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Anglo American secures 100% renewables across South American operations

15 April, 2021

Anglo American has delivered on its commitment to source 100% renewable energy for all its operations in Brazil, Chile and Peru. Having already secured renewable energy to meet all its power requirements for its iron ore and nickel operations in Brazil from 2022, and for its copper operations in Chile from 2021, Anglo American has now signed an agreement with Engie Energía Perú to provide 100% renewable energy for the Quellaveco copper operation in Peru that is expected to begin production in 2022.

Tom McCulley, CEO of Anglo American in Peru, said: “Copper has such an important role to play in enabling the global transition to a low carbon economy, so it is important for Anglo American’s new world-class copper mine in Peru – Quellaveco – to lead the way by minimising its own carbon and broader environmental footprint. The combination of renewable energy and our FutureSmart MiningTM programme’s higher precision technologies which target the required metals and minerals more precisely, with reduced water, energy and capital intensity, is changing the very nature of mining and how our stakeholders experience our business – for the better.”

Anik Michaud, Group Director of Corporate Relations & Sustainable Impact at Anglo American, added: “It is our duty to produce the metals and minerals that society needs as responsibly as current technologies allow, while continuing to stretch ourselves and our business partners to improve our performance even further. Our sourcing of only renewable energy to power our operations across South America marks another step towards our 2030 GHG reduction target of 30% that is embedded in our Sustainable Mining Plan and towards our commitment to be carbon neutral across our global operational footprint by 2040.” 

For further information, please contact:

Media Investors
UK UK
James Wyatt-Tilby Paul Galloway
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Marcelo Esquivel Robert Greenberg
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Katie Ryall Emma Waterworth
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
South Africa  
Nevashnee Naicker  
Email: [email protected]  
Sibusiso Tshabalala  
Email: [email protected]  
Nomonde Ndwalaza  
Email: [email protected]  

Notes to editors:

Renewable energy - Brazil

Since 2019, Anglo American has signed agreements with Casa dos Ventos and AES Tietê to provide wind power and with Atlas Renewable Energy to provide solar power to meet all the electricity needs of Anglo American’s iron ore and nickel operations. Our CO2 emissions in Brazil are expected to reduce by approximately 70% as a result.

Renewable energy – Chile

In 2019, Anglo American signed an agreement with Enel Generación Chile to provide renewable power (a mix of wind, solar and hydroelectric) to meet all the electricity needs of Anglo American’s copper operations in Chile. Our CO2 emissions in Chile are expected to reduce by approximately 70% as a result.

Our 44% owned copper operation, Collahuasi, signed agreements with both Enel and solar power producer Sonnedix to provide 100% renewable power for the operation from April 2020.

Renewable energy – Peru

In 2021, Anglo American signed an agreement with Engie Energía Perú to provide a combination of wind and hydroelectric power to meet all the electricity needs of the Quellaveco copper operation which is expected to begin production in 2022. Our CO2 emissions in Peru are expected to reduce by approximately 70% compared with our original project baseline projections.

Quellaveco

Anglo American is developing Quellaveco – one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper deposits, located in the Moquegua region in the south of Peru. Quellaveco is on schedule to start producing copper in 2022 and is expected to add an estimated 300,000 tonnes per year of copper equivalent production at a highly competitive first quartile cash cost (100% basis and on average over the first ten years) to Anglo American’s current annual production of more than 640,000 tonnes of copper. Quellaveco has a current Reserve Life of 30 years and provides significant further expansion potential. Anglo American owns 60% of Quellaveco and Mitsubishi Corporation holds a 40% interest.

Anglo American is a leading global mining company and our products are the essential ingredients in almost every aspect of modern life. Our portfolio of world-class competitive operations, development projects and undeveloped resources, provides many of the metals and minerals that enable a cleaner, greener, more sustainable world and that meet the fast growing consumer-driven demands of developed and maturing economies. With our people at the heart of our business, we use innovative practices and the latest technologies to mine, process, move and market our products to our customers – and to discover new resources – safely and sustainably.

As a responsible producer of diamonds (through De Beers), copper, platinum group metals, the steelmaking ingredients of iron ore and metallurgical coal, and nickel – with crop nutrients in development and thermal coal operations planned for divestment – we are committed to being carbon neutral across our operations by 2040. We work together with our business partners and diverse stakeholders to unlock sustainable value from precious natural resources for the benefit of the communities and countries in which we operate, for society as a whole, and for our shareholders. Anglo American is re-imagining mining to improve people’s lives.

www.angloamerican.com