Anglo American supports creation of national park in Chile

Our copper business in Chile has agreed not to develop more than 8,400 hectares of its mining concessions so that authorities and local organisations interested in social and environmental affairs can develop a national park and protect ecosystems, biodiversity, and the glaciers in the area. Chile is home to 4% of the world’s glaciers. Located in the Andes mountain range, they are an important resource in a water-scarce country but are under threat from global warming.

The land is situated near the source of the Olivares and Colorado Rivers in the Metropolitan Region mountain range, close to our Los Bronces mine.

“Our decision supports the Healthy Environment pillar of our Sustainable Mining Plan, and its associated Biodiversity stretch goal to deliver net positive impact or NPI across Anglo American – and, indirectly, its Water stretch goal,” said CEO of Anglo American in Chile, Aaron Puna.

“This particular initiative aims to protect the biodiversity and ecosystems of the area and chimes with the desire of the general public to have a protected area in the high mountains, which we share with them.”

The business will work with the organisations and local authorities who are leading this important conservation project to agree on a collaborative approach to create a public park that meets everyone’s needs and looks after everyone’s interests.

We’re continuing to produce the copper needed to create a cleaner, greener, more electrified world and a de-carbonised economy. And we’re doing it in an increasingly sustainable manner, while protecting biodiversity, contributing to the economic development of our communities and reducing our emissions – our aim is for Anglo American to be carbon-neutral by 2040.

Aaron Puna CEO of Anglo American in Chile

The move is just one of a series of initiatives supported by our copper business and its partners to drive the sustainable development of the Metropolitan Region mountain area. They include the development of a biodiversity strategy in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS); a plan to improve the infrastructure, services, and administration of the Yerba Local Nature Sanctuary, and the participation in the Santiago Maipo Water Fund lead by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) together with other public and private entities.

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