Teck’s Quebrada Blanca project has been made possible by thousands of dedicated men and women.

As the world becomes increasingly aware of the importance of critical minerals to ensure a sustainable future, Teck is focused on helping meet rapidly growing demand for copper—and doing it responsibly.

Copper is the single most important mineral in the clean energy transition, as it is an essential component in everything from wind turbines to electric vehicle batteries and charging stations. For example, the average electric car requires about four times as much copper as a gas combustion vehicle. That is why global copper demand is expected to double in the next 30 years.

In 2023, we made significant progress towards advancing our copper growth strategy, as the expanded Quebrada Blanca (QB) mine in Chile ramps up to full production. Mines like QB will play a critical role in helping meet the growing global need for copper. At full production, QB will double Teck’s copper production on a consolidated basis.

The copper produced at QB will help contribute to global efforts to decarbonize—but as expectations on the mining industry from local communities, governments and Indigenous groups continue to rightfully increase, how we mine is just as important as what we mine.

This project was made possible by thousands of dedicated men and women—including the government of Chile, which is a strong supporter of responsible resource development—all working with the shared goal of creating a generational legacy of economic development, jobs and prosperity, while respecting the environment and communities of northern Chile.

Read more: Rio Tinto | Hecla | B2Gold | MineSense

From concept and construction, all the way through to production, QB was created with local people at the forefront. Before the first shovel broke ground, local communities and Indigenous groups provided valuable input that resulted in project design amendments to better incorporate their environmental and social priorities and ensure they shared in the benefits of responsible mining. That dialogue continued through construction, and will continue throughout the life of the mine.

As a result, QB has a strong focus on environmentally responsible mining. The operation includes the first large-scale use of desalinated seawater for mining in Chile’s Tarapacá region. To achieve this, water is pumped from the coast through 165 kilometres of pipelines, up to an altitude of 4,400 metres at the mine. It was a major engineering and construction challenge but essential to protect precious and scarce freshwater resources in the region.

As part of Teck’s commitment to making our mining operations carbon neutral by 2050, QB will be 100 per cent powered by renewable electricity beginning in 2025, eliminating 1.6 million tonnes of annual greenhouse gas emissions. On top of that, we’re investing to protect and conserve biodiversity and the unique ecosystems around QB. For example, we’re partnering with the Ollagüe Quechua community to protect the Salar de Alconcha wetland, a unique and high-value wetland.

As significant as QB is, it has even more potential; the initial mine life of 27 years uses only 18 per cent of the mineral resource, meaning the mine can expand and continue operating and creating jobs for decades to come. QB also reflects the diversity of the region, with women making up approximately 30 per cent of the workforce—far above the industry average, and we’re working to do even better.

To decarbonize, the world needs significantly more copper than is produced today. Across our industry, our challenge is to find ways to produce more copper while making less impact. It’s a tall order—but I believe our industry is up to the challenge.

Read more: Rio Tinto | Hecla | B2Gold | MineSense