Geologists Might Have Discovered One of Earth’s Most Incredible Treasures — But Many Believe It’s Far Too Risky to Unearth
Recent exploration at the Filo del Sol copper deposit, on the border between Argentina and Chile, has produced updated resource estimates. Some projections suggest it could hold five times more metals than first thought, which would increase available supplies of copper, gold and silver, metals used in low-carbon energy systems and in industries such as aerospace and telecommunications.
A site with global geological and economic importance
Set high in the Andes at about 5 000 metres above sea level (roughly 16,400 ft) and stretching along the Atacama Desert on the eastern edge of the Ring of Fire, Filo del Sol is notable for its Late Cretaceous geology. This undeveloped open-pit copper project has estimated resources that reach potentially 13 Mt of copper, 907 t of gold and 18 600 t of silver.
Lundin Mining, a company based in the United States led by Jack Lundin, is a key player in the discovery, while firms such as BHP and Argentina’s largest private electricity producer, Central Puerto, have also been involved in talks around the exploration.
Environmental and legal challenges
The discovery has prompted environmental concerns. Argentina’s glacier law, designed to protect key freshwater sources that represent 70 % of the country’s reserves, has been a focal point. Organisations such as Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN) have accused the Lundin Group of potentially breaching that law. There are also concerns about possible ecological damage to the fragile Andean ecosystem.
Some companies are exploring renewable energy options to reduce the environmental footprint of mining in the Atacama region. Central Puerto launched a feasibility study in December 2024 to build power transmission lines linking renewable energy sources to mining sites. In 2022, Lundin Mining announced a similar plan for high-voltage lines to cut diesel use.
A strategic resource for the future
Filo del Sol is a potentially large resource, but it also presents logistical challenges tied to high altitude and harsh climate, which complicate work for people and machinery. The region’s water demand is another concern: for example, La Alumbrera uses 25 billion litres of water a year, illustrating the pressure on this semi-arid area.
Jack Lundin described Filo del Sol as “one of the most significant discoveries on undeveloped ground in the past thirty years.” He said the find had strategic value for the company and for efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
The findings at Filo del Sol present a trade-off between economic benefits and environmental protection as countries pursue lower-carbon energy. Decisions about exploiting the deposit while managing environmental impacts will affect short-term economic outcomes and long-term wellbeing.