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Chile environmental regulator files charges vs Lundin's Candelaria mine


    SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile's environmental regulator filed charges against Canada's Lundin Mining Corp on Wednesday for a series of irregularities at its Candelaria copper deposit, the latest mine to fall under the regulator's increasingly watchful eye.

    The SMA regulator found 16 environmental irregularities at Candelaria between 2013 and 2014, including nine which it qualified as "grave."

    "The most important infraction detected by the investigation is related to the failure to fulfill the commitment of reducing the consumption of fresh water ... leading to an important loss in the availability of underground water at Copiapo river's aquifer," the regulator said in a statement.

    Candelaria is located in the desert region of Atacama.

    Lundin now has 10 days to present a compliance plan or 15 days to appeal the charges.

    Officials at Lundin were not immediately available for comment.

    Mining companies in the world's top copper producer are increasingly finding themselves scrutinized by authorities for environmental irregularities, and in some cases have had their projects halted.

    Among those, the SMA regulator is seeking new sanctions against Barrick Gold Corp's massive Pascua-Lama gold and silver project, further complicating the possibility that the suspended mine might resume construction.

    (Reporting by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Andrew Hay)