Dear Director: Chile faces a historic opportunity with a mining investment portfolio exceeding US$ 104 billion. However, optimism can be paradoxical without clear determinations. About 40% is merely potential and depends on permits, financing, and market conditions.
The risk lies in confusing announcements with execution. While projects like the new concentrator at Escondida (US$ 5 billion) or the expansion of El Abra (US$ 7. 5 billion) entering the Environmental Assessment Service (SEA) show a highly positive impact, it is important to remember that most of the recorded investment is concentrated towards the end of the decade, and more than 80% corresponds to expansions, not new developments.
This means that growth is not immediate; it requires time and resilience. This is where the state has an unavoidable responsibility. It is not about relaxing environmental standards, but rather correcting a process that is currently slow, fragmented, and uncertain.