Its construction involved hiring more than 2,500 workers from the region and has boosted port operations, in addition to the procurement of goods and services from companies in Tarapacá.

The development of Collahuasi’s C20+ Project has had a positive impact on the region’s productive chain and skilled labor. The company’s investment includes the construction of a desalination plant that will supply 1,050 liters per second to its operation. To achieve this, a water pumping system and modifications to the electrical transmission system are also being implemented. These will enable the transport of water through a 194 km pipeline, from Puerto Collahuasi to the mining site.

Since the start of construction in 2022, the company has implemented a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening port infrastructure, boosting the logistics chain in Tarapacá, and employing regional workers at the peak of execution. These job opportunities were the result of a collaborative effort between C20+ and the labor intermediation offices of the municipalities of Pozo Almonte, Pica, Alto Hospicio, and Iquique, facilitating candidate identification and job placement through the companies involved in the project.

Roberto Quijada, Integration Manager of the C20+ Project, praised this public-private collaboration in support of local employment. “One of our core values is respect for communities and the environment. In this regard, Collahuasi is a neighbor to the region, and the implementation of C20+ has reinforced its commitment to sustainable development, contributing to the employability and training of Tarapacá’s communities through coordinated and collaborative efforts with various regional stakeholders.”

Quijada added, “The creation of these jobs has also been strengthened through job readiness courses and training programs promoted by Collahuasi and its partner companies, ensuring specialized teams in key areas for the execution and development of C20+. As a result, more than 800 residents of Pica, Pozo Almonte, Alto Hospicio, and Iquique have participated in the Project’s Training and Employability Program, gaining new skills in trades such as plumbing, electricity, welding, safety, construction, gastronomy, and pastry-making, thereby contributing to the economic and social development of their communities.”

These efforts to build and establish local capabilities are complemented by technical and vocational mining education, which Fundación Collahuasi promotes in the bicentennial high schools Juan Pablo II in Alto Hospicio and Padre Alberto Hurtado in Pica, both under its co-administration. As a result, 128 young professionals were hired between May and June of this year for mining and plant operations.

In the port sector, the C20+ Project has carried out eight cargo transfers at the Port of Iquique, stimulating other local economic sectors such as Iquique Terminal Internacional, Empresa Portuaria Iquique, and other regional suppliers. This has led to a productive chain effect through the subcontracting of additional services for the C20+ Project, including lodging, catering, personnel and cargo transportation, amounting to over US$230 million in regional goods and service contracts.