National Strategy for Critical Minerals

Chile’s Ministry of Mining has published the National Strategy for Critical Minerals (NSCM or Strategy), a public policy instrument that defines a roadmap to position Chile as a reliable supplier of critical minerals within global supply chains.

1. Definition of “critical mineral” applicable to Chile.

“The one in which Chile holds, either currently or potentially, a significant share of global supply, and which has been classified as critical by various major economies worldwide or represents a strategic opportunity for the country’s sustainable development.”

This definition is based on Chile’s current or potential participation in global supply, the mineral’s recognition as critical by relevant economies, and its strategic relevance for the country’s sustainable development, even if it is not considered critical at the international level.

2. Classification of critical minerals.

• Group A: minerals in which Chile already plays a relevant role in global supply and which are considered critical by other relevant economies (copper, lithium, molybdenum, rhenium).
• Group B: minerals with high potential to reach a significant share in the global market and that are recurrently classified as critical by other economies (cobalt, rare earths, antimony, selenium, tellurium).
• Group C: minerals that represent strategic opportunities for national sustainable development, even when they are not part of international listings (gold, silver, iron, boron, iodine).

3. Strategic pillars.

The NSCM is structured around five strategic pillars aimed at strengthening the production and diversification of critical minerals, promoting responsible mining across the entire value chain. It also emphasizes the generation of opportunities for development and value addition, in an active international insertion of Chile as a reliable supplier, and in the development of enabling capacities – institutional, technological, regulatory and training – necessary for the effective implementation of its guidelines.

4. Governance and implementation.

The Strategy establishes a governance framework led by the Ministry of Mining, with inter-ministerial coordination and the participation of regional stakeholders and the productive ecosystem. Its implementation is articulated through action plans for each period of government, along with mechanisms for monitoring, public reporting, financing and periodic updating.

5. Impact of the NSCM on the development and processing of critical minerals projects.

• More efficient and predictable permitting system.

The Strategy incorporates the development of a more efficient and coordinated permitting system as an enabling action for critical mineral projects, with the aim of reducing permit processing times for mining investment projects by a third, without affecting compliance with current environmental and regulatory requirements.

In this framework, the Strategy highlights the application of the Framework Law on Sectoral Authorizations (Framework Law), emphasizing principles such as standardization, facilitation, predictability, proportionality, administrative simplification and cost-effectiveness.

• Preferential processing and early accompaniment.

The NSCM establishes that critical mineral projects that contribute to national development and industry may be specially identified and considered for application to the preferential processing regime established under the Framework Law, as strategic investment initiatives.

This regime provides for a reduction of up to half of the maximum statutory timelines applicable to certain sectoral authorizations, as well as inter-institutional coordination mechanisms and monitoring reinforced by the Office of Sectoral Authorizations and Investment.

The Ministry of Mining will provide early support to critical mineral projects that seek to apply for this regime, with a focus on guidance on the application process and the completeness of the relevant documentation.

• Territorial coordination and regulatory stability.

Critical mineral projects may be considered in the Regional Investment Coordination Tables in the Framework Law, facilitating territorial coordination and the early resolution of administrative obstacles.

The Strategy also provides for the application of the sectoral regulatory stability mechanism established in the Framework Law for critical mineral projects that enter the Environmental Impact Assessment System, so that, once a favorable Environmental Qualification Resolution has been obtained, the applicable sectoral requirements correspond to those in force at the time of entry, granting greater legal certainty and reducing risks associated with regulatory changes during the processing.

• Role of geological information in the development of projects.

The Strategy underscores the importance of geological information as a basis for public and private decision-making, highlighting its role in the planning, evaluation and development of critical mineral projects.