Anglo American Urges Faster Permits in Chile to Tackle Looming Copper Supply Gap

Anglo American Chile CEO Patricio Hidalgo emphasized the urgent need to speed up Chile’s mining permitting process to address an anticipated global copper supply gap. Speaking at the CRU Copper Conference in Santiago, Hidalgo warned that demand for copper by 2040 could equate to production from 80 Los Bronces mines, driven by the energy transition, digitalization, and growth in emerging markets.

Despite President Gabriel Boric's pledge to reduce permitting times by a third, the reform remains stalled in Congress. Hidalgo and other industry leaders are calling for swift legislative action to streamline approvals. Chile, which supplies roughly 25% of the world’s copper, is under pressure to remove bureaucratic delays that hinder mining expansion.

Anglo American, one of the world’s largest mining companies, operates the Los Bronces mine and holds a 44% stake in Collahuasi. Los Bronces produced 172,000 metric tons of copper in 2024. Hidalgo stressed that accelerating project timelines is essential to closing the widening supply-demand gap.

He also highlighted Anglo American’s recent infrastructure-sharing deal with Codelco’s neighboring Andina mine, which aims to boost output by 120,000 metric tons annually. The partnership was cited by Freeport-McMoRan CEO Kathleen Quirk as a model for future collaboration in the region.

Hidalgo sees further opportunities for such cooperative ventures across the Andean mining corridor, urging the sector to challenge traditional practices. He called on mining stakeholders to embrace innovative strategies to optimize production and ensure Chile remains a leading copper supplier amid rising global demand.

As the energy transition accelerates, Chile’s ability to meet copper demand will depend heavily on regulatory reforms and cross-industry collaboration. Without faster permitting, the country risks falling behind in the global race for critical minerals.