Careful water use

High-tech water treatment at Cobre Las Cruces in Spain ensures water diverted from our open pit is returned to the natural environment with exceptional purity, comparable to that required for human consumption.

Responsible management

Responsible management of water resources is essential to our operations at Cobre Las Cruces in Spain. Our open pit is excavated in relatively soft clay or marl. To reach the ore body, it’s necessary to dig through a layer of sand and sandstone containing the Niebla-Posadas aquifer, which supplies water to nearby farms, as well as communities from Huelva to the northern edge of Seville. A sophisticated system pumps water away from the pit area – to prevent any contact with the sulphide-based ore – and then treats the diverted water before it is reintroduced into the aquifer downstream of the mine. This is our Drainage-Reinjection System (“DRS”), designed to close the circuit with minimal impact on the volume and quality of the groundwater system.

Purity-matched return

A condition of our license to operate is to ensure diverted water is reinjected into the aquifer, with two key conditions: The overall volume of water cannot change, and that water must be treated to a high standard of purity, irrespective of the naturally occurring water quality. The water is treated by reverse osmosis in a dedicated plant that is one of the most advanced facilities in the world. We believe it constitutes a milestone in the mining industry from the point of view of water quality protection.

The treated water is tested by both First Quantum and independent regulators, which gives a high level of confidence and peace of mind to the communities that rely on the Niebla-Posadas aquifer.

In addition to our commitment to water treatment, since 2016 we have been working on a project to rehabilitate and protect birds like the great bustard (Otis tarda) that frequent wetlands within the Cobre Las Cruces boundary. The wetlands support a vast array of wild birds, from flamingos to herons, owls to storks. They visit the Cobre Las Cruces site each year as part of annual migration patterns, and delight the wildlife team.