BNAmericas reported that CCA Chile has submitted a new environmental impact assessment to the environment ministry for a USD 48.4 million project to build a mineral stockpiling and shipping facility at the Puerto Caldera port in northern region III.

A previous EIA for the same project, involving a USD 46 million investment and submitted in January 2011, was rejected in early July 2011.

A source from MMA's evaluation service told BNAmericas at the time that "The evaluating committee decided to reject the EIA as the company was unable to respond to some of the observations made on the project. The company didn't provide all the information needed to demonstrate that the project complied with all the environmental regulations in the country."

The stockpiling facility will have capacity to store 110,000 tonnes of iron ore concentrate coming from mining operations that the company owns in region III where it plans to invest an estimated USD 20 million in their development.

CCA's Osornina project recently received environmental approval, while the Renacer Ornella and Burritas initiatives are still under evaluation. The three projects are expected to produce 12.6 million tonnes of iron ore and 210,000 tonnes of copper over their 20 year life spans and were originally scheduled to start operating during Q1.

(Sourced from www.bnamericas.com)