Chile Accelerates Desalination for Mining as Environmental Gaps Persist

Chile's Environmental Assessment Service approved 23 mining projects worth $3.275B in H1 2026, up from 13 in the same period last year, signaling a mining boom in the arid north. This surge is driving rapid desalination expansion, but scientists warn of environmental gaps in the permitting process. The development highlights a tension between economic growth and environmental sustainability in a key copper-producing region.