Techint achieves milestone in high-altitude water pipeline project in Chile

Techint Engineering & Construction has completed a water pumping system that now supplies desalinated water to the Collahuasi mine in northern Chile. In 10 months, the company built a water conveyance system connecting an adjacent mine’s facilities to the Collahuasi mine, supplying it with desalinated water in the Tarapacá Region. The project, known as Interconexión, achieved a key milestone in May 2025, when the water began flowing. This system plays a key role in supporting more sustainable mining practices by reducing the use of freshwater in high-altitude operations.

The scope included a 15.2 km (9.4-mile) pipeline, a pumping station with three pumps, a storage pool, a second station with two pumps, an outlet station with two additional pumps, and a loading bay. The infrastructure was built at an altitude of over 4,500 metres above sea level, under extreme climatic and logistical conditions. At peak construction, more than 1,400 workers were mobilized. The project recorded over 1.5 million workhours with no lost-time incidents, and more than one million kilometres (621,000 miles) travelled with no road accidents. Final technical and administrative closure activities are currently underway.

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