en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Environmental Assessment Committee (COEVA) of the Biobío Region unanimously approved the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for the "Clay Mining Development Project for the Production of Rare Earth Concentrate," promoted by Aclara and the CAP Group in Penco and Concepción.
This approval marks the conclusion of a process that began with an early citizen participation phase and the submission of the EIS to Chile's Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA) in June 2024. During the review process, the project was evaluated by 30 public bodies with environmental authority, with 22 service agencies and entities raising approximately 2,100 technical and citizen observations, which were addressed through three ICSARAs (the maximum observation rounds stipulated by Chilean environmental regulations). Each observation was responded to and addressed based on technical, scientific, and sustainability criteria, ultimately receiving endorsement from all participating agencies at the conclusion of the process. An indigenous consultation procedure was also conducted as part of the evaluation.
This milestone enables the development of Chile's first rare earth project, marking the beginning of a new sustainable industrial value chain in the Biobío Region for critical minerals related to electric vehicles, renewable energy, and the global energy transition challenge.
Enrique Donoso, General Manager of Aclara Resources Chile, stated that the COEVA approval is a very important step for the project, the result of years of rigorous technical work, citizen participation, and ongoing dialogue with the region, noting that the environmental review process allowed the project and its socio-environmental commitments to be strengthened. Nicolás Burr, General Manager of the CAP Group, commented that the obtained environmental approval is a very significant milestone for the initiative, reflecting the technical, environmental, and social robustness of the work carried out throughout the entire evaluation process.
The initiative plans to produce critical minerals used in the manufacturing of permanent magnets for clean technologies, with an estimated investment of approximately $130 million, and is expected to create around 2,200 direct and indirect jobs. It also commits to hiring 40% of its workforce locally, in addition to measures such as participatory monitoring, biodiversity conservation, native species restoration, and community development projects.
One of the project's main differentiating attributes is the patented technology developed by Aclara, "Circular Mineral Harvesting" (Cosecha Circular de Minerales), used to recover rare earths from clay. This process does not use explosives, crushing, or grinding, generates no tailings, and operates with 100% recycled water. The company also stated that the environmental approval represents the beginning of a new phase of responsible implementation, based on fulfilling environmental commitments and ongoing collaboration with authorities, communities, and local stakeholders. Activities include: planting over 100 hectares of native species during the closure phase, participatory monitoring, recreational areas, a 30-meter conservation buffer zone for existing native forest, and over 90 hectares of biodiversity conservation areas, among other measures.
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