Mine Water Management: Case Studies from Mongolia and Chile

This case study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines watershed-level water management frameworks in Mongolia and the Antofagasta region of Chile, focusing on the intersection of mining activities and water security in arid environments.

• Effective watershed-level management requires a risk-based approach that incorporates climate change scenarios and sensitivity analyses to address biophysical, socio-economic, and regulatory risks.
• Mongolia implemented an Integrated Watershed Management Plan (IWMP) in 2013 that categorizes the country into three management zones based on water type: surface water, surface and groundwater, and groundwater-dominated areas.
• In Mongolia's Gobi Desert, groundwater is considered non-renewable fossil water, and mining demand is predicted to exceed supply in 2021, creating potential conflict with herders and local communities.
• The Antofagasta region in Chile manages 10 watersheds across 127,221 km2, with a strategic plan updated in 2016 that includes citizen consultation via workshops in six communities.
• A significant governance challenge in Chile is that water was historically allocated as rights with no expiry date rather than as licenses, which complicates effective resource management.
• In the Loa River watershed of Antofagasta, mining accounts for 60% of the water demand, necessitating a balance between industrial use and the rights of Indigenous communities and municipalities.
• The 'Plan Chile 30/30' initiative, based on consultations with over 10,000 participants, aims for 2030 goals including decentralized coordination, standardized data collection, and strengthened enforcement of the Water Code.

APA

Hill, J., & Gillman, M. (2021). Mine Water Management: Case Studies from Mongolia and Chile. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-12/igf-case-study-mine-water-management-chile-mongolia.pdf

Chicago

Hill, Jenifer, and Matthew Gillman. Mine Water Management: Case Studies from Mongolia and Chile. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2021. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-12/igf-case-study-mine-water-management-chile-mongolia.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hill |first1=Jenifer |last2=Gillman |first2=Matthew |title=Mine Water Management: Case Studies from Mongolia and Chile |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-12/igf-case-study-mine-water-management-chile-mongolia.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hill2021mine, author = {Hill, Jenifer and Gillman, Matthew}, title = {{Mine Water Management: Case Studies from Mongolia and Chile}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-12/igf-case-study-mine-water-management-chile-mongolia.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }