COPPER SECTOR LOAN

closed

The project's purpose is (i) to maintain, render more effective and, in a few cases, to slightly expand Chile's capacity to process its copper ore and copper by-products; and (ii) to strengthen CODELCO and ENAMI's management while also improving planning and policy making within the sector. Individual subprojects to be financed under the proposed loan include: (I) for CODELCO: (a) an underground crushing plant, and related infrastructure, at the El Teniente Mine; (b) rehabilitation of the Barquito power plant which supplies the El Salvador Mine and smelter facilities; (c) a selenium recovery plant at Chuquicamata to process anode slimes from the Chuquicamata and El Salvador Mines; and (d) technical assistance. (II) For ENAMI: (a) the replacement of antiquated or obsolete equipment at the Paipote and Ventanas smelters and the modification of both smelters' burners to enable them to operate on Chilean coal as well as petroleum products; and (b) technical assistance.