LatinNews Daily - 9 January 2025

*A committee of ministers in Chile’s government has voted to block the controversial US$2.5bn Dominga copper and iron mining project which was proposed by the Chilean mining firm Andes Iron in the central region of Coquimbo. The Dominga project had been in flux for years; most recently a January 2023 decision by President Gabriel Boric’s government to reject environmental permits for the mine was annulled in December 2024 by an environmental court ruling which gave the green light for the project, triggering concern from environmental groups. According to a government statement widely circulated in the local press, ministers yesterday decided to block the Dominga project due to the threat it poses to biodiversity and an “insufficient” contingency plan to protect against pollution. Much of the concern about the mine’s environmental impact is due to the proposed construction of major infrastructure some 30km from a penguin reserve, including a port and desalination plants.