Codelco, Toyota Chile and Mitsui Chile sign agreement to explore the decarbonization of mining operations

As part of a MoU experiences will be shared and tests will be conducted in the state-owned mining company’s divisions to promote industry decarbonization and sustainable development.

Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japanese companies Toyota Chile and Mitsui & Co. (Chile) Ltda. ("Mitsui Chile”) for a strategic collaboration focused on the development and testing of sustainable mobility solutions in its mining divisions. This agreement seeks to foster a competitive and environmentally responsible mining sector by minimizing its carbon footprint through electrification.

The project involves intentions to share knowledge, conduct studies, and carry out pilot tests on-site to evaluate the performance and adaptability of zero and low-emission vehicles within Codelco’s divisions.

Through this agreement, Toyota Chile and Mitsui Chile will gain a comprehensive understanding of the technical requirements for this kind of vehicles in mining environments, considering factors such as energy consumption, distances covered, and usage time. This will accelerate the development of technologies suited to the unique conditions of the industry.

Collaboration for sustainable development

This collaborative effort demonstrates Codelco, Toyota Chile, and Mitsui Chile’s commitment to promoting sustainable solutions, aligning their expertise and capabilities to drive electrification advancements in Chile's most significant economic sector.

“This agreement not only opens the door to new technologies for electromobility in mining, but also enables us to advance our purpose of being a pillar of sustainable development for Chile and the world. At Codelco, we are committed to innovating and leading the shift toward more environmentally responsible operations, promoting alternatives that generate both environmental and social value. In this regard, partnerships with third parties are crucial to accelerating successful transformations for the mining of the future,” highlighted Felipe Lagno, Codelco’s Corporate Manager of Innovation and Technology.

“At Toyota, we see only one enemy: carbon emissions. That’s why this agreement allows us to advance our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, leveraging all our capabilities as leaders in the zero and low-emission segment, which we will make available to Codelco to collectively generate sustainable mobility within mining operations,” stated Takuya Takahashi, CEO of Toyota Chile.

"This partnership holds significance beyond this project alone. It serves as a model of collaboration that highlights the value of aligning with partners who share Mitsui Chile’s commitment to sustainable development, especially in decarbonization. Moving forward, we are confident that this joint effort will generate lasting value, not only for our companies but also for the communities we serve and the environment we aim to protect. This is a testament to the power of partnerships that are focused on long-term impact, and it marks just the beginning of what we hope will be a long and meaningful partnership”, stated Kazutaka Shiba, Mitsui Chile’s President and CEO.