Codelco tailings spill into Río Blanco threatens water supply for 1M+ in Chile

A tailings spill from Codelco's División Andina copper mine entered the Río Blanco, feeding the Aconcagua River, which supplies drinking water to over a million people. Irrigation gates were closed and Esval halted water capture, but the full extent of contamination and cleanup timeline remain unclear. The incident highlights systemic disincentives for mine cleanup and heightened spill risk from extreme rainfall.

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