ENAMI–CMP Agreement Supports Small-Scale Producers in Leasing Mining Concessions

The agreement was formalized a year ago, during the previous edition of FOREDE, with the goal of making 44,000 hectares of land owned by the iron mining company available for effective lease agreements supporting small-scale mining production in areas that already have baseline geological information.

“These first contracts are a concrete result of regional coordination between large and small-scale mining, as well as between the private and public sectors: CMP is making thousands of hectares of land available, ENAMI manages the leases, and small producers benefit from this collaboration, gaining the opportunity to develop new productive activities with technical support. That’s why we call on other companies to replicate this initiative,” said Iván Mlynarz, Executive Vice President of ENAMI.

In turn, Francisco Carvajal, General Manager of CMP, stated:

“With this initiative, we reinforce our purpose of developing a different kind of mining—one that is sustainable for the territory and supportive of small-scale producers—because we aspire for the entire mining ecosystem and value chain to grow alongside us in the Atacama region. In doing so, we concretely contribute to regional development, creating employment opportunities and improving the quality of life of local residents. This step marks a significant milestone in our mission to drive sustainable, long-term development.”

Through this agreement, CMP is making its properties available to small-scale mining producers through the National Mining Company (ENAMI), which assists them in managing permits and provides technical guidance for developing their mining operations.
The Acting Minister of Mining, Suina Chahuán, emphasized:

“One of the priorities upheld by the government is to shape public policy through dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders—a commitment we have adopted in the mining sector to strengthen its development. Within this framework, we established the National Policy for the Promotion of Small-Scale Mining, which arose from a sectoral diagnosis that identified access to mining property as one of the main challenges faced by small producers. This agreement between ENAMI and CMP, which also promotes public–private collaboration, helps stimulate the sector by making thousands of hectares available for leases across the Atacama and Coquimbo regions.”

TESTIMONIALS FROM PRODUCERS
One of the beneficiaries, Mario Salazar, a mining producer from Atacama with more than 45 years of experience, expressed:

“I am very happy because through this CMP–ENAMI agreement I was able to acquire a mining property to operate and create jobs. Many miners do not have this opportunity, so I call on all companies to join this initiative and offer mining properties, just as CMP is doing to promote mining production in Chile.”

Another producer already seeing tangible results from the agreement is Sandro Riquelme, who operates the Inca 1/55 mine in the Vallenar area. Just three months after signing the contract, he has already produced 50 tons. “This is an excellent opportunity to strengthen the local economy and rural communities where we live, to help small-scale mining grow and supply ENAMI’s Vallenar Plant,” he said, recommending other producers to join the initiative: “I would definitely recommend it. The experience is positive, the benefits are significant, and the process for subleasing through ENAMI is quite smooth.”