Last Updated on June 2, 2026
A Chilean environmental court has struck down key portions of the environmental approval for the expansion of one of the world’s largest copper mines, in a decision hailed by Indigenous organizations as a significant victory for Indigenous rights and environmental oversight.
The Second Environmental Tribunal ruled that the environmental review for the Collahuasi copper mine’s “Infrastructure Development and Production Capacity Improvement” project failed to adequately address concerns raised by Indigenous communities and questions surrounding impacts on the marine environment. The ruling invalidates part of the project’s environmental authorization and sends the review process back to an earlier stage for further analysis.
The project, valued at more than US$3.2 billion, is one of Chile’s largest mining investments and includes infrastructure upgrades and a desalination plant intended to support long-term copper production in the country’s northern Tarapacá region.
The tribunal’s decision followed complaints from Aymara Indigenous organizations that argued their concerns were not properly considered during the environmental assessment process. Judges found deficiencies in the evaluation of potential impacts on Indigenous communities and ordered authorities to revisit those issues before the project can proceed under its existing authorization.
The ruling does not immediately halt copper production at the existing mine. Collahuasi, jointly owned by Anglo American and Glencore, said it was seeking clarification regarding the scope of the decision and did not expect an immediate impact on current operations. Company representatives have maintained that the environmental review process complied with Chilean regulations, including Indigenous consultation requirements.
For Indigenous advocates, however, the significance of the ruling extends beyond a single mining project.
The decision reinforces growing legal recognition across Latin America that Indigenous consultation cannot be treated as a procedural formality. Courts increasingly require governments and corporations to demonstrate that Indigenous peoples have been meaningfully consulted and that their concerns have been fully considered before major projects move forward.
The Collahuasi case centers on Aymara communities in northern Chile, whose traditional territories and livelihoods could be affected by mining infrastructure and associated environmental changes. The tribunal concluded that aspects of the assessment process did not adequately address those concerns, prompting the unprecedented reversal of an approval that had originally been granted in 2021.
Mining industry groups criticized the ruling, warning that it could create uncertainty for investors and strategic mineral projects at a time when global demand for copper is rising due to the expansion of electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and power infrastructure. Chile is the world’s largest copper producer and remains central to global energy-transition supply chains.
Indigenous organizations and environmental groups counter that the decision demonstrates that economic development cannot come at the expense of Indigenous rights.
“The ruling sends a powerful signal across Latin America’s mining sector: violations of Indigenous Peoples’ rights are not secondary issues or procedural “details”; they can directly reshape, delay, or halt billion-dollar extractive projects,” said SIRGE Coalition.
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