smelter complex was not affected by the closure and continues its operations.[5] The complex also remains open to receive ore from small and medium-scale mining.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Toro, Daniela; Munita, Ignacia (2022-06-25). "Cierre de fundición Ventanas: El intrincado debate por dónde instalar una nueva planta y los costos asociados". Emol (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  2. ^ a b Reyes, Verónica (2022-07-01). "Codelco fundamenta cierre de Ventanas, pero alude que siempre se les apuntó por sobre otras empresas". Radio Bío-Bío (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  3. ^ Pacheco Zamora, Sebastián Patricio. Nueva Fundición de Cobre en Chile (PDF) (Industrial Engineering thesis) (in Spanish). University of Chile. Retrieved 2025-04-21.
  4. ^ a b Pizzoleo, Javiera (2024-05-31). "Al año del cese de operaciones: Conoce cómo ha ido funcionando el cierre de la Fundición Ventanas". Reporte Minero & Energético (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  5. ^ Pizzoleo, Javiera (2025-04-21). "Sernageomin aprobó prórroga del cierre temporal parcial de la Fundición Ventanas". Reporte Minero & Energético (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-06-09.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.