Políticas sobre cierre de minas en América del Sur

This case study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines mine closure policies in South America, with a detailed focus on the legislative frameworks of Chile and Peru. It outlines international best practices for mine closure, emphasizing the critical role of financial guarantees to prevent abandoned sites and protect the public interest. The document compares the national approaches of Chile and Peru, highlighting their use of mandatory financial assurances and periodic plan updates, while noting a general lack of emphasis on social transition and post-closure land use in both jurisdictions.

• Effective mine closure policies are characterized by early planning, consistent legal enforcement, financial guarantees covering the entire mine life cycle, and clear conditions for the relinquishment of ownership or management of residual risks.
• Financial guarantees are essential to ensure that sufficient funds are available for a third party to handle cleanup and closure if the mine owner is unable or unwilling to do so, thereby preventing the state and population from inheriting these costs.
• Climate change must be integrated into mine closure planning because the design life of closure systems can span hundreds to thousands of years, and changing rainfall and temperature patterns can alter groundwater, glaciers, and ecosystem dynamics.
• Chile and Peru are the only two South American countries to have established comprehensive national legislation requiring financial guarantees for mine closure, both reflecting international best practices in technical and financial requirements.
• Chile's Law 20.551 (2012) requires mines extracting over 10,000 tonnes per month to provide financial guarantees, with a phased payment approach: 20% at the start, and the full amount within the first two-thirds of the mine's life (or 15 years if the life exceeds 20 years).
• Peru was the first Latin American country to mandate financial guarantees for mine closure via Law 28090 (2003). Its approach to increasing the guarantee amount is described as practically linear throughout the mine's life, which the document notes may not always be realistic.
• Despite their technical strengths, neither Chile nor Peru places significant legislative emphasis on the social aspects of mine closure or the specific use of the land after mining activities cease.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2021). Políticas sobre cierre de minas en América del Sur. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-01/igf-case-study-mine-closure-south-america-es.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Políticas sobre cierre de minas en América del Sur. 2021. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-01/igf-case-study-mine-closure-south-america-es.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Políticas sobre cierre de minas en América del Sur |date=2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-01/igf-case-study-mine-closure-south-america-es.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2021polticas, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Políticas sobre cierre de minas en América del Sur}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-01/igf-case-study-mine-closure-south-america-es.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }