Codelco Suspends El Teniente Mine Expansion Over Seismic Risk

Codelco, the state-owned mining company of Chile, suspended work on the Andes Norte expansion project at the El Teniente copper mine on August 4, 2026. The company halted the project after data collected over the previous six months revealed a new seismic risk that differs from the underground hazards the company has historically managed.

This precautionary suspension occurs roughly one year after a fatal rock burst on July 31, 2025, which killed six workers and marked the deadliest mining disaster in Chile in decades. Work will remain paused while the company conducts expanded monitoring, technical analysis, and implements additional safety controls.

Codelco stated that current production will not be affected by the suspension. However, the halt complicates the company's broader efforts to reverse declining output at its aging mining facilities.