Centinela Mining Operation

1. Project Overview

The project was executed for Minera Centinela, located in the Antofagasta Region, Chile—one of the flagship operations of Antofagasta Minerals, a subsidiary of Antofagasta plc.

The operation is situated in the Centinela mining district, a strategic copper-producing area in northern Chile characterized by the extreme climatic and geotechnical conditions of the Atacama Desert.

2. Project Challenges

Project execution required addressing several critical operational and technical challenges:

• Bridging the gap between design parameters and actual operational performance.

• Controlling key deposition variables, including dry density, moisture content, and solids percentage.

• Managing the water balance to maintain safe phreatic levels and prevent saturation conditions.

• High-precision geometric control of slopes, freeboard, and lift thickness to mitigate overtopping, erosion, or localized instability risks.

• Generating robust, traceable technical documentation for audits and regulatory oversight bodies.

3. Our Approach and Solutions

A multidisciplinary framework was implemented, integrating geotechnical control, hydraulic monitoring, geometric verification, and structured document management, supported by a proactive Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) program.

Technical Implementation

• Intensive geotechnical quality control program, with over 1,000 field and laboratory tests conducted.

• Deployment of an on-site laboratory to accelerate response times and support real-time operational decision-making.

• Continuous hydraulic monitoring using evaporimeters, vibrating wire and standpipe piezometers, and periodic observation well verification.

• Scheduled topographic surveys to validate slopes, lift thicknesses, and overall facility geometry.

• Integration of technical data into a compliance management system to support reporting before E-700, DGA, and other regulatory review entities.

4. Results Achieved

• Average dry density values exceeding design targets, confirming controlled and stable deposition.

• Consistent solids content across multiple measurement methodologies, with no significant particle segregation observed.

• Phreatic levels maintained within safe operational ranges, ensuring long-term TSF stability.

• Strong regulatory traceability, with no critical observations during audits or technical inspections.

• Zero-incident service execution, maintaining operational continuity and supporting informed client decision-making.