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Antofagasta

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Employees 5001-10,000
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FY2020 Annual Report · Antofagasta
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Developing
mining for 
a better 
future

Annual Report and Financial Statements 2020

Corporate Governance
Applying the Code in 2020

Board leadership and 
company purpose
Chairman’s introduction
Senior Independent 
Director’s introduction 
Group corporate governance overview
Board activities
Stakeholder engagement
Employee engagement

Division of responsibilities
Directors’ biographies
Board balance and skills
Roles in the boardroom
Executive Committee and 
General Managers’ biographies
Introduction to the Committees

Composition, succession 
and evaluation
Nomination and Governance 
Committee report
Board effectiveness

Audit, risk and 
internal control
Audit and Risk Committee report
Sustainability and Stakeholder 
Management Committee report
Projects Committee report

Remuneration
Remuneration and Talent Management 
Committee report
Committee Chair’s introduction
2020 Directors’ and 
CEO Remuneration Report
Implementation of the Directors’ and 
CEO’s remuneration policy in 2021

Directors’ Report

Statement of Directors’ 
responsibilities

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100

102
104
106
108
110

112
114
115

116
118

119
123

124

129
132

134
135

139

150

153

155

Contents

Strategic Report
Overview 
Our purpose
Performance highlights
2020 highlights
At a glance
Letter from the Chairman
Letter from the Chief Executive Officer
Copper for a cleaner world
Copper and its uses
Copper: the metal for a better future
Business model

Creating value through 
the mining lifecycle
Strategic framework
Key performance indicators
Risk management

Risk management framework
Principal risks
Key risks
Compliance and internal controls

Stakeholder review
Our approach to sustainability
Committed to positive impact
Our commitment to the 
Sustainable Development Goals

Creating sustainable value for 
our stakeholders
Our people 
Safety and health
Communities
Environment
Taskforce on Climate-Related 
Financial Disclosures
Suppliers
Customers
Shareholders
Governments and regulators

Non-financial information statement

Operating review
Mining division

Los Pelambres
Centinela
Antucoya
Zaldívar

Transport division
Growth projects and opportunities
Exploration activities
Key inputs and cost base
Operating excellence and innovation
The copper market: supplying metals for 
a better future

Financial review

1
2
3
4
6
8
10
12
14

16
18
20

22
24
25
31

34

38

40
42
45
48
50

54
57
58
59
60
61

64
66
68
70
71
72
74
77
78
80

82

84

Financial Statements
Financial performance
Independent auditors’ report
Consolidated income statement
Consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income 
Consolidated statement of 
changes in equity
Consolidated balance sheet
Consolidated cash flow statement
Notes to the financial statements
Parent company financial statements

Other Information
Alternative performance measures
Five-year summary
Production statistics
Ore reserves and mineral 
resources estimates
Glossary and definitions
Shareholder information

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165

166

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169
212

216
219
221

222
232
235

In this Annual Report, the terms “Company”, “Group”, “we”, 
“us”, “our” and “ourselves” are used to refer to Antofagasta 
plc and, unless the context requires otherwise, its 
subsidiaries. These terms may be used as collective 
expressions where general reference is made to the 
companies in the Group and/or where no useful purpose is 
served by identifying any particular company or companies.

 
 
 
 
Our purpose

Developing mining
for a better future

Our vision
To be an international mining 
company based in Chile, focused 
on copper and its by-products, 
known for its operating efficiency, 
creation of sustainable value, 
high profitability and as a 
preferred partner in the 
global mining industry.

STRATEGY

• People
• Safety and Sustainability
• Competitiveness
• Growth
• Innovation

PURPOSE

CULTURE

Shared values and 
the way we work

ORGANISATION
Designed to deliver 
results and growth

Our Vis i o n

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Strategic Report

Performance highlights

An overview of performance 
and key highlights from 2020

Safety
Safety

0
0

Fatalities
Fatalities

0.86
0.9

LTIFR1
LTIFR1

1.6

1.5

1.6

1.0

Copper production2
Copper production2

733.9k tonnes
733.9k tonnes

709.4

704.3

725.3

770.0

733.9

Net cash costs3
Net cash costs3

$1.14/lb
$1.14/lb

1.25

1.29

1.20

1.22

1.14

1.0

0.9

2

16

1

18

0

17

0

19

0

20

16

17

18

19

20

16

17

18

19

20

EBITDA3
EBITDA3

$2,739m
$2,739m

2,587

2,439

2,228

1,626

Earnings per share
Earnings per share4

Mineral resources5
Mineral resources4

$54.7¢/share
$54.7¢/share

19.2bn tonnes
19.2bn tonnes

2,739

76.1

18.7

18.7

18.8

19.1

19.2

51.5

50.9

54.7

34.7

16

17

18

19

20

16

17

18

19

20

16

17

18

19

20

1.  The Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate is the number of accidents with lost time per million hours worked.
2.  100% of production at Los Pelambres, Centinela and Antucoya, and 50% of Zaldívar’s production.
3.  Non-IFRS measure, refer to the alternative performance measures section on page 216.
4.  Underlying EPS from continuing operarations, excluding exceptional items. Reconciled to EPS from continuing and discontinued operation, including exceptional 

items in the consolidated income statement on page 165.

5.  Mineral resources (including ore reserves) held by the Group’s subsidiaries on a 100% basis and at Zaldívar on a 50% basis.

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2020 highlights

Safety
Another year of record safety performance with 
no fatal accidents and a LTIFR of 0.86.

Copper production
Copper production was 733,900 tonnes, reflecting 
our resilience and flexibility in the face of the 
year’s challenges.

Net cash costs
Net cash costs were $1.14/lb, 6.6% lower than last 
year due to the weaker Chilean peso, lower input 
costs and continued tight cost control, partially 
offset by lower production.

EBITDA
EBITDA increased by 12.3% to $2,739 million 
with an EBITDA margin of 53%, reflecting solid 
copper production, a stronger copper price and 
lower cash costs.

Earnings per share
Underlying EPS of 54.7 cents per share, 7.4% higher 
than the previous year on higher EBITDA, partially 
offset by higher depreciation and amortisation, and tax. 
EPS including discontinued operations and exceptional 
items of 51.3 cents per share, up 0.8%.

Dividend per share
Total dividend of 54.7 cents per share, equivalent 
to a 100% payout ratio.

Projects
Los Pelambres Expansion, Zaldívar Chloride Leach 
and Esperanza Sur pit growth projects delayed by 
COVID-19, now due to start production in 2022.

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Strategic Report

At a glance

We are a Chile-based 
copper mining group

Mining is our core business, representing over 97% of 
our revenue and EBITDA. We operate four copper mines 
in Chile, two of which produce significant volumes of 
molybdenum and gold as by-products. We also have a 
portfolio of growth opportunities located mainly in Chile.

In addition to mining, our Transport division provides rail 
and road cargo services in northern Chile predominantly 
to mining customers, which include some of our 
own operations.

Products

Revenue

EBITDA1,2

  Cu

Cu

Au

Cu

Cu

Cu

Au

Mo

Ag

Mo

Ag

Antucoya
•  70% owned
•  19-year mine life
•  Produces copper cathodes

Centinela
•  70% owned
•  47-year mine life
•  Produces copper cathodes and copper 
concentrates containing gold and silver 
and a separate molybdenum concentrate

Zaldívar
•  50% owned (and operated)
•  10-year mine life
•  Produces copper cathodes

Los Pelambres
•  60% owned
•  14-year mine life
•  Produces copper concentrates containing 

gold and silver and a separate 
molybdenum concentrate

Transport
•  Cargo transport system in the 
Antofagasta region of Chile

•  900 km rail network

Group

9%

6%

$480m

$166m

36%

33%

$1,845m

$912m

4%

$96m

52%

61%

$2,655m

$1,663m

3%

$149m

$5,129m

2%

$61m

$2,739m

KEY

Cathodes

Concentrate

Road

Rail

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C h i l e

Antucoya
Centinela

Zaldívar

Los Pelambres

Santiago

Copper production (tonnes) net cash costs1

2020

2021 forecast

Growth potential

79,300
$1.82/lb

75-80,000
$1.80/lb

Mine life extension
•  Potential to process satellite 

ore bodies

246,800
$1.27/lb

270-280,000
$1.15/lb

48,200
$1.80/lb

45-50,000
$1.75/lb

359,600
$0.81/lb

340-350,000
$1.05/lb

6.4m 
tonnes

Centinela expansion
•  Opening Esperanza Sur pit in 

2022, which will increase annual 
production by 10-15,000 tonnes

•  Evaluating building a second 
concentrator. Decision in 
early 2022

Mine life extension
•  Assessing viability of leaching 
the primary sulphide ore body
•  Chloride Leach project under 

construction to increase annual 
production by 10-15,000 tonnes

Los Pelambres Expansion
•  Phase 1 will increase annual 

production by 60,000 tonnes. 
Completion in early H2 2022

•  Phase 2 will increase the 

capacity of the desalination 
plant and extend the 
Life-of-Mine by 15 years

Haulage increase
•  New contracts starting in 2021

733,900
$1.14/lb

730-760,000
$1.25/lb

1.  Non-IFRS measure, refer to the alternative performance measure section on page 216.
2.  Totals to more than 100% as excludes $184 million of corporate costs, exploration and evaluation, 

and other non-operating income and expenses. See note 2 to the financial statements.

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Strategic Report

Letter from the Chairman

A year of global 
headwinds — 
and tailwinds

A number of powerful tailwinds for copper as a 
commodity, and for Antofagasta as a business, 
also gathered significant momentum in 2020. 
Notably, the world’s transition to a low-carbon 
economy accelerated. As 2021 began, countries 
accounting for 70% of the world economy had 
committed to a net-zero target; a mere six 
months earlier, only 53% of the global economy 
had set targets. China and Japan, two of the 
world’s largest markets for copper, were among 
the countries that announced net-zero pledges 
in 2020. The EU’s ‘Green New Deal’ and the 
climate proposal of US president Joe Biden’s 
heightened this ‘green wave’.

Each country’s approach differs in detail, yet 
all share a common characteristic: they will be 
copper-intensive. Generating renewable energy 
requires four to twelve times more copper than 
conventional power; electric vehicles require 
four times more copper than ICE vehicles.

Therefore, the copper Antofagasta produces has 
an important role to play in helping governments 
meet their climate targets. Our responsibility is 
to produce that copper sustainably, efficiently and 
with respect for communities and the environment. 
Both aspects — the importance of what we 
produce, and how we produce it — are woven 
into our purpose: ‘Developing Mining for a 
Better Future.’

Last year, we took further steps to honour 
that purpose. August 2020 saw the launch 
of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings 
Management, which is working to create the safe 
management of tailings facilities, with the goal 
of zero harm. Antofagasta set out plans for Los 
Pelambres, Centinela and Zaldívar to comply with 
the Standard by 2025. Centinela and Zaldívar 
also committed to The Copper Mark in 2020, 
a framework established to demonstrate the 
industry’s responsible production practices and 
contribution to the United Nations’ Sustainable 
Development Goals.

Supporting Chile’s social and 
economic recovery
The Chilean government’s response to COVID-19 
avoided the severe health and economic crises 
endured in some other countries. Appreciating 
mining’s vital role to Chile’s economy — it 
represents more than 10% of the country’s 
GDP — the government allowed operations 
to continue during the pandemic. Antofagasta 
worked alongside the government to deliver 

Jean-Paul Luksic
Chairman

Dear shareholders

It’s been said that adversity introduces us to 
ourselves – that it not only tests, but also reveals, 
who we are. Last year offered no shortage of 
adversity and, as this Annual Report details, 
Antofagasta’s employees responded in ways 
that demonstrated our company’s purpose, 
values, culture and resilience more powerfully 
than words alone ever could.

Amid the most severe global health crisis of 
our lifetimes, our employees developed new 
ways of working efficiently whilst keeping their 
colleagues, contractors and local communities 
healthy and safe. Our operations have high 
standards for safety, sustainability and efficiency, 
and sustaining those despite COVID-19’s many 
complications is a fantastic achievement, one 
that enabled Antofagasta to meet its annual 
production and cost targets while continuing 
to improve its safety record and lower its 
emissions. Even more, it allowed Antofagasta 
— through increased donations and assistance 
to employees and communities, employees’ 
salaries and bonuses, and taxes — to provide 
ongoing support towards Chile’s social and 
economic recovery.

So before reflecting on some of last year’s 
key international and national developments, 
or offering thoughts on the year ahead, I want 
to express my pride in — and profound gratitude 
to — our employees and contractors. Thanks 
to their resilience and innovation, the past 12 
months were defined not by the unprecedented 
challenges Antofagasta faced, but our responses 
to them.

A year of global headwinds — and tailwinds
Few years have generated such volatility 
alongside so many health, operational and 
financial challenges. The pandemic’s disruption 
of global economic activity was historic, as were 
its influences on commodities. In late April 2020, 
as the price of oil futures went negative for the 
first time in history, copper dipped to $2.09/lb, 
its lowest level since 2016. The effect of these 
headwinds on copper prices lessened as the year 
wore on with copper ending the year at $3.51/lb, 
a price not seen since 2013, but continued to 
affect operational and financial conditions 
across the industry.

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“Amid the most severe global health crisis 
of our lifetimes, our employees developed 
new ways of working efficiently whilst 
keeping their colleagues, contractors 
and local communities healthy and safe.”

a co-ordinated response to the emergency 
and, as the largest non-State company in 
Chile’s mining sector, supported the country’s 
economic recovery while also setting up a fund 
for local communities.

As the pandemic unleashed new societal 
challenges around the world, it exacerbated 
long-standing ones. Many countries experienced 
some blend of political and social unrest; Chile 
was among them. The demonstrations and 
violence which I described in my 2019 letter 
thankfully lessened. But the issues underpinning 
the unrest remain, as does the complex political 
environment, and the pandemic has only 
worsened the inequalities. In 2020, a referendum 
was held, and a clear majority of Chileans voted 
in favour of rewriting the country’s constitution. 
Members of a Constitutional Assembly will 
be elected in April and will present a new 
constitution for a vote by the people at 
a referendum in 2022.

What the text of the new constitution will be, 
its impact on our operations, whether it will be 
supported in the 2022 referendum, remains 
uncertain, particularly is this year when there 
are also presidential and parliamentary elections. 
However, I still believe that, whatever the way 
forward, it should include measures that 
help the country reach higher standards of 
economic equality, growth and development.

As this constitutional process and the elections 
continue, our focus remains on being safe, 
efficient and sustainable, managing costs and 
delivering growth, and being the kind of business 
that benefits the communities, cities and nation 
where it operates.

Considered growth
The cyclical nature of copper has informed 
Antofagasta’s pursuit of what we call ‘considered 
growth’. That means building a business that 
focuses on factors within our control and making 
prudent operational and investment decisions 
with a long-term view. That strength was on 
display last year. As I mentioned earlier, in the 
face of incredibly challenging circumstances, 
the Company met its annual production and cost 
targets — while continuing to improve its safety 
record, seeing our second year without a fatality 
and also lowering our greenhouse gas emissions.

Our Transport division similarly pursued 
considered growth. It secured new contracts as 

well as new locomotives that are more efficient 
and have lower emissions. These will strengthen 
its long-term business and returns.

To protect the health and safety of our people 
and local communities, as well as manage costs 
and risk during COVID-19, we temporarily 
suspended the Los Pelambres Expansion project 
in March and delayed the start of our other 
growth projects. I am pleased to say that they 
were all able to start again later in the year, 
integrating our new COVID-19 health protocols 
into their planning, and all are moving ahead on 
updated schedules, although there has been 
some increase in the project costs.

Governance update
In 2019, the Board adopted a new strategic 
framework for the business’ long-term success. 
That framework is built around five pillars 
— growth, our people, the safety and 
sustainability of our operations, innovation 
and competitiveness — and its resilience 
was revealed over the course of 2020.

The Board continues to focus on ESG matters, 
such as climate change, and the Sustainability 
and Stakeholder Management Committee, in 
particular, considers in detail many of the key 
issues that matter to our workforce (such as 
safety and health), local communities, national 
and local governments, regulators and other 
stakeholders. All stakeholders’ views are 
considered in the Board’s principal decisions 
and examples of this are given in this report.

As I mentioned in last year’s letter, we welcomed 
Tony Jensen as a new independent Non-Executive 
Director to our Board in March and later in the 
year he joined our Audit and Risk, Remuneration 
and Talent Management, and Sustainability and 
Stakeholder Management Committees.

Our efforts to improve diversity across all levels 
of the Company, including the Board, continue. 
We have had some success, increasing the 
female proportion of our workforce to 14.7%, 
but at the Board level it has been more difficult. 
However, we continue our search for new 
female members of the Board who have the 
skills and experience that we need. Diversity 
and inclusion are an area where we have 
made progress, but have further to go. 
We are committed to do so.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions in the UK, our 2020 
AGM was held behind closed doors. This year 
we are making arrangements for shareholders to 
access the AGM remotely and to ask questions 
during the meeting, while avoiding the need for 
unnecessary travel. You will find additional 
information in the Notice of Meeting.

Dividend
In 2020 we decided to cut the final 2019 dividend 
and pay the minimum allowed under our dividend 
policy. This year, following a year that was stronger 
than we expected at the time we decided on the 
cut, the Board has recommended a final dividend 
that will make the total dividend for the year of 
54.7 cents per share.

Outlook for 2021
At a time when new sources of copper supply 
are of lower quality and discoveries are rare, 
copper demand is undergoing a systemic 
shift as the world addresses the transition to a 
low-carbon economy. Also, the increasing pace 
of COVID-19 vaccinations should bring greater 
economic stability and a sustained global 
recovery. This global growth, coupled with 
green government stimulus spending, has 
led some analysts to predict the beginning 
of a prolonged upturn in the commodity cycle.

These favourable expectations are encouraging, 
yet 2020 demonstrated just how quickly 
conditions can change. At Antofagasta we 
continue to focus on the areas within our control: 
working to keep our people safe and healthy, 
managing costs, strengthening our culture, 
attracting diverse talent and executing on 
the delivery of our near- and mid-term goals.

In this Annual Report, we report on the progress 
we’ve made in those areas as well as telling 
stories of leadership, resilience and creativity. 
My pride in Antofagasta’s employees is matched 
only by my gratitude. There have been many 
memorable chapters in Antofagasta’s 132-year 
history and in 2020, our people helped write 
another one.

Jean-Paul Luksic
Chairman

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Strategic Report

Letter from the Chief Executive Officer

A testing year that 
proved our resilience

required some reduction in employees’ 
exposure in the field, but it also meant that 
some supervision was moved off-site. So, the 
significant drop in high-potential incidents tells us 
that safety is firmly embedded in our day-to-day 
practices, from our pits to our head office. 
In other words, it demonstrates our safety 
management system has continued to 
mature and improve.

Another important example of our resilience 
in the face of the pandemic was our financial 
strength. This has long been one of the 
Group’s distinctive attributes and, we believe, 
a competitive advantage. Certainly, in this crisis, 
it gave us the flexibility to weather the storm 
without impairing our ability to operate and 
continue to grow.

In 2020, we issued an inaugural bond, tapping 
into the capital debt markets for the first time in 
an exercise designed to diversify our funding 
options. The placement was extremely 
successful, showing that our name is well 
regarded and we are well positioned in 
the market.

Operating results
Despite the restrictions imposed by the 
pandemic, our production levels were within 
our guidance range for the year. In 2020, 
we produced 733,900 tonnes of copper, down 
by 4.7% from our record level in 2019, mainly 
due to planned lower ore grades at Centinela.

Our net cash costs, at $1.14/lb, were 6.6% lower 
than in 2019 and better than expected. This was 
partly explained by temporary factors, including 
a reduction in the cost of diesel and other 
consumables as well as the depreciation of the 
Chilean peso. However, through the renegotiation 
of our power purchase agreements, we have 
also achieved a structural reduction in our 
energy costs.

Innovation projects, such as automation and the 
use of artificial intelligence, are also beginning 
to deliver permanent cost benefits and these 
benefits have contributed to the continued 
success of our Cost and Competitiveness 
Programme, which was started in 2014 to 
capture savings and improve operating productivity.

In 2020, our capital expenditure at $1.3 billion 
was lower than originally expected because work 
on key projects, such as the Los Pelambres 

Iván Arriagada
Chief Executive Officer

Dear shareholders

I am particularly pleased to share with you 
this report on our performance in 2020. It was 
an extraordinarily challenging year on so many 
levels as the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to 
adapt how we live, work and interact with each 
other. Yet, at Antofagasta, we can be proud of 
our performance: while protecting and supporting 
our people and communities, we not only 
maintained operational continuity, but also 
produced a strong set of results.

Thanks to our team at Antofagasta, our 
consistent efforts to achieve our purpose and 
the management processes we have built up 
over the years, we had the resilience we needed 
to respond to the crisis effectively. Our risk 
management system played a crucial role, 
placing us in a position to react promptly to 
the unprecedented challenges, while our safety 
and health management system served as the 
backbone of our response to the pandemic’s 
health challenges.

I was particularly inspired by our team’s capacity 
to adapt. We had previously incorporated a 
significant degree of flexibility into our work 
schedules but the pandemic, by accelerating 
a shift to remote working, showed us that we 
can move more quickly than we had previously 
thought possible.

Learning from this, we have been reflecting 
on how we want to work in the future and have 
decided to permanently implement a combination 
of remote and in-person working for all 
office-based employees. By increasing our 
flexibility, we believe we can fulfil two purposes: 
we will strengthen even further our resilience to 
unexpected future events and, at the same time, 
make it easier for employees to reconcile the 
demands of work and life at home, alongside 
their own professional aspirations.

On operational safety, I am pleased to report 
that, by the end of 2020, we had completed 
27 months with zero fatalities, a target that 
is always our top priority. We also achieved 
a 63% reduction in high-potential incidents, 
a key indicator of the effectiveness of our safety 
management system. Admittedly, remote working 

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“Our priority in 2020 was to protect 
the health and safety of our employees, 
contractors and nearby communities 
while at the same time delivering solid 
operating results.”

expansion, was temporarily halted for part of 
the year to protect workers. As a result, there 
will be some carry-over of expenditure into 
2021 and 2022.

like the rest of the mining industry, a key focus 
will be the replacement of diesel for transport 
and haulage, and we are also considering how 
best to report our Scope 3 emissions.

Communities
In response to the pandemic’s impact on the 
communities near our operations, we quickly 
established a $6 million fund to finance a 
three-part plan to provide assistance and 
support. The first part focused on communities’ 
immediate health needs and included the 
provision of medical equipment and supplies as 
well as home medical care for people in high-risk 
categories. In parallel, we sought to alleviate the 
pandemic’s social impact by providing basic 
necessities such as food. The third part of the 
plan looked beyond the immediate contingency 
and sought to save businesses in the 
communities that, albeit struggling in the 
pandemic, were otherwise fundamentally sound.

The measures we implemented were defined 
together with community leaders and the 
authorities and, in this, we had the advantage 
of a network of connections built up through our 
regular social engagement programmes. Thanks 
to the reach and level of trust we have developed 
during our years working with the communities, 
we were, in some cases, able to deliver 
effective help more quickly than government-
related assistance.

Climate change
In October 2020, the Board approved a Climate 
Change Strategy that will guide our approach to 
this key issue over the coming years. In 2020, 
we also moved forward on our transition to using 
renewable energy. During the year, Zaldívar 
became our first mine to use exclusively 
renewable energy and the other mining 
operations will follow with the last transitioning 
in 2022. In addition, thanks to our decision to 
expand the desalination plant currently being built 
by Los Pelambres, we expect sea water, in either 
raw or desalinated form, and recycled water to 
account for some 90% of all our mines’ total 
water consumption by 2025.

As we near completion of our 2018-2022 target 
for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 
300,000tCO2e, we plan to define a new target, 
looking to see how best to link this into Chile’s 
goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. For us, 

We remain committed to the full disclosure 
of our impact on climate change. Following a 
commitment we made in 2020, we are working 
to produce a climate change report complying 
with the requirements of the Task Force on 
Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

Innovation
In 2020, we made important progress on our 
Roadmap for Innovation. Firstly, we are installing 
an integrated remote operations management 
centre for Centinela in the city of Antofagasta 
and have committed to use autonomous trucks 
at the mine’s new Esperanza Sur pit.

We are an industry leader in thickened tailings 
but, in line with our purpose of developing mining 
for a better future, we are keen to push the 
envelope further in this field. Also, together with 
other mining companies, we are sponsoring an 
effort, spearheaded by the XPRIZE Foundation, 
an international non-profit organisation, to 
develop the technology for zero-tailings mining.

As a Group, we have developed a chloride 
leaching process for primary sulphides. If 
industrial-scale tests in 2021 are successful, 
this will represent a major breakthrough, 
significantly reducing the capital intensity 
of sulphide processing.

Copper market
In 2020, the copper price showed significant 
volatility. After dropping to a low in March, 
it rose again in the second half. This reflected 
a recovery in demand, led by China, and tight 
supply, due to pandemic-related production 
stoppages in other countries and delays in 
the construction of new projects as well 
as a reduction in the supply of scrap.

Given the economic stimulus plans being 
implemented by governments around the world, 
the year has started strongly and we expect the 
copper price to show strength throughout 2021, 
albeit with some volatility. This healthy price 
trend is underpinned by the growing use of 
copper for electromobility purposes and 
generating renewable energy.

Our focus in 2021
We are assuming that COVID-19 health risks will 
remain with us throughout 2021 and this is very 
much at the forefront of our planning. As always, 
operational safety and the good health of our 
people will continue to be our top priority.

Another priority, as in 2020, will be the upskilling 
of our workforce to match the new demands of 
our digital transformation and other innovation 
processes. As part of this, the Digital Academy 
we launched in 2020 will continue to play a 
central role.

Regarding production, 2021 will be a challenging 
year as we seek to accomplish some critical 
tie-ins between our projects and our operations 
and we expect the Group’s production to reach 
730,000-760,000 tonnes of copper. Meanwhile, 
on costs, we anticipate that remote operation, 
automation and other innovations will continue 
to deliver savings and productivity gains, 
counteracting the impact of grade decline.

Our purpose is to develop mining for a better 
future, and by responsibly and sustainably 
producing a critical metal that plays a significant 
role in supporting the global transition to a 
low-carbon economy, we will continue to create 
value for our shareholders, other stakeholders 
and society.

Iván Arriagada
Chief Executive Officer

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Strategic Report

Copper for a 
cleaner world

In 2015, representatives of 195 countries met 
at the landmark United Nations Climate Change 
Conference in Paris and agreed to reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions to stop global 
temperatures rising by more than 1.5-2°C 
above pre-industrial levels. Copper has a 
vital role to play in meeting these goals.

Among its many qualities, copper is surpassed only 
by silver and gold in its ability to conduct electricity 
and heat, meaning that its use can reduce energy 
consumption and, therefore, CO2 emissions. This 
makes it indisputably the metal of choice to achieve 
the twin objectives of providing energy to 
a growing world population and tackling 
climate change.

It is no surprise, then, that demand growth for 
copper is forecast to be driven by the transition 
to renewable energy and the adoption of electric 
vehicles, together with the longer-established 
trends of urbanisation and industrialisation.

Energy efficiency
Energy efficiency alone could allow the world to 
achieve more than 40% of the emissions cuts 
needed to reach its climate goals without new 
technology, according to the International Energy 
Association (IEA). This would not only reduce 
emissions but spur economic growth by freeing 
up spending on energy for other uses, as well 
as improving energy security by creating 
more stable and resilient electric grids.

The U4E aims to achieve a

10%

decrease in global electricity 
consumption by 2030 saving

$500bn

in power generation costs

Copper’s superior electrical and thermal 
conductivity makes it key to attaining this 
performance. The metal’s use in domestic and 
industrial appliances, which consume almost half 
of global electricity, significantly lowers energy 
consumption by reducing losses in the transfer of 
electrical energy and heat. This has the additional 
benefit of lowering consumers’ electricity bills.

Minimum energy performance standards 
(MEPS) are in place in developed regions to 
ensure that new electrical appliances, such as 
motors, refrigerators, transformers and air 
conditioners operate efficiently. Some 70% of 
copper is used in these end-use applications, 
mainly in the form of winding wire – and tubing, 
in the case of air conditioners.

The International Copper Association (ICA), 
of which Antofagasta is a member, participates 
in the United Nations-led United for Efficiency 
(U4E) initiative to support developing and 
emerging economies move to greater energy 
efficiency. By 2030, U4E aims to achieve $500 
billion of savings in power generation, a 10% 
decrease in global electricity consumption and 
a 1.25 billion tonne reduction in CO2 emissions 
annually through energy efficiency measures.

Based on the activities of the Three Percent Club, 
a public-private energy efficiency alliance, a study 
commissioned by the ICA shows that if improved 
energy efficiency achieved a reduction in global 
energy consumption of 3% per annum, copper 
demand would grow by over 17 million tonnes 
over 10 years.

Transition to cleaner energy
The global energy sector’s transition from 
fossil-based technologies to zero-carbon 
technologies is now well under way, propelled 
by society’s concern about the impact of 
climate change and by the decarbonisation 
policies adopted by many countries.

Copper demand will benefit from the 
transformation as both renewable energy 
producers and electric vehicles use significantly 
more of the metal than their traditional 
counterparts. If global leaders address 
carbon neutrality more aggressively, the 
need for copper will strengthen still further.

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Greening our cities
Copper’s outstanding attributes and ability to 
conduct electricity and heat play an important 
role in the development of cleaner, greener cities.

The use of copper to build, power, plumb, heat, 
ventilate, cool and provide internet access to our 
homes and offices will be boosted by increasing 
pressure on the construction sector to use less 
carbon-intensive materials as efforts to meet the 
Paris Agreement goals gather pace. The world’s 
buildings and their construction represent around 
39% of total carbon dioxide emissions, according 
to the United Nations’ 2019 Global Status Report 
for Buildings and Construction. This represents 
an important improvement opportunity.

In the first two decades of this century, rapid 
economic growth and urbanisation in China 
drove copper demand. In the coming years, 
urbanisation and industrialisation in India and 
Southeast Asia are expected to pick up the 
baton as policy-driven copper consumption 
growth in China slows.

Together with its contribution to renewable 
energy and silent, clean electric cars, copper
plays an integral part in creating the smarter, 
more sustainable cities of tomorrow.

Demand growth 
for copper is 
forecast to 
be driven by 
the transition 
to renewable 
energy and the 
adoption of electric 
vehicles, together 
with the longer-
established trends 
of urbanisation and 
industrialisation.”

Based on current policy settings, the IEA 
estimates that renewable energy will meet 90% 
of the growth in electricity demand over the next 
two decades, led by continued high levels of solar 
and wind development. Over the same period, 
the share of renewable energy in global power 
generation is expected to grow from around 
28% to 45% replacing coal’s dominant position.

Solar and wind technologies require four 
to twelve times more copper per kilowatt of 
generation capacity than conventional methods 
of power generation, mainly because a larger 
number of smaller units need to be connected 
to the grid, but also due to the increased 
copper content of the electrical components.

The sector uses copper for high-voltage power 
distribution conductors, transformers and 
earthing in energy infrastructure as well as 
in coil windings in the stator and rotor of wind 
turbines and the cell ribbons and cabling of solar 
photovoltaic systems.

Meanwhile, battery electric and plug-in hybrid 
vehicles are expected to account for 19% of the 
automobile market in 2030 and 72% in 2040, 
amid a declining auto market that will peak in 
2031, according to research commissioned by 
the ICA. This will lead to not only less polluted, 
but also quieter, cities. Electric vehicles use 
on average approximately four times as much 
copper as conventionally powered vehicles, 
owing to its use in batteries, high-voltage 
wiring, windings and rotors.

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Strategic Report

Copper and 
its uses

Copper has been a building block of civilisation 
for thousands of years and its prominence will 
grow in the future.

Copper’s unique combination of properties has 
made it central to the development of mankind. 
In antiquity, its malleability and flexibility allowed it 
to be hammered and shaped into tools, weapons 
and receptacles as well as attractive ornaments 
and jewellery. For thousands of years its 
durability, resistance to corrosion and attractive 
colour rendered it a key architectural material 
used in cladding, roofing or domes and spires. 
Since the end of the 19th century, its exceptional 
ability to conduct electricity and heat has made 
it a vital component of economic development.

Today copper forms the backbone of the 
modern world.

Its high conductivity ensures the efficient, 
reliable and safe generation, transmission and 
distribution of electricity. It powers our electronic 
devices, from mobile telephones and laptops to 
televisions and domestic appliances, ensuring 
that they are energy efficient. It provides 
reliable and economical electricity, heating and 
air conditioning in our homes and offices and 
is used in data transmission to meet society’s 
demand for high-speed internet services and 
data storage. Furthermore, its use in industrial 
machinery promotes clean, economic development.

Copper’s outstanding electric and thermal 
properties decrease load loss and keep the 
power grid working at full capacity as well 
as reducing the greenhouse gas emissions 
that cause climate change. Similarly, it is an 
irreplaceable component for the energy-efficient 
performance of the renewable energy systems, 
electric vehicles and equipment that will 
contribute to the quieter, less polluted 
cities of the future.

Copper also exists naturally in the environment 
and is essential for the health of animals and 
plants. It helps farmers produce more and 
grocers to keep food fresher for longer. Copper 
micronutrients promote bone growth and the 
operation of the immune and nervous systems 
in animals, as well as photosynthesis and 
transpiration in plants.

The construction sector, which uses copper 
in the wiring, plumbing, heating and cooling, 
lighting and roofing of buildings, accounts for 
28% of total annual copper consumption. Rising 
urbanisation and industrialisation will continue to 
be a major stimulus for copper demand as the 
number of people living in cities is expected to 
grow to nearly 65% of the world population in 
2040 compared to 56.2% in 2020.

As people move to cities, the middle class is 
projected to rise from two billion people today 
to five billion in 2030, and increased wealth will 
drive consumption of copper-rich consumer 
goods such as cars and electronic devices.

The trend to decarbonisation is expected to boost 
copper demand via the electrical network sector, 
which already accounts for 29% of total copper 
use, as renewable energy becomes the dominant 
source of global power generation over coming 
decades. Copper used by the transport sector 
will grow even faster, albeit from a smaller 
market share of 11%, as electric vehicles, which 
use four times as much copper as conventional 
ones, become part of everyday life.

On the back of these trends, total copper 
consumption, which includes primary production 
from copper mines as well as secondary 
production from “old” scrap recycled from 
end-of-life or obsolete copper products, is 
expected to grow by an average of 2% per year 
over the next two decades from 28.4 million 
tonnes in 2020 to 45.3 million tonnes in 2040.

Cu for copper
Copper is element No. 29 on
the periodic table. Its element
symbol Cu comes from the Latin
word cuprum. The origin of this name
is believed to come from aes cyprium,
or metal of Cyprus, where there was 
extensive copper mining in the
Roman era. It was later
corrupted to cuprum.

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67%

of copper produced since 
1990 is estimated to still be 
in productive use

Infinitely recyclable
Copper forms part of a circular economy 
because it can be infinitely recycled without 
losing any of its chemical or physical properties 
in the process.

Typically the metal is in-use for some 40 years 
and roughly 40% of “end-of-life” copper is 
recycled. It is estimated that two thirds of the 
550 million tonnes of copper produced since 
1990 is still in productive use.

Copper scrap is divided into “new” (or ‘direct use’) 
and “old” scrap. The former is left-over metal 
discarded by the first users of copper, who 
fabricate “semis” (products such as wire, rod, tube, 
sheet, plate and castings), and by finished product 
manufacturers. It can be directly melted down and 
used in manufacturing and is not considered as 
new supply of refined copper.

“Old” scrap comes from worn out, end-of-life 
products such as wiring, motors, piping or circuit 
boards that need to be shredded to extract the 
copper, and requires reprocessing in smelters 
and/or refineries depending on its level of purity. 
This is considered a new source of supply. It is 
often described as the “swing producer” because 
scrap collection rates are more sensitive to 
commodity prices than mined production and 
it is the first source to stop production when 
copper prices fall below certain levels.

Known as a “contact killer”, copper ions 
puncture the microbe’s protective membrane 
and destroy the nucleus and its DNA, thus 
stopping the mutations that create drug-
resistant super bugs.

Copper and its alloys are increasingly 
used in hospitals for touch surfaces such 
as doors, bed rails, IV poles, light switches 
and workstations, mostly to guard against 
hospital-acquired infections. There is also 
considerable potential for its use to prevent 
infection in nursing homes, schools, public 
transport and restaurants.

Copper’s antimicrobial properties are 
retained when it is recycled.

Copper kills bugs
Copper’s antimicrobial properties have been 
known since antiquity.

As far back as 1,600 BC, the Chinese used 
copper coins as medication to treat heart and 
stomach pain. The Egyptians sterilised water 
in copper vessels. The Aztecs used copper 
compounds to treat burns, headaches and 
ear infections.

In 2008 the United States Environmental 
Health Protection Agency (EPA) officially 
recognised copper-bearing alloys, containing 
at least 65% copper, as anti-bacterial health 
materials. Today the EPA has pronounced 
over 400 copper surfaces as capable of 
killing germs.

A 2011 landmark study of intensive care 
rooms at three US hospitals found that copper 
reduced the presence of microbes by 83% and 
the chance of acquiring a hospital infection 
by 58%.

It has also been shown to be a match 
for the highly infectious COVID-19 virus. 
A 2020 study in the New England Journal of 
Medicine showed that the virus only survived 
for 4-8 hours on a copper surface, compared 
to 48-72 on plastic and stainless steel ones. 
Another study by the Faculty of Medicine 
at Bern University found that textiles with 
copper thread made by a Chilean startup, 
The Copper Company, eliminated 85% of 
COVID-19 bacteria in five minutes and 
95% in two hours.

Total copper consumption1 by industry sector

Every year, one-sixth of total refined copper 
is provided by “old” scrap and almost one 
third of global copper demand is met 
by recycled metal, including “new” 
scrap. Policy-led decisions to boost 
the circular economy, in particular 
in Europe, may lead to an 
increase in its share.

2020

11%

29%

21%

28.4mt
Total 
consumption

11%

28%

Source: Wood Mackenzie
1.  Including direct use scrap

2040

Industrial 
machinery
9%

Consumer
& general
18%

Transport
19%

45.3mt
Total 
consumption

Construction
26%

Electrical 
network
28%

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Strategic Report

Copper: 
the metal for 
a better future

Many of the world’s largest copper deposits 
are found in Chile due to the volcanic activity 
that created the Andes mountain chain.

Where it comes from
Copper occurs naturally in a variety of forms in 
the earth’s crust. Over 150 copper minerals have 
been identified, of which perhaps a dozen are 
economically feasible to mine and process into 
copper metal. Copper minerals are found in 
various types of ore deposits, the two most 
common being porphyry copper deposits and 
sediment-hosted deposits, and these are the 
source of around 60% and 20% respectively 
of the world’s current copper production.

According to the United States Geological 
Service (USGS), there are 870 million tonnes 
of copper reserves in the world, which in 
other words are copper deposits that have 
been discovered, evaluated and assessed to 
be economically profitable to mine. Almost a 
quarter of these reserves are in Chile, which 
is the world’s largest copper producer.

Copper resources, which include reserves 
as well as potentially profitable identified deposits 
are estimated at 2.1 billion tonnes. In practice, 

many of these resources may never become 
economically viable reserves or may do so only 
after decades and/or as a result of high copper 
prices. It takes time and high-risk investment 
to conduct the detailed exploration, and 
metallurgical processing, mining, political, 
infrastructure, environmental, social and other 
studies required to ascertain a project’s feasibility 
– and many, when assessed in greater detail, 
will not meet the required criteria.

Relative scarcity
It is increasingly hard to find high-quality 
copper projects in areas of low jurisdictional 
risk that can offer strong financial returns for 
a combination of reasons.

First, the easier, higher-return deposits 
have already been developed and undeveloped 
deposits tend to be remoter, smaller, deeper, 
more complex to process and have lower 
copper grades. Increasingly, new projects 
are discovered in countries that do not 
have a mining tradition.

Average copper grade (world)
%
1.0

0.8

0.6

00

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Source: Wood Mackenzie

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870
million tonnes
25%of these reserves are in Chile

of copper reserves in the world. Almost

Established mines also become less productive 
over time as mining plans initially target the ore 
that is easiest to access and promises the best 
returns. Over time, average grades decline, ore 
haulage distances grow and the rock becomes 
harder to crush and treat. This impacts 
production and increases mining costs.

Second, environmental standards are rising in 
most countries, with a particular focus on water 
efficiencies and use, the safety of tailings storage 
facilities and community relations. These trends 
are necessary to ensure sustainable development 
but lead to longer environmental approval 
processes and increased costs.

Third, exploration budgets are a fraction of what 
they were a decade ago. Nor has spending on 
exploration during that period led to a notable 
increase in discoveries. The copper resource base 
grew by an average 0.33% a year in the first two 
decades of this century compared to 1.2% from 
1961 to 2000. This is due to both a decline in 
the number of discoveries (two in the decade 
to 2019 compared to 94 in the previous one) 
and the smaller average size of the discoveries.

The relative scarcity of copper puts pressure 
on supply, a position that has become more 
challenging over time. 

Converting copper ores into metal
Copper ores are transformed into metal by concentration or leaching 
technologies but a paradigm shift to treat primary sulphides may be on 
the horizon.

It can easily take a decade, and often much longer, for a discovery to become 
an operating mine. There are many stages in the assessment of a deposit, 
during which greater certainty is developed about its composition and scale. 
Mining and metallurgical treatment plans have to be evaluated and tested and 
a detailed assessment of environmental, social, infrastructure and political 
factors completed before a decision can be made to develop the deposit into 
an operating mine. Most discoveries never make it beyond the early stages 
of this process.

The optimal processing method for extracting copper depends on the deposit 
type. Porphyry copper deposits, which account for some 60% of global copper 
production and are commonly found in Chile, are typically divided into three 
main ore types: copper oxides, secondary sulphides and primary sulphides. 
Oxides are nearest the surface and are formed over millions of years from 
primary sulphides weathered by the elements. Secondary sulphides, often 
called supergene deposits, are enriched with higher concentrations of minerals 
leached from the oxide ore body above. The primary sulphides (hypogene) at 
the bottom are unaltered and usually have lower grades of copper than the 
secondary sulphides.

Once a project is permitted and approved, it usually takes at least two years 
for a mine to be built and start operation and permitting can take years 
to complete.

Copper production
Copper is extracted from the ore and converted into pure metal, through two 
processing routes: concentration and leaching. Concentration is the main route 
to process both primary and secondary sulphides and accounts for 80% of 
total refined copper production. Leaching, which is less capital intensive, came 
into wide commercial use in the 1980s and, until recently, has only been viable 
in treating oxides and sometimes secondary sulphides. By-products such as 
gold, molybdenum and silver can be extracted using the concentrator route, 
but not with leaching.

Concentration involves crushing and grinding mined ore into a fine powder 
and then separating the copper from the unwanted waste material in a froth 
flotation process in a concentrator plant. The resulting concentrate contains 
25-35% of copper and is sent, often by sea, to smelters for further processing 
and then to refineries for refining into pure copper. If by-products such as gold 
and silver are present, they can be extracted from the copper concentrate, 
but molybdenum is processed into a separate concentrate. Concentration is 
capital intensive and benefits from economies of scale; it is often used for 
lower-grade large sulphide deposits.

In the case of leaching, also known as hydrometallurgy, crushed ore is usually 
piled up and leached with sulphuric acid to create a copper sulphate solution 
called a pregnant leach solution (PLS). The copper is then extracted in a 
solvent-extraction and electro winning (SX-EW) plant to produce copper 
cathodes. However, as oxide deposits are near-surface and being depleted, 
production from this process route accounts for a lower and lower percentage 
of total copper production.

Since SX-EW technology was developed in the 1960s there have not been 
any new commercially-proven copper processing innovations. But this may 
change. New technology appears to be able to leach copper economically from 
previously unresponsive primary sulphides and recover it using a variant of 
the SX-EW process route. A promising example is our Cuprochlor-T® process 
which is currently in the industrial-scale testing stage at Centinela (see page 68 
for more information).

Confirmation of this technology would be a milestone in the treatment of 
primary sulphides, which account for an estimated 70% of the world’s copper 
production. It would allow for less capital-intensive processing, maybe even 
using disused oxide SX-EW plants. This would represent a paradigm shift 
for the copper mining industry. 

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Strategic Report

Business model

Creating value through 
the mining lifecycle

Exploration
Chile
International

To ensure the long-term 
sustainability of our mining 
business, we must focus 
on expanding our mineral 
resource base.

We undertake exploration 
activities in Chile and abroad, with 
particular focus outside Chile on 
the Americas. Our international 
exploration programmes are 
generally carried out in partnership 
with other companies, in order to 
benefit from their local knowledge 
and experience.

3-5 years

+ See page 77 for 
more information

Inputs
Energy
Water
Labour
Service contracts 
and key supplies
Fuel and lubricants
Sulphuric acid

Our mining operations depend 
on a range of key inputs such as 
energy, water, labour, sulphuric 
acid and fuel. The management 
of these inputs has a significant 
impact on operating costs and the 
sustainability of mining operations, 
and ensuring the long-term supply 
of key inputs is a vital part 
of the business.

As part of our commitment 
to mitigating and adapting 
to climate change, all of our 
mining operations will use 100% 
renewable energy from 2022 
and approximately 90% of mining 
division’s water will be either 
sea or recycled water by 2025.

+ See page 52 for 
more information

Evaluation
Los Pelambres
Expansion – Phase 2
Centinela Second 
Concentrator
Twin Metals Minnesota

Construction
Los Pelambres
Expansion – Phase 1
Esperanza Sur pit
Zaldívar Chloride
Leach project

Effective project evaluation 
and design maximise value at 
this stage of the mining cycle. 
Antofagasta’s wealth of experience 
in both areas helps to make the 
best use of mineral deposits. We 
integrate sustainability criteria into 
the design process and project 
evaluation phase, developing 
innovative solutions for challenges 
such as water availability, 
long-term energy supply 
and community relations.

5 years

+ See pages 74-76 for 
more information

Once a project has been approved 
by the Board, construction begins.

This stage requires significant 
input of capital and resources 
as well as effective project 
management and cost control 
to maximise the project’s 
return on investment.

We have a co-operative approach 
to developing projects. Typically, 
after the feasibility stage and 
before the construction phase, 
we seek a development partner 
to buy an interest in the project, 
generating an immediate cash 
return, diversifying risk and 
providing broader access to 
funding while we maintain 
operating control of the project.

3-5 years

+ See pages 74-76 for 
more information

Mining is a long-term 
business and timescales 
can run into decades. 
The period from initial 
exploration to the start of 
production can exceed 10 
years and, depending on 
the nature of the project 
and the market conditions, 
it may take more than 
five years of operation to 
recoup the initial investment.

For geological reasons, 
copper deposits frequently 
have higher-grade material 
nearer the surface and 
therefore grade declines with 
depth. This means that unless 
action is taken, such as an 
expansion, copper production 
declines as a mine gets older. 
Also, as an open pit gets 
deeper, haulage distances 
and rock hardness increase, 
and this, combined with the 
declining grade, leads to 
higher unit costs. Large 
long-life mines will have 
several expansions during 
their lives. The current 
expansion at our 21-year-old 
Los Pelambres mine is 
its fourth.

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Extraction
Los Pelambres
Centinela
Antucoya
Zaldívar

Antofagasta’s four operations 
in Chile are Los Pelambres, 
Centinela, Antucoya and Zaldívar.

The world-class Los Pelambres 
and Centinela mining districts 
have sustainable long-life 
copper mining operations, 
with large mineral resources, 
and produce significant volumes 
of gold, silver and molybdenum 
as by-products. All of our mines 
are open pit operations.

Safety and health are key 
elements of operating efficiency 
and remain a top priority for the 
Board and management team.

20+ years

+ See pages 66-71 for 
more information

Core operations

Processing
Antofagasta mines both copper 
sulphide and copper oxide ores, 
which require different 
processing routes:

Los Pelambres and 
Centinela Concentrates
Mined sulphide ore is milled to 
reduce its size before passing 
to flotation cells where it is 
upgraded to a concentrate 
containing 25–35% copper. 
This concentrate is then shipped 
to a smelter operated by a 
third party and converted 
to copper metal.

Centinela Cathodes, 
Antucoya and Zaldívar
Mined oxide ore, sometimes 
combined with leachable sulphide 
ore, is crushed, piled into heaps 
and leached with sulphuric acid, 
producing a copper solution.

This solution is then 
put through a solvent extraction 
and electrowinning (“SX-EW”) 
plant to produce nearly pure 
copper cathodes, which are sold 
to fabricators around the world.

+ See pages 66-71 for 
more information

Marketing
The marketing team builds 
long-term relationships with 
the smelters and fabricators 
who purchase our products, 
with approximately 70% of output 
by value going to Asian markets.

As well as copper, Los 
Pelambres and Centinela 
produce significant volumes of 
gold, molybdenum and silver as 
by-products. Gold and silver are 
sold for industrial and electronic 
applications and for jewellery-
making. Molybdenum is used 
to produce steel alloys.

Most copper and molybdenum 
sales are made under annual 
contracts or longer-term 
framework agreements. Sales 
volumes are agreed each year, 
which guarantees offtake.

+ See page 82 for 
more information

Mine closure
During the operation of a mine, 
its impact on the environment and 
the neighbouring communities is 
carefully managed. At the end of 
its life, a mine must be closed, and 
its surroundings restored to their 
original state.

A closure plan for each mine 
is maintained and updated 
throughout its life to ensure 
compliance with the latest 
regulations and provide for 
a sustainable closure.

+ See page 51 for 
more information

Outputs
Copper
Molybdenum
Gold
Silver

Our mining operations create 
significant economic and social 
value for a wide range of 
stakeholders. Local communities 
benefit from job creation and 
improved infrastructure, while 
the Chilean government and 
local municipalities receive 
tax payments and royalties.

There are also benefits to society 
in general, with the copper we 
produce being used across many 
sectors, from industrial to medical, 
and increasingly playing a vital role 
in the world’s major challenges 
such as sustainable urban 
development, the availability of 
clean energy and electromobility 
and green technologies.

Our copper and by-products go on 
to be further processed for use in 
end markets, including property, 
power, electronics, transport and 
consumer products.

+ See pages 12-13 for 
more information

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Strategic Report

Strategic framework

Our strategic
framework

We are committed to our Purpose of 
Developing Mining for a Better Future. 
This is what drives and motivates us.

Our Purpose is supported by our Strategy, 
Organisation and Culture through which 
we seek our Vision. In turn, our Strategy 
has five pillars, People, Safety and Sustainability, 
Competitiveness, Growth and Innovation.

STRATEGY

PURPOSE

CULTURE

ORGANISATION

Our Vis i o n

Our Vision: To be an international mining company based in Chile, 
focused on copper and its by-products, known for its operating 
efficiency, creation of sustainable value, high profitability and 
as a preferred partner in the global mining industry.

Culture
Culture represents our shared values and the way we 
work. It is evident not only in our people but also in how 
we engage with local communities and our suppliers, 
partners and customers. We also understand the 
importance of diversity and inclusion as a driver 
of our competitive advantage.

The way we work and manage our risks is anchored in 
our shared values: Responsibility, Respect, Commitment 
to sustainability, Excellence in our daily performance, 
Forward-thinking and Innovation as a permanent practice, 
and the Board embraces its important role in setting 
the tone for the Group’s culture and promoting our 
shared values.

Organisation
The way we manage our activities is paramount in 
reaching our goals. Our structure is designed to deliver 
results and growth while also having the flexibility to 
adjust to challenges and opportunities as they arise.

This is achieved by standardising and strengthening our 
production processes, improving collaboration between key 
areas, defining clear roles and responsibilities and seeking to 
reduce variability and deviation from our production plans.

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Strategy

People

Safety and Sustainability

Our strategy is built around five key 
pillars, each of which has defined 
long-term objectives with short- and 
medium-term goals. These pillars are:

People are the core of our business. We want 
our employees to feel recognised and to have 
the maximum opportunities for personal and 
professional growth.

People

Safety and Sustainability

Competitiveness

Growth

Innovation

We seek to generate a culture of diversity 
and inclusion in which our employees can 
achieve their full potential. We are committed 
to equality and believe that we can develop our 
business and make a significant contribution 
to Chile’s development.

We work to improve opportunities for 
individuals’ internal promotion fostered 
through initiatives such as technical and 
managerial training programmes. Our goal is 
to be the best employer in the mining industry.

To achieve this, we understand the importance 
of creating an environment of trust and 
collaboration that looks to the long term.

 + See pages 42-44 for more information

The safety and health of our employees is 
non-negotiable. We are committed to achieving 
zero fatalities at our operations and continuing 
to reduce the number and seriousness of 
accidents and occupational health issues.

We view sustainability as a source of value 
creation that is an integral part of our decision-
making processes. This includes taking into 
account all socio-environmental factors 
throughout the different stages of the 
development through to the closure of 
a mining operation.

In line with this, we manage natural resources 
efficiently and are constantly seeking ways to 
reduce water consumption, find energy from 
cleaner sources and protect biodiversity, while 
always collaborating with local communities.

We are sensitive to the threats posed by 
climate change and are always seeking to 
improve our practices accordingly. Our aim is 
to maximise the utilisation of renewable energy 
sources and to reduce our greenhouse gas 
(GHG) emissions.

 + See pages 45-47 for more information

Competitiveness

Growth

Innovation

Our key focus as regards 
competitiveness is to achieve 
productivity gains through cost control 
and streamlining our processes.

Our Operating Model seeks to reduce 
the variability of our production plans 
and includes an operating excellence 
area, a discipline that focuses on 
productivity issues. Our Cost and 
Competitiveness Programme (CCP) 
has also produced significant savings.

We have a portfolio of growth projects that 
allows us to remain competitive and develop 
sustainable operations in the long term.

We continue to review our options for 
maximising returns and reducing the capital cost 
of projects, and are enhancing the capabilities 
of the project team to improve our project 
execution strategy, management and control.

Our focus is on the production of copper and 
by-products in the Americas (particularly Chile, 
Peru, Mexico, the United States and Canada).

 + See pages 80-81 for more information

 + See pages 74-76 for more information

We innovate as a means of improving social, 
environmental and economic conditions while, 
at the same time, delivering strong returns for 
our shareholders.

Innovation is key to improving productivity 
and efficiency and promoting growth. We 
are investing in innovation and developing 
opportunities, and encourage and reward 
employees and contractors who send us 
their ideas for improving our operations.

During the year we continued to implement 
our digital roadmap to facilitate and accelerate 
the adoption of information and analysis 
technologies, automation and robotics.

 + See pages 80-81 for more information

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19

Strategic Report

Key Performance Indicators

Measuring our 
performance

We use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to 
assess performance in terms of meeting our 
strategic and operating objectives.

Performance is measured against the following 
financial, operating and sustainability KPIs:

Financial KPIs

EBITDA1

$2,739m

2,587

2,439

2,228

1,626

Earnings per share2

$54.7¢/share

2,739

76.1

Net debt1

$82m

1,072

51.5

50.9

54.7

34.7

596

563

456

16

17

18

19

20

16

17

18

19

20

16

17

18

19

82
20

Why it is important
This is a measure of our underlying profitability.

Performance in 2020
EBITDA was 12.3% higher than the previous year 
on higher realised copper and gold prices, and 
lower unit costs, partially offset by lower 
copper production.

Why it is important
This is a measure of the profit attributable 
to shareholders.

Performance in 2020
Underlying earnings per share from continuing 
operations of 54.7 cents per share, a 7.5% 
increase on 2019, on higher EBITDA, partially 
offset by increased net finance expenses.

Why it is important
This measure reflects our financial liquidity.

Performance in 2020
Net debt remained low and decreased by 85.4% 
in 2020 to $82 million.

 + See page 84 for more information

 + See page 91 for more information

 + See page 93 for more information

Remuneration performance criteria. See page 145 for more information

1.  Non-IFRS measures, refer to the alternative performance measures section on page 216.
2.  Underlying EPS from continuing operations, excluding exceptional items. Reconciled to EPS from continuing and discontinued operation, including exceptional items in 

the consolidated income statement on page 165.

3.  100% of Los Pelambres, Centinela and Antucoya, and 50% of Zaldívar’s production.
4.  Mineral resources (including ore reserves) relating to the Group’s subsidiaries on a 100% basis and Zaldívar on a 50% basis.
5.  The Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate is the number of accidents with lost time during the year per million hours worked.
6.  Mining division only.
7.  Tonnes of CO2 equivalent per tonne of copper produced. 

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Operating KPIs

Copper production3

733.9k tonnes

709.4

704.3

725.3

770.0

733.9

Net cash costs1

$1.14/lb

1.20

1.25

1.29

1.22

1.14

Mineral resources4

19.2bn tonnes

18.7

18.7

18.8

19.1

19.2

16

17

18

19

20

16

17

18

19

20

16

17

18

19

20

Why it is important
Copper is our main product and largest source 
of revenue.

Why it is important
This is a key indicator of operating efficiency 
and profitability.

Why it is important
The Group’s mineral resources base supports its 
strong organic growth pipeline.

Performance in 2020
Copper production was 733,900 tonnes. This 
was a 4.7% decrease on 2019 mainly as grades 
at Centinela Concentrates fell as expected.

Performance in 2020
Net cash costs of $1.14/lb, 6.6% lower than 
in 2019 due to the weaker Chilean peso, lower 
input costs and continued tight cost control, 
partially offset by lower production.

Performance in 2020
Mineral resources at Centinela increased as new 
geological data were included for the first time.

 + See page 64 for more information

 + See page 64 for more information

 + See page 222 for more information

Sustainability KPIs

Safety

0

0.9

Water consumption

68.1m m3

CO2 emissions intensity6, 7

3.19tC02e

Fatalities

LTIFR5

Continental water

Sea water

1.6

1.5

1.6

28.9

36.5

36.9

39.1

32.6

3.67

3.87

36.9

3.33

32.6
3.10

3.19

2

16

0

17

1

18

1.0

0

19

0.9

0

20

26.5

29.2

30.4

28.2

29.0

16

17

18

19

20

16

17

18

19

20

Why it is important
Safety is our top priority, with fatalities and the 
LTIFR5 being two of the principal measures 
of performance.

Why it is important
Water is a precious resource and we are focused 
on using the most sustainable sources and 
maximising its efficient use.

Why it is important
We recognise the risks and opportunities arising 
from climate change and the need to measure 
and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Performance in 2020
Record safety performance with no fatal 
accidents and a LTIFR of 0.9.

Performance in 2020
Our consumption of continental water and sea 
water increased by 19.9% and 2.8% respectively 
mainly due to an increase in water scarcity and 
material processed.

Performance in 2020
Total emissions were 2.0% lower in 2020, but 
CO2 emission intensity increased by 2.9% 
compared to 2019 on lower copper production 
due to lower grades at Centinela Concentrates.

 + See page 45 for more information

 + See page 53 for more information

 + See page 53 for more information

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21

•  Updated and monitored critical controls and 

action plans dashboards

•  Prepared new action plans to maintain risk 

exposure within acceptable limits

•  Embedded timely and comprehensive 

risk analysis into each relevant decision-
making process

•  Defined specific procedures to support timely 
and in-depth risk analysis for the procurement 
area and for the planning cycle
•  Shared best practices across our 

operating companies

•  Included budgeting and planning processes 
related to risk monitoring in the monthly 
executive review to identify and manage 
any deviation from expected performance 
in a timely fashion

Strategic Report

Risk management

Risk management 
framework

Effective risk management is an essential part 
of our culture and strategy.

The accurate and timely identification, 
assessment and management of key risks 
give us a clear understanding of the actions 
required to achieve our objectives.

Key elements of integrated 
risk management
We recognise that risks are inherent to 
our business
Only through adequate risk management can 
internal stakeholders be effectively supported in 
making key strategic decisions and implementing 
our strategy

Exposure to risks must be consistent 
with our risk appetite
The Board defines and regularly reviews the 
acceptable level of exposure to principal and 
emerging risks. Risks are aligned with risk 
appetite, taking into consideration the balance 
between threats and opportunities

We are all responsible for 
managing risks
Each business activity carries out risk evaluations 
to ensure the sound identification, management, 
monitoring and reporting of risks that could 
impact the achievement of our goals

Risk is analysed through a 
consistent framework
Our risk management methodology is applied to 
all our operating companies, projects, exploration 
activities and support areas so that we have a 
comprehensive view of the uncertainties that 
could affect us in achieving our strategic goals

We are committed to 
continuous improvement
Lessons learned and best practices are 
incorporated into our procedures to protect 
and unlock value sustainably

Areas of focus and 
development during 2020
Our main focus in 2020 was to implement a 
world-class risk management tool, in line with 
our commitment to digital transformation, 
to review key risks according to our risk 
methodology and to improve risk management 
tools for the procurement area and in our 
planning cycle. These are some of the actions 
that have taken place during the year:

•  Implemented the Active Risk Manager (ARM) 
system and trained its main users. The ARM 
system is a single, secure repository of risks

•  Co-ordinated the COVID-19 contingency 

committees throughout 2020, in line with 
the risk management response system

•  Held a key risks awareness workshop for the 
Executive Committee. During this workshop 
the Executive Committee reviewed the risks 
faced by the Group during the pandemic 
and the relevant aspects to consider when 
updating and managing the key risks. External 
risks were defined as external threats that 
were difficult to predict, with broad consequences 
and low probability, that could significantly 
impact the Group in achieving its objectives. 
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, this 
probability has been increased

•  Presented an update of the Company’s risk 

appetite statement to the Board which included 
one new key risk category – external risks, 
to which the Board assigned a risk appetite 
of medium

•  Carried out risk assessment updates 
at all operating companies, projects, 
exploration activities and support areas, 
using the ARM system. Key risks that 
threaten the achievement of our strategic 
goals were managed and, when necessary, 
updated according to external and internal 
assessments of how the risk is changing 
and our risk appetite. The outcome was 
presented to the Audit and Risk Committee 
and the Board for their review

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Governance
The Board determines the nature and extent 
of the principal and emerging risks that we 
will accept in order to achieve our strategic 
objectives and maintains sound risk 
management systems.

The Board receives detailed analysis of key 
matters in advance of Board meetings. This 
includes reports on our operating performance, 
covering safety and health, financial, environmental, 
legal and social matters, and key developments in 
our exploration, project and business development 
activities, information on the commodity markets, 
updates on talent management and analysis of 
financial investments.

The provision of this information allows the 
early identification of potential issues and 
the assessment of any necessary preventive 
and mitigating actions.

The Audit and Risk Committee assists the 
Board by reviewing the effectiveness of the risk 
management process and monitoring principal 
and emerging risks, preventive and mitigation 
procedures and action plans. The Chairman of 
the Committee reports to the Board following 
each Committee meeting and, if necessary, 
the Board discusses the matters raised in 
more detail.

These processes allow the Board to monitor 
effectively Antofagasta’s major risks and 
preventive and mitigating procedures, and 
to assess whether the actual exposure is 
consistent with the defined risk appetite. If a gap 
is identified, additional action plans are prepared.

The Risk and Compliance Management 
Department is responsible for risk management 
systems across the Group. It implements the 
Company’s risk management policy, vision and 
purpose to ensure a strong risk management 
culture at all levels of the organisation. 
The Department supports business areas 
in analysing their risks, identifying existing 
preventive and mitigating controls and defining 
further action plans. It maintains and regularly 
updates the Company’s risk register.

The Department reports several times a year to 
the Audit and Risk Committee on the overall risk 
management process, with detailed updates 
on key risks, mitigation activities and actions 
being taken.

The General Managers of each of the operations 
have overall responsibility for leading and 
supporting risk management. Risk owners within 
each operation have direct responsibility for the 
risk management processes and for regularly

updating individual business risk registers, 
including relevant mitigation activities. The 
individual owners of the risks and controls at 
each business unit are identified, to provide 
effective and direct management of risk. Each 
operation holds its own annual risk workshop 
at which the business unit’s risks and mitigation 
activities are reviewed in detail and updated as 
necessary. Workshops are also used to assess 
key risks that may affect relationships with 
stakeholders, limit resources, interrupt operations 
and/or negatively affect potential future growth.

Mitigation techniques for significant strategic and 
business unit risks are reviewed quarterly by the 
Risk and Compliance Management Department.

We promote a consistent risk management 
process across our different business units, 
ensuring risk is considered at all levels of the 
organisation. Risk information flows from the 
business units to the centre and from the 
Board back to the business units.

 + See page 124 for more information

Our risk management structure

Board of
Directors

Board
Committees

Executive
Committee

First line 
of defence

Second line 
of defence

Third line 
of defence

Board of Directors
•  Overall responsibility for risk management 

and its alignment with Antofagasta’s strategy

•  Approves the Risk Management Policy
•  Defines risk appetite
•  Reviews, challenges and monitors key risks

Board Committees
•  Support the Board in monitoring key risks 
and exposure relative to our risk appetite
•  Make recommendations to the Board on 

the risk management system

•  Review the effectiveness and implementation 

of the risk management system

Executive Committee
•  Assesses risks and their potential impact 
on the achievement of our strategic goals

•  Promotes our risk management culture 

in each of the business areas

•  Is the owner of key risks

First line of defence
Each person is responsible for identifying, preventing 
and mitigating risks in their business area and escalating 
concerns to the appropriate level, if required.

Second line of defence
The Risk and Compliance Department is accountable for 
monitoring our overall risk profile and risk management 
performance, registering risks and issuing alerts if any 
deviation is detected.

Third line of defence
The Internal Audit Department provides assurance 
on the risk management process, including the 
effectiveness of the performance of the first 
and second lines of defence.

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23

Strategic Report

Risk management continued

Principal risks

We maintain a risk register through a robust 
assessment of the potential key risks that 
could affect the Company’s performance. This 
register is used to ensure that key risks are 
identified in a thorough and systematic way 
and that agreed definitions of risk are used.

Risk management
We are aware that not all risks can be completely 
eliminated and exposure to some risks is necessary 
in pursuit of our corporate objectives.

Mining is, by its nature, a long-term business 
and as part of the key risks update and evaluation 
process we identify new or emerging risks which 
could impact the Company’s sustainability in the 
long run, even if there is limited information 
available at the time of the evaluation.

Any new or emerging identified risks that 
could impact long-term strategic objectives are 
included in the key risk analysis and are reviewed 
and monitored periodically by the Board. As new 
information based on research, expert analysis 
and internal investigations becomes available, 
suitable controls and action plans are defined 
and incorporated into the Company’s risk matrix.

We identify, assess and manage the risks critical 
to the Company’s success. Overseeing these 
risks benefits Antofagasta and protects our 
business, people and reputation. The risk 
management process provides reasonable 
assurance that the relevant risks are recognised 
and controlled, and the Company achieves its 
strategic objectives and creates value.

Because risks change and are periodically 
re-evaluated, the risk map shown here 
represents the position at a specific point 
in time and the changes that have taken 
place since 2019.

The Board carried out a robust assessment 
of the Company’s principal and emerging risks 
during the year, which are set out below with 
the related preventive and mitigation measures.

24

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

Risk Heat Map

8

9

10

11

4

6

14

3

7

18

12

13

2

15

17

16

1

5

e
r
e
v
e
S

t
n
a
c
i
f
i
n
g
S

i

t
c
a
p
m

I

e
t
a
r
e
d
o
M

w
o
L

w
o

l

y
r
e
V

Movement since previous year

Very unlikely

Unlikely

Possible

Likely

Almost certain

Risk
People
1.  Talent management1
2.  Labour relations1
Safety and Sustainability
3.  Safety and health 
4.  Environmental management
5.  Climate change
6.  Community relations
7.  Political, legal and regulatory
8.  Corruption 
Competitiveness
9.  Operations
10. Tailings storage
11.  Strategic resources
12. Cyber security
13. Liquidity
14. Commodity prices and exchange rates
Growth
15. Growth of mineral resource 
base and opportunities

16. Project execution
Innovation
17. Innovation and digitisation
Transversal
18. External risks

Probability

Risk 
appetite

Risk level

2020

v. 2019

KEY

Low

Medium

High

Very high

Risk appetite

Risk level

1.  Prior to 2020 Talent management and 

Labour relations were treated as a single 
risk category.

antofagasta.co.uk

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Key risks

Defining risk appetite is key in the process of 
embedding the risk management system into 
our organisational culture. The Company’s risk 
appetite statement helps to align our strategy 
with the business units’ objectives, clarifying 
which risk levels are, or are not, acceptable. 
It promotes consistent risk decision-making, 
allied to the strategic focus and risk/reward 
balance approved by the Board.

During the year the Board reviewed and updated 
Antofagasta’s risk appetite, including one new 
risk category – external risks – and updating 
Climate Change and Project Execution.

We maintain a risk register through a robust 
assessment of the potential key risks that could 
affect the organisation’s performance. This 
process ensures that key risks are identified 
in a thorough and systematic way and that 
agreed definitions of risk are used.

The key risks, together with related preventive 
and mitigation measures, have been presented to 
the Board and are in line with the organisation’s 
strategic pillars of People, Safety and 
Sustainability, Competitiveness, Growth and 
Innovation. In addition, these strategic pillars 
are supported by our corporate governance 
structures. The key risks are outlined in the 
risk chart and table, and in more detail below.

People

1. Talent management

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

Managing talent and maintaining a 
high-quality labour force in a changing 
technological and cultural environment 
is a key priority for us. Any failures in this 
respect could have a negative impact on the 
performance of the existing operations and 
prospects for future growth.

We develop the talents of our employees through training and career development, invest 
in initiatives to widen the talent pool and are committed to our diversity and inclusion policy. 
Through these actions we aim to increase employee retention, as well as the number of 
women, people with disabilities and employees with international experience in the workplace.

Our Employee Performance Management System is designed to attract and retain key 
employees by creating suitable reward and remuneration structures and providing personal 
development opportunities. We have a talent management system to identify and develop 
internal candidates for key management positions, as well as identifying suitable external 
candidates when appropriate.

During 2020 our Group leadership 
framework was released, the diversity 
and inclusion strategy was strongly 
promoted and a new remote 
working standard was launched. 

2. Labour relations

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Our highly skilled workforce and experienced 
management team are critical to maintaining 
our current operations, implementing 
development projects and achieving 
long-term growth without major disruption.

We maintain good relations with our employees and unions, which are founded on trust, 
regular dialogue and good working conditions. We are committed to safety, non-discrimination, 
diversity and inclusion, and compliance with Chile’s strict labour regulations.

There are long-term labour agreements in place with all the unions at our operations, helping 
to ensure labour stability.

We seek to identify and address labour issues that may arise throughout the period covered 
by the labour agreements (usually three years) and to anticipate any potential issues in good 
time. Contractors are an important part of our workforce and under Chilean law are subject to 
the same duties and responsibilities as our own employees. We treat contractors as strategic 
associates and build long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with them.

We maintain constructive relationships with our employees and their unions through regular 
communication and consultation. Union representatives are regularly involved in discussions 
about the future of the workforce.

Highlights

Ten labour negotiations took place in 
2020. In all cases, the Company and 
labour representatives successfully 
reached agreement. 

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25

 
 
 
 
 
 
Strategic Report

Risk management continued

Safety and sustainability

3. Safety and health

Description

Safety and health incidents could result 
in harm to our employees, contractors and 
local communities. Ensuring their safety and 
wellbeing is our ethical obligation and first 
priority and is one of our core values. A poor 
safety record or serious accidents could 
have a long-term impact on morale and 
on Antofagasta’s reputation and production.

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Preventive and mitigation measures
We seek to continuously improve our safety and health risk management procedures, 
with particular focus on the early identification of risks and the prevention of fatalities.

The Corporate Safety and Health Department provides a common strategy for our operations 
and co-ordinates all safety and health matters. We have a Significant Incident Report system, 
which is an important part of the overall approach to safety.

Our goals of zero serious accidents and fatalities and the minimising of the number of 
accidents require all contractors to comply with our Occupational Safety and Health Plan. This 
plan is monitored through monthly audits and is supported by regular training and awareness 
campaigns for employees, contractors, employees’ families and local communities, particularly 
with regard to road safety. We require all staff in defined safety-critical roles to satisfy at least 
the minimum qualifications, to have the necessary experience for their role and to complete 
any required training prior to commencing their work activities.

Critical controls and verification tools are regularly strengthened through the verification 
programme and regular audits of critical controls for potentially high-risk activities.

We continuously seek to incorporate technology and innovation to reduce workers’ exposure 
to safety and health risks.

Highlights

In 2020 there were no fatal accidents. 
The COVID-19 outbreak threatened the 
health of all employees and contractors, 
and local communities. We focused on 
implementing controls to prevent and 
mitigate the impact of infection, prioritising 
the health of our employees and 
contractors while minimising the 
impact on operational continuity.

4. Environmental management

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

An operating incident that damages 
the environment could affect both our 
relationship with local stakeholders and 
our reputation, reducing the social value 
we generate.

We operate in challenging environments, 
including the largely agricultural Choapa 
Valley and the Atacama Desert, where 
water scarcity is a key issue.

Preventive and mitigation measures
We have a comprehensive approach to incident prevention. Relevant risks are assessed, 
monitored and controlled in order to achieve our goal of zero incidents with significant 
environmental impact. We work to raise awareness among employees and contractors, 
providing training to promote operating excellence. The potential environmental impact of a 
project is a key consideration when assessing its viability, and we encourage the integration 
of innovative technology in the project design to mitigate such impacts.

We prioritise the efficient use of natural renewable resources by using sea water, favouring 
the use of renewable power sources, achieving higher rates of reuse and recovery of water 
through thickened tailings technology and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

We recognise that environmental sustainability is key to our ability to generate social value and 
perform regular risk assessments in order to identify potential impacts and develop preventive 
and mitigating strategies.

Each site maintains updated environmental emergency preparedness and detailed closure 
plans with appropriate financial provisions to ensure physical and chemical stability once 
operations have ceased.

Highlights

We had no significant environmental 
incidents during 2020.

We monitored and reinforced our critical 
controls in line with our low appetite for 
environmental risk.

5. Climate change

Description
The effects of climate change have had 
an increasing impact on our operations. 
The drought in the central area of Chile is 
affecting water availability, while higher than 
expected rainfall in the northern part of the 
country is impacting the infrastructure in the 
region and the increasing severity of sea 
swells are leading to delays in the delivery 
of key supply materials.

We are committed to contributing to 
the reduction of the global problem 
of growing greenhouse gas emissions 
and water scarcity by reducing our own 
emissions. We can do this by increasing 
the amount of power and water we obtain 
from renewable and sustainable sources.

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Preventive and mitigation measures
We recognise that climate change is a threat to human life and the planet as we know it today.

We measure and report our greenhouse gas emissions and have committed to reduction 
targets based on realistic plans.

As regards water scarcity, we are reducing our dependence on continental water through 
improved water use efficiency and the increased use of sea water as a total proportion of 
our water consumption. On completion of each phase of the Los Pelambres desalination 
plant construction, the proportion of continental water used will decrease and significantly 
lower the potential impact of water scarcity on the Group.

We seek constantly to identify risks associated with climate change and to implement actions 
to mitigate and adapt to their potential impact. For each risk evaluated as “High” or “Extreme” 
we define specific action plans and strategies.

As part of our regular communication with local stakeholders we discuss the material risks 
and our controls, action plans and related strategies.

Highlights

In 2020, a Climate Change Strategy was 
approved by the Board. It has five pillars: 
the development of climate change 
resilience, the management of GHG 
emissions, supply security and efficient 
use of strategic resources, the 
management of environmental and 
biodiversity, and the integration of 
stakeholders. While being committed to 
reducing GHG emissions we also support 
local communities in preparing for the 
effects of increasing emissions.

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6. Community relations

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

Failure to identify and manage local concerns 
and expectations could negatively impact the 
Company. Relations with local communities 
and stakeholders affect our reputation and 
our ability to generate social value and grow.

We have a dedicated team that establishes and maintains relations with local communities. 
These relationships are based on trust and mutual benefit throughout the mining lifecycle, 
from exploration to final remediation on closure. We seek to identify early any potentially 
negative operating impacts and minimise these through responsible behaviour. This means 
acting transparently and ethically, prioritising the safety and health of our employees and 
contractors, avoiding environmental incidents, promoting dialogue, complying with our 
commitments to stakeholders and establishing mechanisms to prevent or address a crisis. 
These steps are undertaken in the early stages of each project and continue throughout the 
life of each operation.

We contribute to the development of communities in the areas in which we operate, starting 
with an assessment of the existing situation and their specific needs, while looking to develop 
long-term, sustainable relations and evaluating the impact of our contributions. We are also 
focused on developing the potential of members of local communities through education, 
training and employment.

We work to communicate clearly and transparently with local communities, in line with our 
Community Relations Plan. This includes a grievance management process, local perception 
surveys, and local media and community engagement.

During the COVID-19 pandemic the 
Company has worked with the local and 
regional government to support local 
communities, including establishing a 
community support fund providing 
financial support and PPE and 
testing equipment.

7. Political, legal and regulatory

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

Political instability may affect our operations, 
projects and exploration activities in the 
countries in which we operate. Issues 
regarding the granting of permits, or 
amendments to permits already granted, 
and changes to the legal environment 
or regulations, could also adversely affect 
our operations and development projects.

Political, legal and regulatory developments affecting our operations and projects are 
constantly monitored. We comply fully with the existing laws, regulations, licences, permits 
and rights in each of the countries in which we operate.

We assess political risk as part of our evaluation of potential projects, including the nature of 
any foreign investment agreements.

We monitor proposed changes in government policies and regulations, particularly in 
Chile, and belong to several associations that engage with governments on these matters. 
This helps to improve our internal processes and means we are prepared to meet any new 
regulatory requirements.

As we have no operations in or material exposure to the UK, Brexit is not expected to have 
any appreciable impact on the Company. 

Monitoring of possible regulatory changes 
due to planned constitutional reform 
in Chile. We will evaluate the impact of 
these changes on our activities and will 
seek to mitigate any negative impacts.

8. Corruption

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

Our operations or projects around the 
world could be affected by risks related to 
corruption or bribery, including operating 
disruptions or delays resulting from a refusal 
to make “facilitation payments”. Such risks 
depend on the economic or political stability 
of the country in which we are operating.

We have a zero-tolerance regime for any activity that would result in contravening 
anti-bribery and corruption legislation. A robust governance regime, including an Ethics 
Committee, open channels of communication, training and multiple layers of controls, are 
maintained at all our operations, projects and exploration activities, and in our third-party 
relationships.

Our Compliance Model seeks to prevent any activity which may involve us directly or indirectly 
in any irregular situation, to detect any potential risk in good time and to act accordingly. 
There are control procedures in place that help to prevent corruption, covering such issues 
as conflicts of interest, suitability of suppliers, the receiving and giving of gifts and hospitality, 
and facilitation payments.

During 2020 new offences were 
included in the Chilean anti-bribery and 
employment protection laws relating to 
health measures during emergencies. 
Accordingly, our crime prevention 
model was updated, and related risks 
re-evaluated. The main risk identified is 
a severe transgression of the law, which 
has been evaluated as being very unlikely, 
yet with potentially severe consequences.

All our employees receive training on our Compliance Model, which is subject 
to external certification.

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27

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Strategic Report

Risk management continued

Competitiveness

9. Operations

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

Our operations are subject to a number of 
circumstances not wholly within our control. 
These include damage to or breakdown of 
equipment or infrastructure, unexpected 
geological variations or technical issues, any 
of which could adversely affect production 
and/or costs.

Key risks relating to each operation are identified as part of the regular risk review process 
undertaken by the individual operations. This process also identifies appropriate mitigation 
measures for such risks. Monthly reports to the Board provide variance analysis of operating 
and financial performance, allowing potential issues to be identified in good time and any 
necessary monitoring or control activities to be implemented to prevent unplanned downtime.

Our focus is on maximising the availability of equipment and infrastructure and ensuring the 
effective use of our assets, in line with their nameplate design and technical limits. We keep 
the variation of processes within defined tolerance limits.

We have Business Continuity Plans and Disaster Recovery Plans for all key processes within 
our operations to mitigate the consequences of a crisis or natural disaster. We also have 
property damage and business interruption insurance to provide protection from some, 
although not all, of the costs that may arise from such events.

In 2020 all operational risks were 
continually and consistently monitored 
at all our operations. Common operating 
models, preventive maintenance and cost 
control supported our strong operating 
performance during the year, despite 
the health restrictions imposed by 
the government.

10. Tailings storage

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

Ensuring the stability of our tailings storage 
facilities (TSFs) during their entire lifecycle 
is central to our operations. A failure or 
collapse of any of our TSFs could result 
in fatalities, damage to the environment, 
regulatory violations, reputational damage 
and the disruption of the quality of life of 
neighbouring communities as well as at 
our operations.

We manage our TSFs in a manner that allows the effectiveness of their design, operation and 
closure to be monitored at the highest level of the Company.

Catastrophic failures of TSFs are unacceptable and their potential for failure is evaluated 
and addressed throughout the life of each facility. Our TSFs are constantly monitored and all 
relevant information is provided to the authorities, regulating bodies and the communities that 
could be affected.

We manage our TSFs using data, modelling, and construction and operating methods 
validated by highly qualified independent international experts, whose recommendations 
we implement in order to strengthen the control environment. Risk management includes 
timely risk identification, and control definition and verification. Controls are based on the 
consequences of the potential failure of the tailings facilities.

The Global Industry Standard on Tailings 
Management was adopted in 2020. 
In accordance with this new standard, 
we began to implement a more detailed 
risk identification and assessment 
methodology focused on failure modes, 
in order to avoid catastrophic failures.

11. Strategic resources

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

Disruption or restrictions to the supply 
of any of our key strategic inputs, such 
as electricity, water, fuel, sulphuric acid 
or mining equipment, could negatively 
impact production.

In the longer term, restrictions to the 
availability of key strategic resources such 
as water and electricity could also affect 
our growth opportunities.

In order to maintain our security of supply, contingency plans are in place to address any 
short-term disruptions to strategic resources. We negotiate early with suppliers of key inputs 
to ensure continuity. Certain key supplies are purchased from several sources to mitigate 
potential disruption arising from exposure to a single supplier.

During the health emergency the supply 
of critical inputs has been maintained 
through constant monitoring and the 
application of contingency plans.

To achieve cost competitiveness, we endeavour to buy the highest possible proportion of our 
key inputs, such as fuel and tyres, on as variable a price basis as possible and to link costs to 
underlying commodity indices where this option exists.

We are committed to incorporating sustainable technological and innovative solutions, such 
as using sea water and renewable power when economically viable, to mitigate exposure to 
potentially scarce resources.

We maintain a rigorous, risk-based supplier management framework to ensure that we 
engage solely with reputable product and service providers and keep in place necessary 
controls to ensure the traceability of all supplies (including avoiding any conduct related 
to modern slavery). 

12. Cyber security

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

Breaches in, or failures of, our information 
security management could adversely 
impact our business activities. Malicious 
interventions (hacking) of our information 
or operations’ networks could affect our 
reputation and/or operational continuity.

13. Liquidity

Our information security management model is designed with defensive structural controls 
to prevent cyber risks and mitigate their effects. It employs a set of rules and procedures, 
including a Disaster Recovery Plan, to restore critical IT functions in the event of an attack.

In 2020 preventive controls and 
constant communication with users 
were reinforced to prevent cyber attacks.

Our systems are regularly audited to identify any potential weaknesses or threats to the 
operations, and specific systems are in place to protect our assets and data.

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Restrictions in financing sources for 
future growth could prevent us from 
taking advantage of growth or other 
opportunities available in the market.

Security, liquidity and return represent the order of priorities for our investment strategy. 
We maintain a strong and flexible balance sheet, consistently returning capital to shareholders 
while leaving sufficient funds to progress our short-, medium- and long-term growth plans 
and maintain the financial flexibility to take advantage of opportunities as they may arise.

Highlights

During 2020 the Company launched 
its inaugural corporate bond, raising 
$500 million.

We have a risk-averse investment strategy, managing our liquidity by maintaining adequate 
cash reserves and financing facilities through the periodic review of forecast and actual 
cash flows. We choose to hold surplus cash in demand or term deposits or highly 
liquid investments.

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14. Commodity prices and exchange rates

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

Our results are heavily dependent 
on commodity prices – principally 
copper and, to a lesser extent, gold 
and molybdenum. The prices of these 
commodities are strongly influenced by 
a variety of external factors, including world 
economic growth, inventory balances, 
industry demand and supply, possible 
substitution, etc.

Our sales are mainly denominated in US 
dollars, although some of our operating 
costs are in Chilean pesos. As a result, 
the strengthening of the Chilean peso 
may negatively affect our financial results.

We consider exposure to commodity price fluctuations to be an integral part of our business 
and our usual policy is to sell our products at prevailing market prices. We monitor the 
commodity markets closely to determine the effect of price fluctuations on earnings, capital 
expenditure and cash flows. Very occasionally, when we feel it is appropriate, we use 
derivative instruments to manage our exposure to commodity price fluctuations.

We run our business plans through various commodity price scenarios and develop 
contingency plans as required.

As copper exports account for some 50% of Chile’s exports, there is a correlation between 
the copper price and the US dollar/Chilean peso exchange rate. This natural hedge partly 
mitigates our foreign exchange exposure. However, we monitor the foreign exchange markets 
and the macroeconomic variables that affect them and occasionally we implement a focused 
currency-hedging programme to reduce short-term exposure to fluctuations in the US dollar 
against the Chilean peso.

Some limited copper hedge positions 
were put in place when prices fell and 
the Chilean peso weakened significantly 
following the outbreak of COVID-19. 
However, both had strengthened 
materially by the end of the year.

Growth

15. Growth of mineral resource base and opportunities

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

We need to identify new mineral resources to 
ensure continued future growth, and we do 
this through exploration and acquisition.

Our exploration and investment strategy prioritises exploration and investment in the 
Americas. We focus on growth opportunities in stable and secure countries in order to reduce 
our risk exposure.

We conduct rigorous assessment processes to evaluate and determine the risks associated 
with all potential business acquisitions and strategic exploration alliances, including conducting 
stress-test scenarios for sensitivity analysis. Each assessment includes a country risk analysis 
(including corruption) and analysis of our ability to operate in a new jurisdiction.

At the very least, all joint ventures must operate in line with, or to the equivalent level of, our 
policies and technical standards.

Our Business Development Committee reviews potential growth opportunities and 
transactions, approving or recommending them within authority levels set by the Board.

During 2020 we reduced the volume of 
activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, 
giving priority to compliance with 
protocols to ensure the health of workers.

Our exploration activities continued to be 
focused mostly on the Americas and our 
risk exposure level remained at the same 
level as in 2019.

We may fail to identify attractive acquisition 
opportunities or select inappropriate targets. 
The long-term commodity price forecast, and 
other assumptions used when assessing 
potential projects and other investment 
opportunities, have a significant influence 
on the forecast return of investments. 
If incorrectly estimated, these could 
result in poor decision-making.

As regards exploration, there is a risk 
that we may not identify sufficient viable 
mineral resources.

16. Project execution

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

Failure to effectively manage our 
development projects could result in delays 
to the start of production and cost overruns.

We have a project management system to ensure that best practices are applied at each 
phase of a project’s development. The project management system provides a common 
language and standards to support the decision-making process by balancing risk with 
the benefit of growth. In addition, all geometallurgical models are reviewed by 
independent experts.

During the project development lifecycle, quality checks for each of the standards applied 
are carried out by a panel of experts from within the Company. This panel reviews each 
completed feasibility study to assess the technical and commercial viability of the project. 
It also assesses how the project can be developed safely and considers any relevant risks 
or opportunities that could potentially impact the schedule, cost or future performance of 
the project.

Detailed progress reports on ongoing projects are regularly reviewed and include 
assessments of progress against key project milestones and performance against budget.

Project robustness is stress-tested against a range of copper price scenarios. Joint project/
operation teams are established early in the development project in order to ensure smooth 
transition of the project into operating mode once construction is completed.

The Los Pelambres Expansion project 
was largely suspended for some five 
months following the outbreak of 
COVID-19. The project risks are being 
proactively managed and frequently 
evaluated by the project team 
according to a specific project 
risk management procedure.

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Strategic Report

Risk management continued

Innovation

17. Innovation and digitisation

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

Our ability to deliver on our strategy and 
performance targets may be undermined by 
missed opportunities or delays in adopting 
new technologies or innovations.

We seek value-capturing innovations that realise cost savings and/or improve the efficiency, 
reliability and safety of our processes while supporting our corporate strategic pillars. We 
evaluate the potential of all ideas using our stage-gate approval process and Innovation Board.

We maintain partnerships with academic institutions and companies specialising in technology 
and engineering – including peers where there is no competitive barrier to doing so – in order 
to maximise the potential for improvements in our processes and systems. A dedicated team 
monitors, identifies and analyses external innovation trends with potential application to our 
business, including in non-operational areas such as product sales and purchasing. The 
team also maintains and manages a portfolio of ongoing innovation projects.

We have a recognition and incentives programme to encourage all staff to suggest 
innovations to our day-to-day operating systems. We also dedicate resources to evaluating 
and implementing innovations which have the potential to positively impact our business and 
growth options.

In 2020 we launched three automation 
projects: a remote operations centre in 
the city of Antofagasta, autonomous 
drilling at Los Pelambres and the use 
of autonomous trucks in a new pit 
at Centinela.

Transversal

18. External risks

Risk appetite 

Risk level 

Trend 
v. 2020 

Description

Preventive and mitigation measures

Highlights

We must develop the ability to manage 
external threats that are complex to 
predict and can significantly impact the 
Group’s strategic objectives and its 
operational continuity.

We promote the flexibility of our business and our labour force. We have defined a new 
structure for working both from home and at the workplace and have implemented many 
other measures as part of a project on new ways of working.

We incorporate lessons learned into our business, maintaining good practice and including 
potential improvements learnt from responses and actions taken during periods of crisis.

We annually challenge the risk strategies associated with each key risk category, including 
the diversification of suppliers, routes, levels of autonomy, etc.

We recognise the volatility of the markets and proactively seek new business models and 
work to expand our client base.

We regularly review our Business Continuity Plan.

We conduct scenario analysis to challenge the principles on which we base our financial 
planning, identifying potential risks and cost/benefits of feasible action plans.

This new key risk category was included 
in our risk analysis for the first time in 
2020. The risks in this category cut 
across the other key risk categories 
and high-impact risks were identified, 
particularly COVID-19. Control actions 
were implemented to guarantee the safety 
and health of our employees and provide 
support to local communities in order 
to maintain their wellbeing and the 
operations’ continuity.

Viability statement
To address the requirements of provision 31 of the 2018 UK Corporate Governance 
Code, the Directors have assessed the prospects of the Group over a period of 
five years.

Mining is a long-term business and timescales can run into decades. The Group 
maintains Life-of-Mine plans covering the full remaining mine life for each mining 
operation. More detailed medium-term planning is completed for a five-year time 
horizon (as well as very detailed annual budgets). Accordingly, five years has been 
selected as the appropriate period over which to assess the prospects of the Group.

When taking account of the impact of the Group’s current position on this viability 
assessment, the Directors have considered in particular its financial position, 
including its significant balance of cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments 
and any borrowing facilities in place, including their terms and remaining durations.

The Group had a strong financial position as at 31 December 2020, with combined 
cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments of $3,672.8 million. Total borrowings 
were $3,754.8 million, resulting in a net debt position of just $82.0 million. Of the total 
borrowings, only 16% is repayable within one year, and 14% repayable between one and 
two years. 43% of the borrowings are repayable after more than 5 years, beyond the 
viability review period.

When assessing the prospects of the Group, the Directors have considered the Group’s 
copper price forecasts, the Group’s expected production levels, operating cost profile, 
capital expenditure and financing plans. This analysis has focused on the existing 
asset base of the Group, without factoring in potential development projects, which is 
considered appropriate for an assessment of the Group’s ability to manage the impact 
of a depressed economic environment. The Directors have assessed the principal risks 
which could impact the prospects of the Group over this period and consider the most 
relevant to be risks to the copper price outlook. Robust down-side sensitivity analyses 
have been performed, assessing the impact of:

•  a significant deterioration in the copper price outlook over the five-year period
•  no additional borrowing facilities being available to the Group over the review period
•  a shut-down of the Group’s operations for several months as the result of COVID-19 

related issues

•  the occurrence of several of the Group’s most significant potential risks within a 

single year, such as temporary shut-downs or operational disruption due to issues 
such as labour strikes or water availability.

The stress tests indicated results which could be managed in the normal course 
of business. Based on their assessment of the Group’s prospects and viability, the 
Directors confirm that they have a reasonable expectation that the Group will be able 
to continue in operation and meet its liabilities as they fall due over the next five years.

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Compliance and 
internal controls

The way in which we achieve our objectives 
is crucial to the long-term sustainable 
development of the Company. We have zero 
tolerance for bribery and corruption, and we 
are committed to working with integrity and 
transparency. We comply with all applicable 
anti-corruption and anti-bribery legislation 
and ensure the necessary controls are in 
place to prevent any unethical behaviour.

•  There were 19 Company Ethics Committee 

meetings during the year to consider the 162 
allegations which were classified: 60% (98) 
harassment, abuse and mistreatment, 5% (8) 
bribery and corruption, 15% (25) fraud or 
misuse of property, 9% (14) conflicts of 
interest, 4% (6) wrongful labour or 
contractual practices, 0% modern slavery 
and 7% (11) other

Areas of focus and 
development during 2020
•  Review of the complaint management system 

and segregation of duties between Compliance 
Management and the Crime Prevention Officer

•  Launch of digitisation initiatives, including 

the automation of the due diligence process 
(EVA II) for suppliers, communities and the 
development of a system to monitor potential 
conflicts of interest

•  Development of a virtual management system 

for complaint resolution and an Ethics 
committee. New methods for rating and 
classifying the complaints according to their 
severity – critical, high, medium and low
•  Compliance e-learning for all Directors 

and executives

•  In-depth training and briefings in ethics and 
compliance, particularly in higher-risk areas 
such as procurement and community relations

•  New employees were trained in the 
Compliance Model as part of their 
induction programme

•  Controls in the Procurement Department 
were reinforced, and the supply chain 
due diligence process was strengthened, 
particularly in respect of working conditions 
and modern slavery

•  All employees updated their conflict of 

interest disclosures

•  We improved and updated our whistleblowing 
channel through which employees and third 
parties can submit questions and complaints

A total of 372 allegations were received, of which 
162 (44%) were ethics related and 210 (56%) 
were non-ethical concerns.

•  By severity the allegations were: 5% (21) 

Critical, 28% (105) High, 43% (161) Medium 
and 23% (85) Low

Code of Ethics
The Code of Ethics sets out Antofagasta’s 
commitment to undertaking business 
in a responsible and transparent manner. 
The Code requires honesty, integrity and 
accountability from all employees and contractors 
and includes guidelines for identifying and 
managing potential conflicts of interest. It is the 
basis for the Compliance Model and supports 
the implementation of all other related activities.

Compliance Model
Antofagasta’s Compliance Model applies to both 
employees and contractors. It is clearly defined 
and is communicated regularly through internal 
channels, as well as being available on our 
website. All contracts include clauses relating 
to ethics, modern slavery and crime prevention 
to ensure contractors’ adherence to our 
Compliance Model.

We actively promote open communication 
with all our employees, contractors and local 
communities. This helps ensure that our 
corporate and value creation objectives 
are achieved in an ethical and honest way.

The Compliance Model is reviewed regularly, 
both internally and by third parties, and on 
corruption-related matters it is certified 
under Chilean anti-corruption legislation.

Compliance model

Prevention

Detection

Action

Full management of risks

Prevention: The main focus of the Compliance 
Model is to prevent any irregular situations 
arising. We provide a series of tools and training 
opportunities to all employees and contractors 
to support appropriate behaviour through:

•  Internal procedures
•  Anti-trust guidelines (Politically Exposed 

Persons, facilitation fees, etc)

•  Due diligence, including the review of conflicts 
of interest and of potential business partners

•  Inclusion of anti-corruption clauses 

in contracts

•  Training and communication

Detection: We have several tools to detect any 
potentially irregular situations, including:

•  Whistleblowing channels
•  Data analysis
•  Regular due diligence
•  Internal controls
•  Internal audit

Action: If an irregular situation is detected, 
it is investigated according to Antofagasta’s 
procedures. Each operating company has an 
internal Ethics committee which reviews the 
conclusions of investigations and suggests 
action plans to the Company’s Ethics committee. 
The performance of the compliance programme 
is reported quarterly to the Audit and Risk 
Committee and every six months to the Board. 
The anonymity of employees using the 
whistleblowing channels is guaranteed, 
which safeguards individuals and achieves 
greater transparency.

Our Crime Prevention Model ensures compliance 
with anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws in the 
United Kingdom and Chile and is certified by an 
external entity.

Due diligence highlights
During the year 5,963 suppliers were reviewed, 
of which 0.84% (50) were rejected and the 
others were approved. Of the rejected suppliers 
64% were local, 34% national and 2% were 
international. The reasons for rejection were: 28% 
high financial or tax risk, 6% non-compliance 
with Law 20.393 (Criminal Responsibility of 
Legal Entities), 12% did not comply with Group 
guidelines, 4% had criminal records and 50% 
were for other reasons.

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Strategic Report

Stakeholder
review

Mining is a long-term activity which has an 
even longer-term impact and we seek to 
ensure that our business develops on a 
sustainable basis.

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Stakeholder review
Our approach to sustainability
Committed to positive impact
Our commitment to the Sustainable 
Development Goals

Creating sustainable value 
for our stakeholders

Our people 
Safety and health
Communities
Environment
Task Force on Climate-related 
Financial Disclosures
Suppliers 
Customers 
Shareholders
Governments and regulators

Non-financial information statement

34

38

40
42
45
48
50

54
57
58
59
60
61

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33

Strategic Report

Our approach to sustainability

Committed 
to positive impact

Sustainability is intrinsic to every aspect of 
how we do our work, whether it is the safety 
and health of our employees and communities, 
our impact on the environment or how we 
relate to our partners and shareholders.

A commitment to sustainability is one of our 
six core values. It influences the way we grow 
our business, manage our risks and impacts, 
contribute to the development of communities 
in the areas where we operate and address 
global challenges such as climate change.

Within the framework of our core values, our 
Sustainability Policy establishes the principles 
that guide our day-to-day actions on economic, 
social and environmental matters and the 
management of our supply chain. It also 
underpins our system of corporate governance. 
Its application is overseen by the Board, with 
particular focus from the Sustainability and 
Stakeholder Management Committee. This

Committee’s regular interaction with the 
sustainability team enables it to provide timely 
guidance and support should the need arise. 
We also seek to ensure the whole organisation’s 
alignment behind our commitment to sustainability 
through regular training and the inclusion of 
sustainability targets in annual performance 
bonus agreements.

We constantly review our policies and in 
2020 the Board approved a comprehensive 
new Climate Change Policy in order to better 
co-ordinate the numerous initiatives we are 
implementing in this field. We also began work 
towards compliance with the recommendations 
of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial 
Disclosures (TFCD) and signed a letter of 
commitment to The Copper Mark, a comprehensive 
assurance framework to demonstrate the copper 
industry’s responsible production practices and 
industry contribution to the United Nations 
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We currently have plans that will increase our 
use of sea water and recycled water by 2025. 
We have entered into power agreements so that 
all our mining operations will be using exclusively 
renewable power from 2022. Through these 
actions, we are reducing our impact locally 
and further afield.

Our purpose
Our purpose is to develop mining for a better 
future. As custodians of natural resources, 
we believe we have a responsibility not only 
to manage these resources efficiently and 
responsibly, but also to harness copper’s 
potential to contribute to the development 
of a greener and more sustainable world.

In line with this, we give particular emphasis 
to innovation through our own InnovaMinerals 
platform and our participation in Expande, 
a broader public-private open innovation 
programme for mining. We are also developing 
an electromobility roadmap, covering its 
applications for society in general and its 
use at our mines.

Antofagasta during 2020

Safety and health
•  At the end of 2020, we achieved a record 27 months 

Suppliers
•  We continue with our programme of developing good 

Environment
•  In 2020, no significant environmental incidents 

without fatalities

quality local suppliers

occurred at our operations

•  Both Division’s LTIFRs fell to record lows
•  High potential incidents fell 63% year-on-year, 

far exceeding our reduction target of between 10% 
and 15%

Our people
•  We approved a permanent form of part-time 

remote working

•  We set up a Digital Academy to improve 

employees’ skills

•  In 2020, 50% of employees recruited were women
•  Performance agreements and long-term incentives 

were used to align and motivate employees to achieve 
the Company’s objectives

•  SMEs accounted for 54% and 63% of our Mining and 
Transport divisions’ spending on goods and services 
respectively in the regions where we operate, and 
93% of our suppliers are based in Chile

•  We reduced payment times for local suppliers to 

•  Our new climate change strategy was launched 

in October 2020

•  In July 2020, Zaldívar became our first mine to use 
only electricity generated from renewable sources
•  We started sponsoring a university programme in 

nine days

water sustainability

Communities
•  In 2020, the Board approved our first formal 

Human Rights Policy

•  We created a $6 million COVID-19 fund to 

provide economic and health support for our 
neighbouring communities

•  We renewed our alliance with the Antofagasta Mining 

Cluster for two more years

Sustainable governance
•  We responded quickly to the pandemic with very 

limited impact on production or costs
•  It accelerated our innovation and digital 

transformation programme

•  We conducted a materiality assessment to identify 

the most important sustainability issues for 
our stakeholders

•  We committed to The Copper Mark, an assurance 
framework to demonstrate the copper industry’s 
responsible production practices

•  We published our fifth Payment to Governments 

Report in June

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Distribution of economic 
value generated
Our aim is to develop mining for a better future 
and we understand that generating economic 
value means more than making a profit.

We generate economic value for all of our 
stakeholders; distributed as wages to our 
employees, purchases of goods and services 
from our suppliers, contributions to local 
communities, taxes to governments, dividends 
to our shareholders and interest paid to 
our lenders.

In 2020, we distributed a total of $4,856 million.

For Antofagasta, creating economic value 
implies generating profits responsibly and 
with a long-term vision, incorporating unique 
and innovative solutions in business decisions 
to address challenges in the regions in which 
we operate, and working to tackle today’s 
global challenges.

Communities

$46m

Contributions and
project funding

Suppliers

$3,525m

Payments made 
to suppliers for the 
purchase of utilities, 
goods and services

“Our aim is to create lasting value for 
communities’ long-term economic and social 
development, a task in which we work in 
alliance with other players, including local 
governments, other companies and NGOs.”

René Aguilar
Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability

Lenders

$53m

Interest 
payments

Shareholders

$131m

Dividends

Subsidiaries´
non-controlling
interests

$280m

Dividends

$4,856m

Total economic contribution

Governments

$327m

Income taxes, royalties 
and other payments 
to governments

Employees

$494m

Salaries, wages
and incentives

BUS STOP

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35

Strategic Report

Our approach to sustainability continued

“All this help we have been offered adds up, 
especially when we are experiencing a crisis. 
The help of private companies and the efforts of 
the Ministry of Health have led to an exponential 
growth that we never thought we would have.”

Alejandro Césped
Director of Illapel’s Hospital

$6m

COVID-19 fund 
for communities

Creating value for 
stakeholders
We are committed to building lasting and 
sustainable relationships with our different 
stakeholders in order to foster transparent dialogue 
and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

We seek to ensure a safe working environment 
for all our employees and contractors, and our 
top priority is their safety and health. We also 
seek to provide a workplace that enables 
employees to achieve their maximum potential, 
facilitates a healthy work life balance and fosters 
diversity and inclusion.

In the case of contractors, we work with them to 
ensure they benefit from the same standards we 
have for our own employees. Through suppliers, 
we seek to support local jobs by prioritising local 
suppliers and, in the case of large suppliers from 
outside the regions where we operate, 
encouraging them to recruit locally.

Our engagement with communities is based on 
a bottom-up approach, under which we establish 
joint working groups to define priorities, projects 
and programmes. We aim to create lasting value 
for communities’ long-term economic and social 
development, working alongside other players, 
including local governments, other companies 
and NGOs.

In 2020, in the context of the COVID-19 
pandemic, the emphasis of our engagement 
with stakeholders necessarily shifted. Our first 
concern was to ensure the health and safety 
of our employees and contractors. Relations 
with local communities also took on particular 
importance as, together with the local authorities, 
we supported them in addressing the health 
challenge and relieving the economic difficulties 
they faced.

36

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

antofagasta.co.uk

Materiality analysis
In 2020, we conducted a materiality assessment 
to identify the sustainability issues most critical 
to our business and stakeholders. This was a 
three-stage process:

•  Identification of potential issues. Through 
desktop research into existing, new and 
emerging material topics for the copper 
mining industry both in Chile and 
internationally, we identified 
38 potential topics.

•  Prioritisation of issues. Based on internal 
workshops, a survey of our operations’ 
union leaders and interviews with external 
stakeholders, we prioritised these topics, 
drafting a materiality matrix for each operation.

•  Validation. These matrices were presented 
to Antofagasta’s Executive Committee for 
validation and then weighted by the size of 
the operation and the level of risk to produce 
a materiality matrix for the Group.

This new matrix, which reassesses the 
importance of existing issues and incorporates 
topics emerging at both international and local 
levels, will not only determine the content of our 
2020 Sustainability Report but also guide our 
strategies, policies and practices in 2021.

s
n
o
i
s
i
c
e
d
&
s
t
n
e
m
s
s
e
s
s
a
’
s
r
e
d
o
h
e
k
a
t
s
n
o
e
c
n
e
u
l
f
n

l

I

Materiality matrix 2020

h
g
H

i

i

m
u
d
e
M

w
o
L

•  Higher-quality education 

in regions

•  Mine closure
•  Circular economy

•  Renewable energy
•  GHG emissions
•  Water management
•  Safety and health
•  Ethics and compliance
•  Creation of local jobs 
and capacity building

•  Tailings and dust
•  Community relations

•  Economic performance 

and contribution
•  Talent attraction, 

development and retention

•  Diversity and inclusion
•  Automation and digitalisation
•  Political outlook (elections, 
constitutional reform)

•  Regulatory changes
•  Project permitting

•  Operational innovation

•  Human rights
•  Air quality
•  Responsible supply 
chain management

•  Transparency

•  Corporate governance
•  Labour relations
•  Emergency planning
•  Indigenous peoples
•  COVID-19
•  Heritage buildings 
(Transport division)
•  Extreme weather events
•  Traffic congestion

•  Biodiversity
•  Marine pollution
•  Non-mining waste 

management

•  Urban development plan 
(Transport division)

Low

Medium

High

Significance of organisation’s economic, environmental & social impacts

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Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

37

 
 
 
 
 
Strategic Report

Our approach to sustainability continued

Our commitment 
to the Sustainable 
Development Goals

The United Nations Member States adopted the 
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 
as a universal call to end poverty, protect the 
planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace 
and prosperity by 2030. At Antofagasta, we 
are committed to playing our part in achieving 
the SDGs.

No 
poverty:

End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Antofagasta has an ethical monthly minimum wage 
for contractors of Ch$500,000, two thirds above 
Chile’s legal minimum wage. During the COVID-19 
pandemic, we focused on protecting jobs, and 
those contractors unable to work due to restricted 
access to offices and sites received at least the 
ethical minimum wage. We also supported local 
economies and took measures that ranged from 
the distribution of boxes of basic supplies to 
grants for small businesses.

Good health 
and wellbeing:

Ensure healthy lives and promote 
wellbeing for all at all ages
Our Safety and Health Strategy aims to protect 
the physical and mental health of employees 
and contractors and includes the provision of 
preventive health programmes and supporting 
community health projects. In response to 
COVID-19, we spent over $3 million on community 
healthcare and prevention measures. Aside from 
the pandemic, our Flexitime and Work-Life Balance 
Guidelines are designed to help improve our 
employees’ work experience and quality of life.

Quality 
education: 

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality 
education and promote lifelong learning 
opportunities for all
We support inclusive access to quality education in 
order to improve job opportunities in the regions 
where we operate. Initiatives range from providing 
school and higher education scholarships to 
creating or strengthening professional-level 
technical courses. We also offer Young Graduate 
programmes, apprenticeships and internships to 
provide learning and work opportunities for local 
young people.

38

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

Gender 
equality:

Achieve gender equality and empower 
all women and girls
The Group seeks to increase the participation of 
women in our workforce. In 2020, we reviewed 
and closed gender pay gaps among employees 
and surpassed our annual inclusion targets for 
women. Our apprenticeship programmes, in 
particular, target local women. 

Clean water 
and sanitation:

Ensure availability and sustainable 
management of water and sanitation 
for all
All our operations are in water-stressed areas 
and to protect the resource’s availability for 
our communities, the environment, and our 
own operations we apply water management 
practices aligned with the International Council 
on Mining and Metals’ (ICMM) Water Stewardship 
Framework. Our Antucoya and Centinela mines 
use almost entirely raw sea water and Los 
Pelambres will soon begin to use desalinated 
water. To address severe drought in the area 
around Los Pelambres, we are implementing a 
special programme to secure water for human 
consumption and increase the efficiency of the 
local agricultural irrigation. 

Affordable and 
clean energy: 

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, 
sustainable and modern energy for all
Our Mining division has renegotiated its power 
purchase agreements in order to switch all its 
operations from conventional to renewable 
energy sources in 2022. In July 2020, Zaldívar 
became the first of our operations to make the 
switch. We have also provided training on the 
installation, use and maintenance of solar energy 
systems in the town of Sierra Gorda, equipping 
49 homes with solar panels.

Decent work and 
economic growth: 

Promote sustained, inclusive and 
sustainable economic growth, full and 
productive employment and decent 
work for all
The Group complies with the UK Modern Slavery 
Act and its Code of Ethics and Human Rights 
Policy aims to ensure a harassment-free, 
inclusive workplace for all, that respects human 
rights and diversity. In 2020 we spent $1.2 
million on training initiatives and launched a 
Digital Academy to prepare employees for 
the world of work and enhance their job 
opportunities. We also offer a range of economic 
and business development opportunities to 
people in the regions where we operate.

Industry, innovation 
and infrastructure:

Build resilient infrastructure, 
promote inclusive and sustainable 
industrialisation and foster innovation
Innovation is one of the five pillars of our 
Strategy to develop mining for a better future. 
In 2020, we reinforced this objective by creating 
a Vice Presidency of Strategy and Innovation to 
drive the implementation of our digital roadmap 
and transformational change. We foster 
innovation through our InnovaMinerals open 
platform, participation in the Industrial Weeks for 
Innovation in the city of Antofagasta, and pitch 
days for technology companies at our operations.

Reduced 
inequalities:

Reduce inequality within and 
among countries
Antofagasta contributes to reducing inequality 
by providing help in the form of scholarships 
and educational support. This promotes social 
mobility in remote and vulnerable sectors in the 
regions where we operate. We also generate 
work opportunities and enhance the capabilities 
of local people and businesses. 

antofagasta.co.uk

Sustainable cities 
and communities:

Make cities and human settlements 
inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Our Social Management Model ensures that we 
choose, develop and implement social investment 
projects. Working together with local communities, 
we strengthen local leadership and monitor 
the long-term impact of our initiatives. Our 
operations also work with the local authorities 
and communities to improve public spaces, 
sports facilities and healthcare infrastructure. 

Responsible 
consumption and 
production: 

Ensure sustainable consumption 
and production patterns
Our Sustainability Policy establishes the basis 
for the responsible management of the Group’s 
activities. In 2020, Centinela and Zaldívar signed 
letters of commitment to The Copper Mark, the 
copper industry’s new responsible production 
framework, assessed by independent assurance 
experts, and they will be followed by Los 
Pelambres and Antucoya.

Climate action:

Take urgent action to combat climate 
change and its impacts
Antofagasta takes into account Chile’s particular 
vulnerability to climate change. Our risk matrix 
has specifically included climate change since 
2019 and our Board approved a comprehensive 
Climate Change Strategy in October 2020. Since 
2017, we have been implementing a series of 
projects to reduce our direct and indirect annual 
CO2 emissions by 300,000 tonnes by 2022. 
To achieve this, we are switching our mining 
operations to renewable energy and are 
implementing initiatives to reduce the use 
of diesel at our mines.

Life below water 
and Life on Land:

 + For more information on these initiatives, see 
the Safety and Health, People, Communities, 
Suppliers, Climate Change and Environment 
sections of this report

Conserve and sustainably use the 
oceans, seas and marine resources 
for sustainable development. Protect, 
restore and promote sustainable use 
of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably 
manage forests, combat desertification, 
halt and reverse land degradation, and 
halt biodiversity loss
Our Biodiversity Standard is aligned with 
the ICMM’s position statement on Mining and 
Protected Areas. It has three goals: to prevent 
and minimise impacts on biodiversity, to restore 
or appropriately compensate for any impact, 
and to generate additional benefits for the areas 
where we operate. We implement programmes 
to protect animal, bird, plant and marine species 
and administer a number of nature sanctuaries.

Peace, justice and 
strong institutions:

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies 
for sustainable development, provide 
access to justice for all and build 
effective, accountable and inclusive 
institutions at all levels
Antofagasta’s activities conform to the UK’s 
Bribery Act and Modern Slavery Act as well as 
Chilean Law No 20.393 on bribery and asset 
laundering. Our Code of Ethics, Compliance 
Model and Crime Prevention Manual define how 
we undertake our business in a responsible, 
accountable, honest and transparent manner. 

Partnerships for 
the goals:

Strengthen the means of 
implementation and revitalise the global 
partnership for sustainable development
We promote the creation of public-private 
alliances, taking advantage of our partners’ 
experience and strategies, to contribute to the 
achievement of the SDGs in the regions where 
we operate. Our partners include the state, 
Chilean and international trade associations, 
other mining companies and/or industry groups, 
civil society, academic institutions and NGOs. 
In particular, we use alliances, mostly with local 
or national foundations, to implement our social 
programmes which, in many cases, leverage 
or complement government programmes.

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39

Strategic Report

Stakeholder review

Creating sustainable 
value for our 
stakeholders

Respect for people is one of our core values 
and therefore we engage with stakeholders 
openly, transparently and collaboratively, using 
appropriate mechanisms to interact with them, 
provide them with information and learn about 
their interests and concerns.

This review also includes our Safety and health (p.45), and Environment (p.50) disclosures. 
These issues are of high importance to all of our stakeholders.

Our people
Over 23,200 people (direct employees 
and contractors’ employees) work at 
our operations, projects, exploration 
programmes and corporate offices. 
They are almost all based in Chile.

Communities
We operate in Chile’s Antofagasta and 
Coquimbo regions where our neighbours 
include a range of communities around 
our mines and transport business as well 
as near our port facilities on the coast.

Suppliers
We work with over 3,200 suppliers of 
which 93% are based in Chile. They 
provide a broad range of products and 
services, ranging from large mining 
equipment to catering and transport.

Why we engage
Constructive relationships, anchored in mutual 
respect and transparency, are crucial for a 
good work climate and talent retention, as well 
as for productivity and efficiency. Through our 
engagement with contractors, who are essential 
for operational continuity, we seek to transfer 
knowledge and ensure compliance with our 
standards, particularly on safety and health.

How we engage
Our mechanisms of engagement with our employees 
include regular site visits by senior management, 
on-site reviews, work climate surveys and 
performance evaluations. Regular meetings take 
place with unions and contract managers on specific 
topics such as safety and health.

 + See page 42 for 
more information

Why we engage
The wellbeing of local communities is directly related 
to the sustainable development and success of our 
business. Through engagement, we seek to grow 
together with these communities and contribute to 
their long-term social and economic development, 
while taking care to prevent, mitigate and compensate 
for any adverse impact our activities may have.

How we engage
We engage with communities through different social 
programmes, often implemented in alliance with local 
foundations. Initiatives are selected and designed with 
the community through working groups on specific 
areas of community development or concerns.

 + See page 48 for 
more information

Why we engage
Suppliers play a critical role in our ability to operate 
sustainably and safely and, through our engagement 
with them, we seek to ensure that they comply 
with our standards and guidelines on sustainability 
matters. We also work with suppliers to ensure that 
they offer us cost-effective and efficient solutions.

How we engage
The procurement team regularly meets with 
suppliers. Tenders take place through an online 
platform, designed to guarantee fairness and 
transparency. To ensure the broadest possible access 
to tenders, we use an automated invitation system 
and utilise different external platforms. By prioritising 
local suppliers, we seek to foster the development of 
neighbouring communities.

 + See page 57 for 
more information

40

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

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S.172(1) Statement
Antofagasta’s purpose is to develop mining for 
a better future – to achieve this and continue to 
deliver sustainably, we rely on the support of 
a range of different stakeholders. This means 
always putting the safety of our people first 
as we seek to deliver value to our customers, 
suppliers, shareholders and the communities 
in which we operate.

The Directors of Antofagasta plc have acted in 
accordance with their duties to operate in the 
way that they consider, in good faith, is most 
likely to promote the success of the Company 
for the benefit of its members as a whole, 
particularly with regard to the stakeholders 
and matters set out in section 172(1) of the 

Companies Act 2006, including amongst 
other matters:

•  The likely consequences of any decision in 

the long term;

•  The interests of the Company’s employees;
•  The need to foster the Company’s business 
relationships with suppliers, customers 
and others;

•  The impact of the Company’s operations 
on the community and the environment;
•  The desirability of the Company maintaining 
a reputation for high standards of business 
conduct; and

•  The need to act fairly as between members 

of the Company.

Section 172 considerations are embedded in 
decision-making at Board level and throughout 
the Group. Throughout the Strategic Report 
we outline the way in which we engage with 
our stakeholders to create value throughout 
our operational activity. Within the Corporate 
governance report on page 108 we discuss, 
in respect of the key decisions that the Board 
has taken in the year, how stakeholders were 
considered and how we engaged with them.

Customers
We sell principally to industrial 
customers, who refine or further process 
our copper concentrate and cathodes.

Why we engage
Most sales are made under long-term framework 
agreements or annual contracts with sales volumes 
agreed for the following year. Without these 
long-term customer relationships, we would have 
to sell a larger proportion of our cathodes and 
concentrate through traders on the spot market, 
with greater uncertainty about pricing and volume.

How we engage
Some of our major customers are also equity holders 
in our mining operations. The Chairman and several 
Directors visit Japan each year to meet our partners. 
We also hold regular meetings with customers around 
the world and have a marketing office in Shanghai.

 + See page 58 for 
more information

Shareholders
Shareholders are the companies, 
financial institutions and individuals 
that hold a stake in the Company. They 
are entitled to receive dividends and to 
vote at shareholder meetings on certain 
matters, including the election of 
the Company’s Directors.

Why we engage
Shareholders, and particularly institutional investors, 
are constantly evaluating their holdings in the 
Company and require regular information about its 
strategy, projects and performance. We therefore pay 
special attention to our communications with them, 
maintaining fluent and transparent dialogue in order 
to ensure that they receive all the relevant 
information.

How we engage
We regularly meet with institutional investors 
and brokers’ analysts at industry conferences 
and roadshows, as well as in one-on-one meetings. 
The Board attends the Company’s Annual General 
Meeting, either physically or virtually, and its members 
are available to answer questions. The Company also 
provides regular production and financial reports and 
other ad hoc information.

 + See page 59 for 
more information

Governments and 
regulators
Governments and regulators at 
national, regional and local levels draft, 
implement and uphold legislation, rules 
and regulations, setting the framework 
within which we operate.

Why we engage
Mining is a long-term business and timescales can 
run into decades. Political cycles are typically far 
shorter and material developments and changes 
to policy, legislation or regulations can have a 
major impact on the business.

How we engage
We work alongside mining associations and other 
industry-related bodies to engage with governments 
on public policy, laws, regulations and procedures 
that may affect our business. We deal with 
governments and regulators strictly within their 
engagement mechanisms which, in Chile, are 
clearly defined in Law N° 20.730 (lobbying).

 + See page 60 for 
more information

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41

In response to COVID-19, Antofagasta’s first 
priority was to minimise the number of people 
working in the Group’s offices and operations 
in order to control the spread of infection 
at the workplace and in nearby communities. 
We rapidly implemented remote working for 
all possible roles, closing corporate offices and 
reducing employee numbers at the operations 
by between 30% and 35%.

Overall employee feedback was positive about 
working remotely, and productivity and efficiency 
were not compromised. Most importantly, it 
demonstrated that our operations could meet 
production and budget targets safely. Although 
we partially reopened offices and resumed 
suspended activities in the second half of the 
year, we decided to examine the longer-term 
opportunities offered by remote working with 
a view to:

•  Building a resilient and flexible organisation 
with the capacity to respond to unexpected 
external events.

•  Capturing opportunities to improve productivity 
and efficiency, for example by reducing travel.

•  Offering a more attractive work life balance, 

which also supports our Diversity and 
Inclusion (D&I) strategy.

The resulting “new form of working” project 
was approved by the Board in November 
adopting a permanent hybrid system of in-person 
and remote working that is adapted to individual 
positions. We began to roll out the new system 
in December.

Strategic Report

Stakeholder review continued

Our people

Antofagasta seeks to promote a diverse and 
inclusive culture that fosters innovation and 
allows employees to meet their full potential. 
Our Digital Transformation Programme is an 
increasingly important part of this strategy.

In 2020, the main focus of the Human Resources 
area was to manage the impact of the COVID-19 
health emergency and to protect the health and 
safety of the Group’s employees and contractors, 
ensure operational continuity and safeguard jobs.

COVID-19 forced us to change some plans but 
also helped to reinforce parts of our People 
Strategy, which is built on the four pillars of 
culture, organisational effectiveness, labour 
relations and engagement, and organisational 
capabilities and talent management.

Organisational effectiveness
In April we created the Strategy and Innovation 
function to drive the Company’s digital adoption 
plan and innovation. Its responsibilities include 
the Digital Transformation Programme to 
introduce technologies to eliminate paperwork, 
automate repetitive processes and make 
data-based decisions. By the end of the year, 
20 projects had been implemented, seven 
were under development and six were in 
the design stage.

To support this change in the way everyone 
works, we established a Digital Academy to 
ensure we have the organisational capabilities 
to capture the benefits of technology as well as 
improve employees’ skills and job opportunities. 
Over 1,500 senior leaders and supervisors took 
digital literacy courses on basic terminology and 
tools. By the end of the year, 94% had received 
diplomas for completing all nine online courses 
and 234 had moved onto a specialist course on 
data-based decision-making.

42

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

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Inclusive culture
These initiatives build on our Work Life Balance 
Guidelines, launched in 2019, which introduced 
flexitime, time off for family and personal 
reasons, and occasional remote working, among 
other measures designed to improve employees’ 
work experience. The guidelines are a central 
part of the Group’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) 
strategy to increase the participation of women, 
people with disabilities and employees with 
international experience in the workforce.

In 2020, we included targets for the inclusion of 
women in employees’ performance scorecards 
for the first time and we continue to raise 
awareness about unconscious bias through 
webinars and video spots. We also reviewed 
and closed any identified gender pay gaps.

“As a woman this is a great opportunity for me, 
not only to take part but also to be able to 
continue my training and work in the mining 
sector, which has always been my dream.”

Katerine
Apprentice 2020

Gender Balance

Male
Female

Executive Committee

Reports to the Executive Committee

9
2

82%
18%

59
12

83%
17%

95%

of the apprentices live in the 
Antofagasta region where 
Centinela is located

Centinela’s apprentices 
drive change
Antofagasta seeks to increase the share 
of women in its workforce, improve 
employees’ job opportunities and give 
more jobs to local people in the regions 
where we operate.

Centinela’s growth strategy meets all 
of these objectives.

Some of its mine truck drivers are being 
retrained to operate the autonomous trucks 
which will start working in the new Esperanza 
Sur pit at the end of 2021.

Women make up all but four of the 91 
apprentices that began training in December 
to take over operations of its current fleet of 
manual trucks. 

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Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

43

Strategic Report

Stakeholder review continued

23,248

People

29%

Employees

71%

Contractors

14.7%

Women

76%

Unionised employees

Chilean legislation prohibits forced and child 
labour, limits working hours and includes 15 
days’ annual paid leave and a minimum wage.

Our employees and contractors can make 
complaints on the confidential Tu Voz system 
available on our website, as well as directly with 
the operations.

Contractors
In early 2020 we demobilised 1,875 contractors, 
due to the temporary suspension of the Los 
Pelambres expansion project to protect workers 
and communities from COVID-19. Agreements 
were reached with contractor companies to keep 
suspended contractors on at least the ethical 
monthly minimum wage of Ch$500,000, set 
by Antofagasta in January 2020, which is 
approximately two thirds higher than the 
national minimum wage. This commitment 
to our contractors’ job retention allowed us 
to resume activities quickly when we began 
restarting projects in the third quarter.

Contractors perform key tasks in our businesses 
and account for 71% of our total workforce. 
They are contractually required to comply with 
Antofagasta’s safety and health, environmental 
and ethical standards, as well as the UK Modern 
Slavery Act, and are monitored for compliance.

Contractors and subcontractors are also required 
by the Group to provide their employees with 
health and life insurance and, in the case of 
Los Pelambres and Centinela, support for 
their children’s education.

 + See page 57 for more information

By the end of 2020, women represented 14.7% 
of our workforce compared to 10% last year and 
exceeded our target of 13.3% for the year. Our 
goal is to double female participation by the end 
of 2022 compared to the 2018 baseline of 8.6%.

Under Chile’s Workplace Inclusion Law, from 
1 April 2020 people with disabilities must account 
for at least 1% of a company’s workforce. The 
Group has met, and aims to go beyond, this 
requirement by focusing on inclusive recruitment 
and adapting the workplace environment to be 
more suitable for people with some disabilities. 
We continue to work with Chile’s Mining Council 
to define the minimum standards to allow people 
with disabilities to work at mine sites.

Building human capital
Antofagasta is committed to promoting a culture 
that fosters innovation, develops skills and 
enables transformation. In 2020, we invested 
$1.2 million in employee training, the equivalent 
of 23 hours of training per employee, including 
the Digital Academy and courses of inclusive 
leadership and safety and health.

We also developed a training programme that will 
be implemented in 2021 on non-technical skills 
that are required in today’s digital world such as 
the capacity to learn quickly, change habits, work 
in a team, be curious and promote innovation.

Our Mining division ran leadership development 
programmes for 130 women, a record number.

We also run graduate programmes for our 
executive talent pool as well as apprenticeships 
and internships at our operations, the latter 
through a public-private partnership called Eleva.

 + See page 48 for more information

Labour relations
Antofagasta recognises employees’ rights to 
union membership and collective bargaining. In 
Chile, freedom of association is protected by law. 
The Group has 16 unions: 11 in the Mining division 
and five in the Transport division. Together they 
represent 76% of our direct employees.

In 2020, we closed 10 labour agreements: 
one at Zaldívar, four at Centinela and five in our 
Transport division. Negotiations were conducted 
remotely and involved no strikes. Under Chilean 
law, these binding agreements are renegotiated 
up to every three years and cover salaries, 
shift patterns and employment benefits 
among other matters.

44

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

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Safety and health

The Group began using HPIs as a measure 
of safety performance in 2020, to reinforce 
a preventative and resilient safety culture. 
High-potential hazards, near-misses and 
accidents are leading indicators of the 
effectiveness of safety controls and facilitate 
the early introduction of improvements to 
prevent future accidents. We recorded 71 HPIs 
during the year, a decline of 63% year-on-year, 
far exceeding our reduction target of between 
10% and 15%. The frequency rate for near-
misses, which includes high-potential hazards, 
rose by 9% to 288, reflecting a significant 
improvement to our reporting culture.

During the year, we strengthened the 
management of contractors’ safety and 
health performance. At the end of the contract, 
the contractor is graded according to their 
overall safety and health performance, and this 
information is used by the Supply area when 
awarding new contracts. Contractors may be 
removed from the Suppliers register if they fail 
to meet certain standards.

Automated drill rigs
The Mining division successfully implemented 
autonomous production drill rigs at Los 
Pelambres during the year, which not only 
increased productivity but improved safety, 
reducing workers’ exposure to occupational 
hazards such as noise, dust and vibration.

The safety and health of our employees, 
contractors and nearby communities are 
our top priority. During 2020, our swift and 
decisive action helped control the spread of 
COVID-19, allowing us to operate safely and 
continuously throughout the year.

In 2020 we continued to deepen our safety and 
occupational health strategy, which is based 
on four pillars: safety risk management, health 
risk management, standardised reporting and 
continuous improvement, and leadership. 
The strategy aims to meet four main goals: 
zero fatalities, zero occupational illnesses, 
the development of a resilient culture and 
the automation of hazardous processes.

During the year we strengthened the effective 
implementation of our critical controls for 
our high-risk activities. The strategy involves 
continually improving the identification of safety 
breaches and understanding the root causes 
of high-potential incidents (HPIs), in order 
to establish corrective actions to reinforce 
the preventive and mitigating controls for 
such events.

Safety risk management
In 2020, we updated our Control Strategies for 
10 identified fatal risks and more clearly defined 
the safety and health roles and responsibilities 
at operational level to improve the management 
of critical controls. We continue to focus on 
learning and sharing findings across operations, 
from investigations into HPIs to closing risk 
management gaps. The improved identification 
of the root causes of accidents has in turn 
strengthened our corrective actions to 
prevent safety breaches.

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Stakeholder review continued

Occupational health 
risk management
The Group is committed to providing a healthy 
workplace and contributing to the physical 
and mental wellbeing of our employees and 
contractors. In 2020 we established Control 
Strategies for four of our most significant 
occupational health risks: silica dust, noise, 
fatigue and drowsiness, and acid mist.

Number of fatalities

Chilean mining industry
Mining division
Transport division
Group

Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR)1

For the first time, we also established a 
reporting target for high-potential health events 
to stimulate awareness, reporting and to facilitate 
improvements. The Group registered a frequency 
rate of 111 such events per million hours worked.

Chilean mining industry
Mining division
Transport division
Group

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

12
0
0
0

2020

N/A
0.73
2.37
0.86

2020

0.00
0.00
0.00

14
0 
0 
0 

16 
1 
0 
1 

14 
0 
0 
0 

18 
1 
1 
2 

2019

1.54
0.75
4.03
1.01

2019

0.08
0.47
0.11

2018

1.65
1.10
6.66
1.59

2018

0.09
0.24
0.10

2017

1.78
0.99
7.20
1.53

2017

0.00
0.00
0.00

2016

1.83
1.21
5.78
1.61

2016

0.03
N/A
0.02

Occupational Illness Frequency Rate (OIFR)2

Mining division
Transport division
Group 

1.  Number of accidents with lost time during the year per million hours worked.
2.  Number of occupational illnesses during the year per million hours worked.

In addition, we strengthened our psychosocial 
health programme to help employees and 
contractors handle any harmful effects on their 
mental health caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, 
including a new, confidential 24/7 helpline. We 
also set up a working group of representatives 
from the unions, human resources, operating 
companies and occupational health areas, to 
deepen the understanding of psychosocial 
risks and identify improvements.

Performance in 2020
For the second consecutive year, there were 
no fatal accidents related to the Group’s activities 
among employees and contractors of our Mining 
and Transport divisions or related third parties, 
such as communities. By the end of 2020, we 
had completed almost 27 months with no 
fatalities, a record for the Group.

We continued to improve our Lost Time Injury 
Frequency Rate (LTIFR) which fell 15% to 0.86 
per million hours worked compared to 2019, 
another new record.

The Transport division continued to make 
significant safety improvements, more than 
halving its LTIFR over the last 24 months 
by focusing on the implementation and 
management of Control Strategies and 
critical controls respectively.

In 2020, the Group did not register any cases of 
occupational illness. 

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COVID-19
Antofagasta began implementing measures 
in February to prevent or slow the spread 
of COVID-19, maintaining a safe and healthy 
workplace and protecting the health of our 
employees, contractors and nearby communities.

Our first step was to limit access to offices and 
operations to those roles that required in-person 
attendance to ensure operational continuity. 
Higher-risk individuals, including those with 
respiratory symptoms, were excluded from 
attending work. Remote working, including 
through online platforms, was swiftly 
organised for all possible administrative 
and supervisory roles.

Main controls
Four basic controls were implemented to prevent 
COVID-19 infection in the workplace:

•  Health self-assessment questionnaires and 

health checks prior to each shift

•  Obligatory use of masks in all common areas
•  Physical distancing on buses, pick-up trucks, 

charter planes and common areas

•  Frequent hand cleansing

In addition, we hired buses and charter planes 
to transfer employees and contractors to and 
from site at the start and end of each shift. Other 
measures included installing barriers in vehicles 
to separate people, frequently disinfecting spaces 
and training catering staff on how to handle food.

We also carried out information campaigns 
on critical COVID-19 control habits through 
e-learning, posters, videos and competitions.

COVID-19 protocol
In 2020, the Group traced and monitored 
11,131 suspected cases of COVID-19 among its 
employees and workers. 1,186 of the cases tested 
positive with a quarter of them being identified at 
the workplace. Tragically, three of our contractor 
workers died of COVID-19 during the year.

Employees or contractors with COVID-19-
related symptoms identified in the workplace 
are immediately isolated in the polyclinic and 
transferred as soon as possible to a health centre 
for a PCR test. Low-risk cases and their close 
contacts are traced, tested and removed from 
the workplace.

Close workplace contacts must quarantine for 
14 days at home or in sanitary accommodation. 
For low-contact cases, quarantine is lifted as 
soon as they test negative for COVID-19.

Asymptomatic confirmed cases must stay 
in quarantine for 14 days and symptomatic 
confirmed cases for 28 days, to ensure that 
employees and contractors only return to work 
once they are fully recovered.

We also proactively test employees and 
contractors in areas where there are high 
levels of personal contact.

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Stakeholder review continued

Communities

Health measures
Health measures in neighbouring communities 
ranged from the provision of medical supplies 
and PPE to the donation of PCR testing machines 
and respirators. In northern Chile’s Antofagasta 
region, where our Antucoya, Centinela and 
Zaldívar mines are located, we reduced pressure 
on local health services by taking doctors into the 
communities to treat non-COVID health problems 
and by setting up a telemedicine programme.

Economic relief
In one key initiative, Fundación Minera Los 
Pelambres (FMLP) implemented the Choapa 
Emergencia Económica (Choapa Economic 
Emergency) programme in the Coquimbo region 
where Los Pelambres is located. In a bid to save 
struggling small businesses, the programme 
awarded over 2,000 grants accompanied by 
technical assistance. FMLP also published a 
number of guides with advice on how to access 
the support available from the government. Other 
initiatives in the Coquimbo and Antofagasta 
regions ranged from the distribution of boxes 
with basic supplies to the organisation of local 
suppliers to produce masks. A total of 90,000 
reusable masks were distributed in the Choapa 
Province, equivalent to one for each inhabitant.

Reactivation
This phase of our response included measures at 
a micro level – for example, pavement markings 
to enable street markets to resume activities in 
a safely distanced way – and at a more macro 
level, as in the case of the funds we set up with 
other companies in the Antofagasta region to 
expand the reach of the reactivation funds 

Healthcare and prevention 

Economic reactivation

Community support   

established by the government’s economic 
development agency, CORFO.

Due to the pandemic, demand for local job 
creation, always a key issue in community 
relations, acquired new intensity. In 2020, as part 
of our regular activities, we launched a platform 
to encourage our larger suppliers to hire locally.

 + See page 57 for additional information

Social Management Model
The Social Management Model rolled out by our 
Mining division in 2019 is designed to ensure 
the consistent application across operations of 
our engagement principles, methodologies and 
practices. It has four components: Engagement, 
Initiative Management, Impact Measurement and 
Socio-Territorial Risk Management. Following 
the planned incorporation of our new Impact 
Measurement and Risk Management Standards 
in 2020, all four components now have a 
corresponding standard.

In 2020, we formally adopted a Human Rights 
Policy. This applies to all the Group’s companies, 
which will also seek to ensure compliance by 
contractors and other companies in our 
supply chain.

Community members have a number of channels 
through which to register a complaint. They can 
send an email to the corresponding operation 
or a letter to one of its local offices or use the 
confidential Tu Voz (Your Voice) reporting line 
on the Group’s website. However, their first 
point of contact is typically the local community 
relations co-ordinator.

Indigenous peoples
Our Human Rights Policy explicitly recognises 
and undertakes to respect the rights, culture and 
traditions of indigenous peoples. The areas of 
influence of Los Pelambres and Zaldívar include 
indigenous communities and relations with them 
are aligned with local legislation, ILO Convention 
169 and the guidelines of the International Council 
on Mining and Metals (ICMM).

During the COVID-19 crisis, our operations’ ties 
with neighbouring communities strengthened 
as we stood by them, seeking to protect their 
health and economic wellbeing.

In response to the pandemic, we rapidly 
refocused our social programmes to support 
nearby communities in containing the spread 
of the virus and mitigating its economic impact. 
In April, we established a $6 million COVID 
Fund to finance a three-phase response: an 
Emergency Phase, focusing on preventive 
health measures; a Recovery Phase to alleviate 
economic hardship; and a Normalisation Phase 
to support communities once the worst of the 
pandemic had passed.

In all these activities we worked closely with 
local authorities and the central government, 
complementing their efforts, while collaborating 
with other companies and industry and business 
associations. As with our regular social 
programmes, we implemented many of the 
COVID Fund’s initiatives in alliance with local 
and national foundations and, in the case of 
Los Pelambres, its own foundation, Fundación 
Minera Los Pelambres.

COVID Fund

56%

25%

$5.9m 

19%

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$46.7m1

Economic social 
contribution in 2020

In 2020, our three operations in northern Chile 
implemented an Apprentices Programme in 
which a total of 181 young people, mostly from 
local communities, participated. Similarly, in 
selecting students to prepare their undergraduate 
thesis at our operations, we give priority to 
universities in the Antofagasta region, which 
accounted for 75% of the intake in 2020.

 + See page 57 for supplier development and 

innovation activities

Impact measurement
In 2020, we met our goal of measuring the 
impact of four social programmes. All showed a 
positive social return on investment (SROI), led 
by the Relevos programme and followed by the 
programme of doctors’ visits and telemedicine 
for the town of María Elena.

Citizen participation processes
In 2020, Zaldívar successfully carried 
out the Group’s first voluntary indigenous 
consultation process. Implemented as part of 
the environmental evaluation of the operation’s 
mine life extension project, it concluded with 
the signing of an agreement with the Socaire 
Atacameño community.

Los Pelambres implemented an Early Citizen 
Participation Process (PACA) to inform the 
community about its Operational Adaptation 
project, which was announced in September. 

$45.7m

Mining division

$1.0m

Transport division

1.  Includes community investment programmes (Somos 

Choapa, Dialogues for Development), social projects and 
programmes established as part of our legal obligations, 
as well as donations, sponsorships and contributions 
under the Caimanes, Salamanca and Cuncumén 
agreements and by Fundación Minera Los Pelambres.

Meetings have been held with local farmers’ 
organisations, water users’ associations, 
fishermen’s organisations, neighbourhood 
associations and indigenous communities.

In November, the Transport division launched 
a consultation process about the future use of 
its Estación Valdivia, an old railway station in 
the city of Antofagasta, which it plans to restore. 
The restoration forms part of a broader plan to 
vacate the division’s railway yards in the city and 
prepare them for urban development. Built in 
the early twentieth century and no longer in use, 
Estación Valdivia, like other buildings owned by 
the division, is an important part of the city’s 
heritage and identity. 

Flagship programmes
Most of the activities of our Somos Choapa 
(We are Choapa) and Diálogos para el Desarrollo 
(Dialogues for Development) social engagement 
programmes, implemented in the Coquimbo and 
Antofagasta regions, respectively, had to be 
adapted in response to the pandemic. In the 
Coquimbo region, however, some key projects 
were completed:

•  Los Vilos dialysis centre. Thanks to this new 
centre, which opened in September, patients in 
the town of Los Vilos no longer have to travel 
long distances several times a week to centres 
in other towns. Los Pelambres financed the 
construction of the building while the regional 
government provided the equipment.
•  Aguas Claras 2 housing project. Los 

Pelambres implemented this public-private 
project in Salamanca, in alliance with the 
Housing Ministry, providing the design and 
assisting with obtaining the required permits. 
Homes have been provided for 50 low-income 
families, mostly with female heads of 
household, including some homes adapted for 
the needs of family members with disabilities.

The Coquimbo region is suffering a longstanding 
drought and, in light of this, Somos Choapa 
reinforced its drinking water and water 
conservation programmes.

Antofagasta mining cluster
We participate actively in the Antofagasta 
Mining Cluster, a public-private alliance of 
mining companies, government agencies and 
educational institutions to foster the development 
of the Antofagasta region. We are particularly 
committed to two of its strategic pillars: the 
creation of human capital and the development 
of regional suppliers, especially those with a 
focus on innovation.

Our contribution to strengthening human capital 
includes Antucoya’s Relevos (Relief Workers) 
programme, which trains people from nearby 
communities to operate mine trucks and employs 
them to cover the regular operators’ shift breaks. 
In 2020, 10 participants in the programme (five 
men and five women) received certification 
under the Eleva programme, a public-private 
educational initiative.

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Stakeholder review continued

Environment

Incidents are classified as Real, with high-, 
medium- and low-severity, or Potential Severity 
(high or low) if the event could, in slightly different 
circumstances, have caused an incident. Real high 
or medium-severity incidents are investigated by a 
commission established especially for this purpose.

Training
Environmental training programmes for both 
our operations and projects have continued 
throughout the year with lectures taught by 
external experts. During the year, there was 
a workshop on mine closure plans and talks 
included topics such as waste management, 
climate change, project permitting 
and archaeology. 

Responsible production
In November, Centinela and Zaldívar committed 
to The Copper Mark, an independent assurance 
process for copper companies’ environmental, 
social and governance practices. Developed by 
the International Copper Association (ICA) in 
line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 
(SDGs), it includes matters such as greenhouse 
gas emissions, tailings management and 
biodiversity, and is designed to enable investors 
and consumers to make informed decisions 
about responsibly produced copper. Antofagasta 
plans to extend the assurance process to Los 
Pelambres and Antucoya. 

Environmental management
Our Environmental Management Model covers 
leadership, incident reporting, operating risk 
management, and regulatory risk management. 
Environmental performance is reported monthly 
to the Executive Committee and at least twice a 
year, or when is needed, to the Sustainability 
and Stakeholder Management Committee.

In 2020, Internal Audit performed environmental 
audits on all our operations with no significant 
negative findings.

At all four mining operations, compliance with 
our emissions budget reduction plan accounts 
for 5% of employees’ annual performance bonus 
targets. Los Pelambres, which is in the drought-
stricken Coquimbo region, also has specific water 
consumption targets.

Environmental compliance
In Chile, large-scale projects are subject to strict 
environmental and social impact assessments 
by the Environmental Evaluation Service (SEA) 
in order to obtain a Resolution of Environmental 
Approval (RCA) and to proceed with the project. 
These RCAs include legally binding commitments 
on matters such as the prevention and mitigation 
of the project’s impact on the environment 
and any necessary compensation measures. 
Compliance with the commitments is verified by 
the Superintendency of the Environment (SMA) 
and failure to comply can result in fines or the 
revocation of the RCA. Antofagasta has a total 
of 62 RCAs, entailing over 10,000 commitments 
on matters that include water use, air quality, 
biodiversity, construction, operation and closure.

Zaldívar is currently seeking approval of the 
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for its 
mine life extension project. In the first quarter of 
2021, Los Pelambres plans to submit the EIA for 
the first stage of its Pelambres Futuro project. 
This will be followed by the EIA for the second 
stage of the project.

Incident reporting
In 2020, the Group reviewed its procedures for 
the internal reporting, investigation, evaluation 
and classification of environmental incidents. 
In addition to purely environmental parameters, 
classification now takes into account community 
reaction to an incident in order to incorporate 
the reputational effect that an incident may have, 
even if no environmental norm was infringed.

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Tailings
Our mining operations have three main tailings 
storage facilities (TSFs): the El Mauro and Los 
Quillayes conventional tailings dams at Los 
Pelambres and a thickened tailings deposit at 
Centinela. In addition, Zaldívar has a small TSF 
from the flotation of some of its sulphides. Los 
Quillayes, the original TSF at Los Pelambres, has 
limited remaining capacity and is used as backup 
for El Mauro TSF.

All our TSFs are built using the safest 
downstream construction method and are 
designed to withstand severe earthquakes and 
extreme weather. They are subject to regular 
inspection by the government’s National Geology 
and Mining Service (SERNAGEOMIN).

In 2020, we strengthened our system of 
governance for TSFs. This included an increase 
in the involvement of the independent Review 
Board we have for the Los Pelambres and 
Centinela TSFs. In 2020, in line with best 
international practices, an independent review 
of the Zaldívar deposit was also conducted.

In August, the new Global Industry Standard on 
Tailings Management (Standard) was launched. 
This followed the completion of the Global 
Tailings Review, co-convened by the International 
Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), the United 
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and 
the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) 
in the wake of the failures at the Brumadinho 
and Mariana TSFs in Brazil. We have undertaken 
to comply with the Standard at Los Pelambres 
within three years and, at Centinela and Zaldívar 
within five years of its launch.

El Mauro has continued its work as a pilot for 
the Programa Tranque (Tailings Programme), 
a public-private and community initiative to 
establish an online monitoring system for 
TSFs in Chile.

In 2020, Centinela started using remotely 
operated equipment, such as the excavators 
used on its TSF. This reduces a potential risk 
to employees’ safety.

Air quality
At our mines, we have robust programmes 
to suppress and control dust (PM10 and 2.5) 
emissions. They are monitored permanently, 
in some cases with the participation of the 
local community. In addition, air quality data 
is reported monthly to the regional authority.

In May, a combination of unusual weather 
conditions, thermal inversion and operating 
conditions at the El Mauro TSF at Los Pelambres 
produced a dust cloud that was visible from the 
nearby Pupío Valley and the town of Caimanes. 
The emissions were controlled and the 
corresponding air quality norm was not infringed. 
However, in response to community concerns, 
we are implementing a series of additional 
voluntary controls in conjunction with the 
environmental authority, the SMA.

Biodiversity
Our Biodiversity Standard is aligned with 
the ICMM’s position statement on Mining and 
Protected Areas. It has three goals: to prevent 
or minimise impacts on biodiversity, to restore or 
provide appropriate compensation for any impact, 
and to generate additional benefits for the areas 
where we operate.

We currently implement programmes for bird, 
animal and plant species in our operations’ areas 
of influence. Of these, the gaviotín chico – a type 
of tern – is classified as endangered by the 
International Union for Conservation of Nature 
(IUCN) while another bird species and four 
plant species are classified as vulnerable.

Both Centinela and Los Pelambres monitor 
the environmental variables of the marine 
environment in the vicinity of their port facilities, 
studying the water column, sediments and 
the marine fauna. Through a public-private 
programme led by the Chilean government’s 
economic development agency, CORFO, Los 
Pelambres participates in R&D projects to 
repopulate the area near its port facilities with 
the Chilean sea urchin and the Chilean abalone. 
Other initiatives are associated with the Chilean 
conger (congrio colorado and congrio dorado).

The Los Pelambres mine is located at the head 
of the Choapa Valley, which is rich in biodiversity. 
We manage four nature sanctuaries in the area, 
including an important wetland (a RAMSAR site). 
Together with areas of reforestation and other 
initiatives, these sanctuaries and protected areas 
total 27,000 hectares, equivalent to seven times 
the area used for the operation.

Mine closure
As required under Chilean law, all our operations 
have closure plans approved by SERNAGEOMIN. 
In addition, we have our own Integrated Mine 
Closure Standard that goes beyond legal 
requirements in some areas.

As part of the required programme to regularly 
update closure plans, Centinela presented its 
update to SERNAGEOMIN in November and 
Antucoya plans to submit its update early in 
2021. In 2020, our operations also progressed 
the alignment of their closure plans with the 
ICMM’s Integrated Mine Closure – Good 
Practice Guide.

Twin Metals Minnesota (TMM)
Our copper, nickel, cobalt and PGM project in 
the United States, continued progressing the 
environmental review having submitted the 
Mine Plan of Operations (MPO) in late 2019. 
The US Bureau of Land Management has 
confirmed that the MPO is sufficiently 
complete to begin the environmental impact 
statement (EIS) process and notified TMM 
in June that it intends to progress the EIS 
and commit the necessary resources to 
the process. In addition, the Minnesota 
Department of Natural Resources reviewed 
the state data submittal and numerous 
comments raised have been resolved. 
Once the submittal is complete, it will be 
published for public comment and the 
state EIS will begin.

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Stakeholder review continued

Climate change

At Antofagasta, we take into account Chile’s 
particular vulnerability to climate change. Since 
2019, our risk matrix has specifically included 
climate change as a key risk and we have 
drawn up a comprehensive Climate Change 
Strategy, which was approved by the Board 
in 2020.

As part of this Strategy, we will take a multi-
disciplinary approach to the challenges posed by 
climate change, better co-ordinating the many 
initiatives, large and small, undertaken by our 
operations and projects, and taking advantage 

of synergies between them. The Strategy has 
five pillars: the development of climate change 
resilience; reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) 
emissions; supply security and the efficient 
use of strategic resources; management of 
the environment and biodiversity; and the 
integration of stakeholders.

In 2020, we also worked on the implementation of 
a programme to comply with the recommendations 
of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial 
Disclosures (TCFD). These propose that 
companies report the impact of climate change 
on their operations and results in order to help 
financial markets understand whether it has been 
correctly accounted for in the valuation of the 
company’s assets. We expect to complete the 
process in 2022 and have reported on our 
progress on pages 54-56.

Switching to renewable energy
Over the past few years, our mining operations 
have renegotiated their power purchase 

agreements (PPAs), switching from conventional 
sources – principally coal – to renewables. 
In July 2020, Zaldívar became the first of 
the Group’s mining operations to use 100% 
renewable energy and by the end of 2020, 
19.4% of the Mining division’s energy came 
from renewable sources.

Zaldívar will be followed by Antucoya, Centinela 
and Los Pelambres, and during 2022, the Group 
expects that its Mining division’s electricity 
consumption will be supplied exclusively 
from renewable sources.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Since 2017, we have been implementing a series 
of projects to reduce our annual direct (Scope 1) 
and indirect (Scope 2) CO2 emissions by 
300,000 tonnes between 2018 and 2022. By 
the end of 2020 emissions had been reduced 
by 581,355 tCO2e achieving the Mining division’s 
target two years early.

Streamlined energy and carbon reporting

Energy consumed (MWh)1
•  Outside the UK
•  Within the UK

1.  To calculate energy in kWh, multiply by one thousand.

2020

2019

2018

7,339,151
49

7,154,015
65

7,179,013
65

Energy consumed is the sum of the electric energy consumed, measured in MWh, and total fuel consumption, measured in GJ. A conversion factor of 
0.28 was used to convert GJ to MWh. Fuels include diesel, petrol and LNG.

The five pillars of our Climate Change Strategy

To strengthen the Group’s capacity
to mitigate and adapt to climate change

1.
Development of 
climate change 
resilience

2.
Reduction of 
GHG emissions

3.
Supply security 
and efficient use 
of strategic 
resources

4.
Management of 
the environment 
and biodiversity

5.
Integration 
of stakeholders

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Our reduction of Scope 2 emissions reflects the 
impact of the energy efficiency projects at all our 
mining operations and the introduction of hybrid 
diesel-electric trains at the Transport division. 
A key contributor has also been the integration 
of Chile’s formerly separate electricity systems 
which allowed lower-carbon energy from central 
and southern Chile to be brought to northern 
Chile, where the Centinela, Antucoya and Zaldívar 

mines are located and thus significantly reduced 
their emissions.

In July 2020, Zaldívar started operating with 
100% renewable energy, which reduced our 
Scope 2 emissions by a further 67,615 tCO2e. 
However, in accordance with the GHG Protocol 
Standard, this is not included in the above 
reduction numbers as the certification from 
the power suppliers requires validation and the 
necessary local regulatory changes have not 

yet been implemented to allow this. As a result, 
the Chilean average grid emission factor has 
continued to be used to calculate our emissions 
from all the energy we consumed during 2020.

In 2021 we are identifying the gaps in the 
available data and determining the methodology 
we will use to calculate our Scope 3 emissions 
in 2022.

CO2 emissions (tonnes of CO2 equivalent)1

Scope 1 Direct emissions

Scope 2 Indirect emissions

Total Scope 1 & Scope 2 emissions

2020

2019

2018

2020

2019

2018

2020

2019

2018

CO2 emissions intensity 
tCO2e/tCu2
2019

2020

2018

Los Pelambres
Centinela
Zaldívar
Antucoya
Corporate offices
Mining division
Transport division
Total

 257,801 
 492,496 
 152,340 
 152,577 
 108 
 1,055,322 
 88,936 

 251,580   262,355 
 448,890   453,898 
 141,475 
 140,623 
 168,490 
 152,231 
 1 
 106 

 544,900 
 539,300 
 192,862 
 114,337 
 825 
 993,430  1,026,219   1,289,890   1,392,224 
 1,118 
 99,400 
 1,144,258  1,090,284   1,125,619   1,290,748   1,393,342 

 464,492 
 542,020 
 162,688 
 120,087 
 603 

 96,854 

 858 

 523,942 
 722,293 
 563,101   1,034,516 
 315,028 
 180,109 
 272,664 
 123,353 
 711 
 1,189 

 796,480 
 988,190 
 333,485 
 266,568 
 931 
 1,391,694   2,345,212   2,385,654 
 97,972 
 89,794 

 1,191 
 2,417,914 
 100,624 
 1,392,918  2,435,006   2,483,626   2,518,538 

 786,297   2.01 
 4.19 
 1,016,999 
 321,584   3.27 
 291,843   3.44 
–
 3.19 
 N/A 
–

 1,224 

 2.19 
 3.57 
 2.87 
 3.71 
–
 3.10 
 N/A 
–

 2.20 
 4.10 
 3.40 
 4.04 
–
 3.33 
 N/A 
–

1.  Further information on our CO2 emissions can be found on the Carbon Disclosure Project website (www.cdp.net).
2.  Tonnes of CO2 equivalent per tonne of copper produced.

Water consumption
All our mining operations are in water-stressed 
areas. Care for water is therefore a key part 
of our approach to mitigating and adapting to 
climate change, as we seek to ensure sufficient 
water availability for our operations and local 
communities, and for the benefit of the 
environment. We are achieving this already 
through the use of raw sea water at two of 
our mines and will increase our use of sea 
water further once the desalination plant 
at Los Pelambres is completed in 2022.

In 2020, sea water accounted for 43% of 
our Mining division’s water consumption. 
At Antucoya, it accounted for 97% and, at 

Centinela, 86%. Centinela, which also uses 
thickened tailings technology to reduce its 
water consumption, currently has some water 
extraction rights which it does not plan to renew 
when they expire in 2022.

Zaldívar exclusively uses continental water, 
drawn from wells some 100km from the mine. 
These water extraction permits will expire in 
2025 and, as part of the Environmental Impact 
Assessment (EIA) submitted to extend the mine’s 
life, we are seeking to extend them to 2031.

The main loss of water is through evaporation 
and no water is discharged into continental 
water bodies. All our operations are working to 
increase their water reuse rates, which currently 

Water withdrawal by source in 2020 
(millions of m3)

Source 

Surface water
Underground water
Third-party suppliers
Sea water
Total

antofagasta.co.uk

2020

19.5
19.4
0.2
29.0
68.1

2019

13.9 
18.3 
0.4 
28.2 
60.8 

2018

16.5
19.4
0.9
30.4
67.2

vary between 78% and 96%, depending on 
the operation.

Los Pelambres is located in the mainly 
agricultural Choapa Valley and currently only 
uses continental water. However, a 400 l/s 
desalination plant is being built, which is 
scheduled to start operation in 2022.

During the year, it was decided to double the 
plant’s capacity to 800 l/s by 2025. This will 
allow Los Pelambres to stop drawing water 
from the Choapa River and increase its use of 
desalinated and recycled water to around 96% 
of its total consumption.

In 2020, total water consumption rose mainly 
because continental water withdrawal increased 
at Los Pelambres due to the critical lower levels 
of water in the Mauro tailings storage facility 
(where water is recirculated to the concentrator 
plant), the increased ore throughput volumes 
and our prioritisation of local communities’ use 
of continental water.

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

53

 
 
Strategic Report

Stakeholder review continued

Task Force on Climate-related 
Financial Disclosures

The recommendations of the Task Force on 
Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) 
provide a framework with which to disclose 
our ongoing work to reduce our exposure 
to climate risks, ensure business continuity 
and future-proof our position as responsible 
and sustainable producers of copper in 
the long term.

We recognise that TCFD is a journey that will 
evolve through time and is an important part 
of an ongoing dialogue with our stakeholders to 
ensure they have the right information about our 
business response to climate change. As our first 
disclosure against the TCFD recommendations, 
we are building on our existing carbon 
management programme and have a clear 
understanding of what we must focus on next. 
In recent years we have more clearly identified 
our climate change impact, developing robust 
systems to measure, manage and target carbon 
emissions. We have also established adaptation 
and mitigation plans, many of which are now 
incorporated into our near-term financial plans.

Strategy
In 2020 we conducted a climate scenario 
analysis to evaluate the resilience of our 
Group strategy to climate change over time. 
We reviewed a range of globally recognised 
and publicly available scenarios for two different 
hypothetical climate futures in the short (present 
– 2025), medium (2025-2040) and long (2040+) 
term; one aligned to a low-carbon economy 
through aggressive mitigation, and one aligned 
with a high global warming scenario under 
which limited action to address rising emissions 
leads to an increase in average temperatures. 
These scenarios are used to consider potential 
changes in the physical, regulatory, market and 
stakeholder operating conditions over the lifetime 
of our assets and long-term financial planning 
forecasts. In both cases we selected the most 
ambitious or extreme scenario, in order to assess 
the full potential spectrum of climate-related risks 
and opportunities that could occur.

•  Transition scenario selected: To provide a 
global view of and context for a low-carbon 
transition, we selected the International Energy 
Agency’s (IEA) Sustainable Development 
Scenario (SDS). The SDS is one of the most 
ambitious scenarios limiting temperature rise 
to between 1.5°C and 1.65°C by the end of the 
century. It is also one of the most commonly 
used transition scenarios, thereby allowing 
comparison with other companies.

•  Physical scenario selected: To explore the 
upper range of physical changes to which we 
may eventually be exposed, we selected the 
RCP8.5 scenario. The RCP8.5 scenario is 
commonly used across our industry to assess 
physical risks and relevant information is 
readily available. This choice is aligned with 
the MiCA (Mining Climate Assessment tool) 
developed by the ICMM. It is also the principal 
scenario analysed by the Government of Chile 
to inform development of adaptation policies.

We used these scenarios to identify potential 
risks and opportunities, and convened internal 
working groups to understand the relevance 
and impact of these across our business.

The TCFD recommendations

Governance
The organisation’s governance 
around climate-related risks 
and opportunities

Strategy
The actual and potential 
impacts of climate-related 
risks and opportunities 
on the organisation’s 
businesses, strategy and 
financial planning

Risk Management
The processes used by 
the organisation to identify, 
assess and manage 
climate-related risks

Metrics and Targets
The metrics and targets
used to access and manage 
relevant climate-related 
risks and opportunities

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“We recognise climate change as one of the greatest challenges facing 
society. At Antofagasta we acknowledge our role and responsibility to 
become part of the solution and that is why we are on a journey to put 
climate change at the heart of our business. Our response to tackling 
climate change directly aligns with our core business strategy, to 
reduce exposure to future risk, fulfil our commitment as a responsible 
mining company as well as developing mining for a better future.”

Iván Arriagada
Chief Executive Officer

Governance
The Board of Directors has ultimate responsibility 
and oversight, with the Sustainability and 
Stakeholder Management Committee, and the 
Audit and Risk Committee having key roles to play.

Climate-related responsibilities are assigned to 
specific management-level positions. The CEO is 
responsible for approving goals and monitoring 
the status of emissions reduction initiatives. 
Responsibility for the management of specific 
climate-related risks and opportunities is 
distributed within the organisation, with 
some roles defined.

In 2020, an internal, cross-departmental Climate 
Change Committee was established, chaired 
by the Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Vice 
presidency to monitor the development and 
implementation of the Climate Change Strategy.

The achievement of the 2018-22 emissions 
reduction target is a performance measure for 
senior managers.

 + See LTIP Awards, page 147

Risk management
Climate change risks are identified, assessed and 
managed within our Integrated Risk Management 
System. In assessing climate-related risks, we 
broadly divide risks into two categories; risks 
related to the impact of the transition to a 
low-carbon economy, and risks related to 
the physical impacts of climate change.

The Board has defined the Group’s risk appetite 
for climate change as “low”, indicating that the 
level of risk should be reduced to the minimum 
level theoretically possible, with the cost of 
achieving this being a secondary consideration. 
Existing and short-term physical risks were 
identified, evaluated and incorporated into the 
Risk Register for the first time in 2019. Transition 
and physical risks that may emerge in the 
medium and long term, identified during the 
scenario analysis, will be assessed and 
incorporated in 2021.

 + See Risk management, page 22

Metrics and targets
Reporting our GHG emissions and environmental 
footprint helps us to understand our contribution 
to climate change and allows us to monitor 
performance and progress against our 
environmental commitments and targets.

 + See Reducing greenhouse gas 

emissions, page 52

Through conversion of our mining operations 
to fully renewable energy by 2022 and energy 
efficiency initiatives such as replacing the diesel 
used in boilers with LNG, we plan to progress 
on our five-year target to reduce emissions 
by 300,000 tCO2e.

 + See page 52

Our long-term ambition is to replace our 
consumption of diesel with low-carbon 
alternatives. This aligns with our Electromobility 
Plan, currently in development, which aims to 
replace diesel used for transportation purposes 
at our mines. We are conducting analysis to 
understand how further low-carbon alternatives 
and reduction measures could be implemented 
in the medium and long term.

Next steps
We have set ourselves ambitious goals for 2021 
to further strengthen our resilience to future 
physical and transition climate impacts:

•  We will fully integrate climate change into 
our governance procedures to ensure 
accountability across our business.

•  We will further customise risk management 

processes to ensure the intricacies of climate 
risk are effectively managed.

•  We will deepen our climate scenario analysis 
by quantifying the potential financial impacts 
from our most material climate-related risk, 
and the opportunities across different forward-
looking climate scenarios.

•  We will seek to better understand the full 
scope of our GHG emissions, including 
those from associated upstream and 
downstream operations.

•  We will further demonstrate our commitment 
to reduce our climate impact and exposure by 
setting longer-term carbon reduction targets.

•  We will continue to advance our mitigation 

and adaptation response.

•  We will report in full in accordance with 
the TCFD in 2022 and publish a Climate 
Change Report.

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Strategic Report

Stakeholder review continued

Transition risks and opportunities

Local context

•  Chile carbon price instrument
•  The Co-operation Agreement and 

Energy Efficiency Law

•  Phasing out coal and increasing use 

of renewables

•  National Green Hydrogen Strategy 

to develop a roadmap for competitive 
green hydrogen

•  National Electromobility Strategy
•  Long-Term Climate Strategy and 
sector-specific mitigation and 
adaptation plans

Physical risks

Local context
Chronic

•  Coquimbo and Antofagasta regions 
experience an increase in average 
temperatures of around 2°C by 2050, 
rising to as high as 4°C by the end of 
the 21st century

•  More frequent and longer heatwave events

•  Drought events in the Coquimbo region, 

where Los Pelambres is located, become 
more frequent and average annual 
precipitation drops

•  Arid conditions in the Antofagasta region, 
where Centinela, Antucoya and Zaldívar 
are located, continue and cumulative 
annual precipitation remains low

Acute

•  Increase in the frequency of short, 

intense rainfall events, in particular in 
the Antofagasta region during the winter
•  Potential to generate flash flooding, that 
may carry alluvium, and other hazards

TCFD category
Risk

Policy 
and legal 

Transition risks and opportunities

Potential impacts

•  Carbon tax on operational emissions 

if industry coverage is revised

•  The development of the Co-operation 
Agreement and Energy Efficiency 
Law results in stricter legislation 
and mandates

•  High GHG emission costs
•  Increased costs of compliance

Market and 
technology

•  Increased cost of fuel and electricity
•  Change in consumers’ mindset about 

low-carbon products

•  Dependence on development 
of hydrogen technologies

Reputational

•  Pressure from stakeholders for 

responsible mining 

Opportunities

Resource 
efficiency

•  Implementation of energy efficiency 
and carbon reduction measures

•  Increased operating costs
•  Large upfront costs for 
low-carbon investments

•  Early retirement of existing technology
•  Increased cost of research and 

development (R&D), and implementation

•  Lose licence to operate
•  Compliance with The Copper 

Mark expected

•  Lower carbon intensity and reduced 
exposure to potential future cost 
of carbon

Energy source •  Replace diesel with 

•  Reduced operating costs and 

low-carbon alternatives

•  Reduced price for renewable electricity

increased capital availability for further 
abatement measures and investments 
in low-carbon solutions

Products

•  Increased demand for copper as a key 
material in low-carbon technologies

•  Potential impact on the copper price and 

the Group’s revenues

TCFD Category

Physical risks

Potential impacts

Rising air 
and ocean 
temperatures

•  Extreme temperatures and 

heatwave events

•  Dry particulate matter blown 

into the air

•  Proliferation of algae and 
other microorganisms

•  Stress to infrastructure and equipment
•  Safety and health conditions not met 
for workers and local communities
•  Disruption to sea water capture and 

port activities

Low or 
reducing
annual rainfall

•  Reduced security of water supply

•  Sites reliant on continental water 

cease operation

•  Increased need to support 

local communities

Intense rainfall 
events

•  Flood and alluvium events

•  Damage to assets and suspension 

of operations, as well as to 
local communities

•  Disruptive wave and swell events 

become more frequent in some parts 
of the coastline

Extreme 
waves and 
sea swells

•  Warmer sea temperatures may encourage 

algal blooms

•  Increased frequency and intensity 

of wave and swell events

•  Disruption to port activities and delays 
in the export of product and import of 
key supplies

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Suppliers

Our suppliers play a critical role in our ability to 
operate continuously, safely and efficiently, and 
we worked particularly closely with them this 
year in combating the impact of COVID-19.

Responsible supply
Antofagasta works with 3,250 suppliers of goods 
and services ranging from electricity and fuel to 
catering and maintenance services. Our central 
procurement team applies common procedures 
to ensure compliance with our standards 
throughout the Group, as well as competitive 
and fair tender processes.

We carry out due diligence on all potential 
suppliers prior to awarding a contract. We 
review company ownership, the participation 
of politically exposed persons (PEP), anti-trust 
issues, compliance models, commercial 
behaviour, legal cases, labour practices, 
conflicts of interest and contract risks.

Tenders take place on an online platform 
to ensure objective and auditable award 
procedures. In 2019 we introduced Robotic 
Process Automation (RPA) solutions to automate 
tender invitations, leading to greater participation 
and competitiveness. In 2020, the software was 
updated to assist in the evaluation of bids.

Contracts with suppliers include clauses 
requiring compliance with Chilean Law N° 20.393 
on bribery and asset laundering, the UK’s Bribery 
Act and Modern Slavery Act, and the Group’s 
own policies and procedures. In addition, we 
consider safety and health, and energy efficiency 
criteria when awarding contracts. Audits are 
conducted to ensure compliance.

In 2020, our procurement team received 
refresher training on the Group’s Crime 
Prevention Manual, modern slavery and 
our Compliance Model.

Suppliers can use the tender platform, as well as 
the Tu Voz reporting line on the Group’s website 
to make complaints that can be filed anonymously.

COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic posed extra challenges 
for our procurement team in 2020, mainly due 
to health restrictions on manufacturing and 
transport logistics which had an impact on 
international supply chains. Weekly review 
meetings with critical suppliers allowed us to 
address these issues by accelerating purchases 
and increasing stocks when alerted about longer 
delivery times.

Contractors affected by Antofagasta’s decision 
to temporarily suspend its Los Pelambres and 
Zaldívar expansion projects and some other 
activities at its operations received a minimum 
monthly salary of at least Ch$500,000, the 
ethical minimum wage set by the Group. The 
Company began gradually resuming suspended 
activities in the third quarter of the year.

Prioritising local growth
Our procurement team seeks to stimulate 
economic growth in the regions where we 
operate by generating opportunities for local 
suppliers, enhancing their business capabilities 
and encouraging suppliers to employ local 
people. Our strategy is supported by alliances 
with regional stakeholders such as business 
associations, universities, government agencies, 
local municipalities and community organisations.

Opportunities for local suppliers
Our Mining and Transport divisions have 
guidelines on regional procurement and 
recruitment to promote the contracting of 
supplier companies with headquarters in the 
Antofagasta and Coquimbo regions where our 
operations are based. The guidelines reduce 
administrative and financial conditions in tenders 
for small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) 
in these regions.

In 2020, we met our objectives to increase 
the number of local suppliers registered in our 
database and invited to participate in our tenders. 
During the year, SMEs accounted for 54% and 
63% of our Mining and Transport divisions’ 
spending on goods and services respectively 
in the regions where we operate, and 93% 
of our suppliers are based in Chile.

In July we signed an agreement with the 
Antofagasta Industrialists’ Association (AIA) 
to use its Approved Supplier Company System 
(SICEP), a digital database of certified suppliers. 
This allowed us to increase our list of potential 
local suppliers and to publish tenders for the 
next six months, providing local suppliers with 
advance knowledge of upcoming opportunities 
and therefore more time to prepare offers.

The Group held online business meetings for 
Antofagasta and Coquimbo-based suppliers in 
August and November respectively, to discuss 
upcoming tenders and connect potential suppliers 
with opportunities.

Fostering local employment
In August our Mining division launched a 
platform to allow large suppliers to publish 
job opportunities locally for contracts with our 
northern mining operations. Four major global 
suppliers have committed to using this platform 
and giving priority to hiring local people.

Our Transport division required 100% of the 
workforce to be from the Antofagasta region 
in a tender to maintain railway equipment.

Los Pelambres includes a KPI in non-specialist 
contracts for 30% of supplier companies’ 
workforce to be recruited locally.

Developing suppliers
As active members of the Antofagasta Mining 
Cluster, in 2020 we proposed operational 
challenges to local technology companies at the 
Industrial Weeks for Innovation in Antofagasta. 
After two series of online workshops, 
participating suppliers pitched their solutions: 
four to the Mining division and six to the 
Transport division. Since this initiative was 
launched in 2018, 120 companies have taken 
part, with 754 people attending the launch 
events and 398 attending the workshops.

In addition, our Mining division held 17 online 
pitch days for suppliers to present solutions to 
10 challenges published on our InnovaMinerals 
open innovation platform. We are currently 
co-developing 12 innovation projects.

In December we provided training to around 200 
regional SME suppliers on taking part in our 
tenders and using our digital platforms.

 + See page 49 for more information

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57

Strategic Report

Stakeholder review continued

Customers

Our business model is underpinned by 
relationships with local, regional, national 
and international stakeholders. Successful 
management of these relationships contributes 
to our long-term success.

Structure of sales contracts
Typically, our sales contracts set out the annual 
volumes to be supplied and the main terms for 
the sale of each payable metal, with the pricing 
of the contained copper in line with LME prices.

Across the industry, neither copper producers nor 
consumers tend to make annual commitments 
for 100% of their respective sales or purchases, 
and normally retain a portion to be sold or 
purchased on the spot market during the year.

Customers
Most copper and molybdenum sales are 
made under annual contracts or longer-term 
framework agreements, with sales volumes 
agreed for the coming year. Gold and silver is 
contained in the copper concentrates and is 
therefore part of copper concentrates sales.

Most sales are to industrial customers who 
further process the copper into more value 
added products; smelters, in the case of copper 
concentrate production; and copper fabricators 
and trading companies in the case of cathode 
production. We build long-term relationships 
with these key smelters and fabricators, while 
ensuring customer diversification. We also 
maintain relationships with trading companies 
that participate in shorter-term sales agreements, 
or in the spot market.

About 70% of our mining sales are under contracts 
of a year or longer and metals sales pricing is 
generally based on prevailing market prices.

In the case of concentrates, a deduction is made 
from LME prices to reflect TC/RCs, the smelting 
and refining costs to process the concentrate 
into refined copper. These TC/RCs are typically 
determined annually, in line with market 
developments and the parties’ assessments 
of the copper concentrate market at the time 
of the negotiation of the terms.

In the case of copper cathode transactions, a 
premium, or in some cases a discount, on the 
LME price is negotiated to reflect differences 
in quality, logistics and financing compared 
with the metal exchange’s standard copper 
contract specifications.

Similarly, our molybdenum contracts are made 
under medium- and long-term framework 
agreements, with pricing usually based on Platts’ 
average prices for Technical Molybdenum Oxide 
with a deduction to reflect the cost of converting 
molybdenum sulphide concentrate into 
molybdenum oxide.

In line with industry practice, our sales 
agreements generally provide for provisional 
pricing at the time of shipment, with final pricing 
based on the average market price in the month 
in which settlement takes place.

For copper concentrates, the final price remains 
open until settlement occurs, on average four 
months from the shipment month.

Settlement for the gold and silver contained in 
the copper concentrates occurs approximately 
one month after shipment. Copper cathode 
sales remain open for an average of one month 
from the month of shipment. Settlement for 
copper in concentrate sales is later than for 
copper cathode sales, as copper in concentrate 
requires more processing to produce refined 
copper for sale. Molybdenum sales generally 
remain open for two or three months after 
the month of shipment.

Revenue by location of customer and product

Europe

19%

North America

4%

Japan

32%

Copper 85%
Molybdenum 7%
Gold 4%
Transport 3%
Silver 1%

Rest of 
Asia Pacific

37%

South America

8%

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Shareholders

The shares of Antofagasta plc are listed on the 
main market of the London Stock Exchange. 
As explained in the Directors’ Report on 
page 153, the controlling shareholders of 
the Company hold approximately 65% of 
the Company’s ordinary shares. The majority 
of the Company’s remaining ordinary shares 
are held by institutional investors, mainly 
based in the UK and North America.

Throughout 2020, due to the travel restrictions 
imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic we have 
held virtual meetings with institutional investors 
and sell-side analysts, including international 
investor roadshows and presentations at industry 
conferences. These were attended by the CEO 
and various members of the management team, 
including the CFO and the Vice President of 
Corporate Affairs and Sustainability.

We maintain an active dialogue with institutional 
shareholders and sell-side analysts, as well as 
with potential shareholders. This communication 
is managed by the investor relations team 
in London and includes a formal programme 
of presentations and roadshows to update 
institutional shareholders and analysts on 
developments at Antofagasta.

We publish quarterly production figures as 
well as half-year and full-year financial results. 
Copies of these production reports, financial 
results, presentations and press releases are 
available on our website. We also publish a 
separate Sustainability Report on our social 
and environmental performance during the 
year. The latest report is available on our 
website in both Spanish and English.

What investors focused 
on most in 2020
•  Our ability to achieve our full-year 

production and cost guidance

•  Impact of COVID-19 on our 

operations, and our workers 
and neighbouring communities
•  Free cash flow generation and 

capital allocation

•  Our capital expenditure programme 
and the potential of our longer-term 
growth projects

•  Progress on the Los Pelambres 

Expansion, Esperanza Sur pit and 
Zaldívar Chloride Leach growth projects

•  Supply and demand factors in the 

world copper market

•  Labour negotiations at some of 

our operations

•  Potential impact on the Company of the 
planned rewriting of Chile’s constitution

2020 Shareholder engagement calendar
Q1 •  CEO presented at an industry conference for institutional investors in the US

•  In-person and virtual one-on-one and small group meetings with some 65 investors, of which senior management participated in 50%
•  Virtual presentation of full-year 2019 results by the CEO and CFO followed by a telephone question and answer call open to all investors, 

and a virtual roadshow with investors in Europe and the US

•  Investor relations team attended one in-person investor conference in the US 
Q2 •  CEO presented at an industry conference for institutional investors in London

•  Virtual one-on-one and small group meetings with some 80 investors, of which senior management participated in 60%
•  A recorded presentation by CEO at the time of the Annual General Meeting
•  Investor relations team attended four virtual investor conferences

Q3 •  Virtual presentation of half-year 2020 results by the CEO and CFO followed by a question and answer video call open to all investors, 

and a virtual roadshow with investors in Europe and the US

•  Virtual one-on-one and small group meetings with some 210 investors, of which senior management participated in 40%
•  CEO and CFO made a virtual presentation to institutional investors in Chile
•  Investor relations team attended four virtual investor conferences

Q4 •  Video conference question and answer call by the CEO with investors following the release of the 3Q production report

•  Virtual one-on-one and small group meetings with some 140 investors, of which senior management participated in 40%
•  Investor relations team attended eight virtual investor conferences

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Strategic Report

Stakeholder review continued

Governments 
and regulators

Chilean Constitutional 
reform process
In a referendum in October 2020, the 
Chilean people voted in favour of rewriting 
the country’s Constitution. This process 
will be conducted through a Constitutional 
Assembly of 155 members elected in a 
national vote in April 2021.

The Constitutional Assembly will have 
a maximum of 12 months to discuss and 
agree the text of a new Constitution, which 
then must be ratified through the means 
of another national referendum within 
60 days of its approval by the Assembly. 
If approved, the new Constitution will 
be enacted and replace the current 
Constitution. If it is not approved the 
current Constitution will remain in force.

Chilean law allows political donations to be made 
subject to certain requirements, but Antofagasta 
made no political donations in 2020. However, 
we often contribute towards the financing of 
projects benefiting local communities, in alliance 
with local municipalities and the government. 
These contributions are regulated by specific 
laws and are reviewed by the Chilean Internal 
Revenue Service (SII).

Public-private alliances
Since mining is a long-term business, we seek to 
contribute to Chile’s development and prosperity, 
including through public-private alliances with 
local government. Examples include our active 
participation in a workshop jointly organised 
by the Mining Ministry and the Women and 
Gender Equality Ministry to encourage female 
participation in the mining industry, and our 
commitment to the Mining Cluster in northern 
Chile, a public-private alliance to promote local 
employment, technology and skills development.

Another example of our active participation 
in a public-private alliance is the Provincial 
Water Working Group. This is organised by the 
Coquimbo region government to identify and 
implement collective solutions that can contribute 
to the area’s water security in the short, medium 
and long term.

Mining is a long-term business in which 
timescales can run into decades.

Political cycles are typically far shorter and 
material developments and changes to policy, 
legislation or regulations can have a major 
impact on our business.

Governments and 
regulators engagement
Our operations, projects and exploration are 
mainly located in Chile, where we interact 
with both the central government and the 
governments of the Antofagasta and Coquimbo 
regions, as well as with the municipalities that 
are part of our areas of direct influence.

The relationship with governments and 
regulators is subject to their strict engagement 
mechanisms, which in Chile are clearly defined 
under Lobby Law No. 20.730. This Law seeks to 
regulate the activity of lobbying and other efforts 
to represent particular interests, in order to 
strengthen transparency and honesty. It applies 
to the officials of central and local administrations 
who regulate activities such as the issue, 
modification and repeal of administrative acts 
and laws, and the decisions of the authorities 
and officials.

Outside Chile, we comply with our own 
policies and the laws and regulations of the 
host countries, at all times maintaining high 
standards of engagement.

Payments to governments
Antofagasta makes payments to governments 
relating to our activities involving the exploration, 
discovery, development and extraction of 
minerals, and our Transport division.

These payments are primarily taxes paid to the 
Chilean government and mineral licence fees, 
which in 2020 totalled $327 million of which 
99.5% was paid in Chile.

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Non-financial information statement
The table below sets out where stakeholders can find information in the Strategic Report on non-financial matters, 
as required under the Non-Financial Reporting Directive requirements. As described in this report, the effective 
application of these Policies and Standards underpins the Group´s management of the risks in relation to these matters.

Reporting requirement

Relevant policies and standards

Content

Sustainability

Value Chart
Sustainability Policy
ICMM Guidelines

Safety and health

Environmental 
matters

Safety and Occupational Health Strategy
Special Corporate Safety and Health Regulation 
for Contractors and Subcontractors (RECCS)
Fatal Risk Standard (ERFT)
Occupational Health Standard (ESO)

Environmental Management Model
Integral closure of mining operations standard
Climate change standard
Water management standard
Biodiversity standard

Our people

People Strategy
Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

Social matters

Social Management Model
Engagement Standard
Management of initiatives standard

Suppliers

Code of Ethics
Purchase and contracts guidelines
Direct award procedure
Material management policy

Human Rights

Code of Ethics

Anti-corruption 
and anti-bribery

Code of Ethics
Compliance Model
Anti-Corruption Model
Antitrust Protocol

Description of principal risks and impact on business activity

Description of the business model

Non-financial Key Performance Indicators

Letter from the Chairman
Letter from the CEO
Value creation
How we engage with our stakeholders
Sustainability and Stakeholder Management Committee

Safety and Occupational Health Strategy
Safety risk management
Health risk management
Performance

Environmental management
Environmental compliance
Water management
Mining waste
Responsible production
Climate change
Carbon footprint
Energy management
Biodiversity
Air quality
Mine closure
TCFD

Inclusive culture
Building human capital
Labour relations
Aligning contractors
Employee wellbeing

Social Management Model
Flagship programmes
Engagement mechanisms
Open social innovation
Culture and heritage
Local jobs
Addressing social concerns
Impact measurement

Responsible supply
Local suppliers
Supplier development
Local alliances
Energy efficiency in suppliers

Respectful, diverse and inclusive work culture
Human Rights
Modern Slavery Act

Business integrity and compliance
Code of Ethics
Management of Compliance Risks

Risk Management Framework
Principal risks
Key risks

The mining lifecycle

2020 highlights
Total economic contribution
Key Performance Indicators

Page

6
8
40
40-41
129

45

50

42

48

57

43

31

22
24
25

16

3
35
20

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Operating
review

The Group seeks to set realistic but demanding 
operating targets each year and achieves them 
year after year.

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Operating review
Mining division

Los Pelambres 
Centinela 
Antucoya 
Zaldívar 

Transport division 
Growth projects and opportunities 
Exploration activities 
Key inputs and cost base
Operating excellence and innovation
The copper market: supplying metals 
for a better future

64
66
68
70
71
72
74
77
78
80

82

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Operating review

Mining division

Antofagasta owns and operates four 
mines. Los Pelambres is located in 
the Coquimbo region of central Chile 
and Centinela, Antucoya and Zaldívar 
are in the Antofagasta region of 
northern Chile.

“The COVID-19 pandemic 

placed significant 
pressure on our 
operations, but we 
swiftly adopted new 
operating procedures 
that allowed us to adapt 
our production, waste 
stripping and maintenance 
schedules so that most of 
our planned targets were 
achieved and copper 
production of 733,900 
tonnes was only slightly 
impacted. We entered 
2021 with a clear plan on 
how to continue operating 
under the COVID-19 
restrictions while 
operating effectively 
and safely.

  Our strong safety 
culture formed the 
basis for confronting the 
additional challenges and 
our safety performance in 
2020 was good with no 
fatalities and lower injury 
frequency rates.”

Hernán Menares
Vice President of Operations

Production highlights

Tonnes of copper produced

733.9k tonnes

Ounces of gold produced

204.1k ounces

709.4

704.3

725.3

770.0

733.9

270.9

282.3

212.4

210.1

204.1

16

17

18

19

20

16

17

18

19

20

Tonnes of molybdenum produced

12.6k tonnes

Net cash costs1

$1.14/lb

13.6

12.6

11.6

1.25

1.29

1.20

1.22

1.14

10.5

7.1

16

17

18

19

20

16

17

18

19

20

1.  Non-IFRS measure, refer to the alternative performance measures section on page 216.

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P e r u

B o l i v i a

P a c i f i c   O c e a n

Antofagasta 
region

Coquimbo
region

A r g e n t i n a

Santiago

Antofagasta region

Esperanza Port

Antucoya

Mejillones

Centinela

Antofagasta

Zaldívar

Coquimbo region

La Serena

Punta
Chungo
Port

Illapel

Los Pelambres

Los Vilos

Los Pelambres

Centinela

Antucoya

Zaldívar

Capital city

Cities and town centres

Ports

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Operating review continued

Mining division

Los 
Pelambres

Los Pelambres is a sulphide deposit in Chile’s 
Coquimbo region, 240 km north of Santiago. 
It produces copper concentrate (containing 
gold and silver) and molybdenum concentrate 
through a milling and flotation process. 

60%

Owned

2020 financials

$2,655m +12.3%

Revenues

$1,663m +20.2%

EBITDA

2021 forecast

340-350k

Copper (tonnes)

50-60k

Gold (ounces)

8.0-9.0k

Molybdenum (tonnes)

$1.05/lb

Net cash costs

Lifecycle of mine

21 years 

2000

2021
14 years

2035

Start of operations

Projected mine life

Net cash costs

$0.81/lb

0.91

0.91

0.81

18

19

20

Copper production

359.6k tonnes

Gold production

60.3k ounces

Molybdenum production

10.9k tonnes

357.8

363.4 359.6

63.2

59.7

60.3

13.3

11.2

10.9

18

19

20

18

19

20

18

19

20

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2020 Performance
Operating performance
Los Pelambres had a strong year with copper 
production at the top end of guidance and costs 
outperforming guidance despite restrictions due 
to the pandemic. This confirms its position as 
a stable and reliable world-class operation.

EBITDA at Los Pelambres was $1,663 million, 
compared with $1,384 million in 2019, reflecting 
higher sales volumes and realised prices, 
combined with lower operating costs.

Production
Copper production for the year decreased by 1.0% 
to 359,600 tonnes.

Molybdenum production in 2020 was 10,900 
tonnes, slightly lower than in 2019 as a result 
of the lower throughput.

Gold production was 60,300 ounces, 1.0% 
higher than the previous year.

Cash costs
Cash costs before by-product credits at $1.27/lb 
were 9.3%, or 13c/lb, lower than in 2019, 
reflecting strong cost control during the 
year and the weaker Chilean peso.

Net cash costs for the full year were $0.81/lb, 
or 11.0% lower than in 2019.

Capital expenditure
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the Los 
Pelambres Expansion project was temporarily 
suspended from March to August. Work resumed 
with approximately 75% of the original planned 
workforce on-site and it is assumed that these 
manpower levels will continue throughout 2021.

Outlook for 2021
The forecast production for 2021 is 340–
350,000 tonnes of copper, 8–9,000 tonnes of 
molybdenum and 50–60,000 ounces of gold.

Cash costs before by-product credits are 
forecast to be approximately $1.45/lb and net 
cash costs $1.05/lb as grades decline in 2021.

A detailed review of the project schedule 
and costs, including those associated with 
the realised and continued restrictions due to 
COVID-19, and changes to the marine works to 
enable the future expansion of the desalination 
plant to 800 l/s was completed. The revised 
capital cost estimate is $1.7 billion and 
completion is expected in early H2 2022.

Throughput at the plant will increase from the 
current capacity of 175,000 tonnes of ore per 
day to an average of 190,000 tonnes of ore per 
day and copper production will increase by 
60,000 tonnes.

At the end of 2020, the Los Pelambres 
Expansion project (engineering, procurement 
and construction) was 45% complete.

Capital expenditure during 2020 was 
$783 million, including $139 million on mine 
development and $471 million on development.

Los Pelambres will operate 
mainly with sea water 
from 2025
After producing copper for more than 20 years, 
Los Pelambres will invest in works to adapt its 
operations to the changes that have occurred in 
the Choapa province as a result of the prolonged 
drought caused by climate change and the 
increase in the region’s population and 
productive activity.

A central objective of the investment is to stop 
using water from the Choapa River and nearby 
wells, and to use mainly sea water from 2025 
onwards by expanding the 400 l/s desalination 
plant that is currently being built, to 800 l/s.

In addition, Los Pelambres is planning to build a 
replacement concentrate transportation system 
with modern control systems, routed away from 
the most populated areas.

By 2025 approximately 95% of the water 
consumed at Los Pelambres is expected to 
be sea or recycled water.

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Operating review continued

Mining division

Centinela

Centinela mines sulphide and oxide deposits 
1,350km north of Santiago in the Antofagasta 
region, one of Chile’s most important mining areas.

Centinela produces copper concentrate 
(containing gold and silver) through a milling and 
flotation process, and molybdenum concentrate. It 
also produces copper cathodes, using the solvent 
extraction and electrowinning (SX-EW) process. 

70%

Owned

2020 financials

$1,845m -8.1%

Revenues

$912m -5.0%

EBITDA

2021 forecast

270-280k

Copper (tonnes)

190-200k

Gold (ounces)

1.5-2.0k

Molybdenum (tonnes)

$1.15/lb

Net cash costs

Lifecycle of mine

2021

47 years

20 years 

2001

2068

Start of operations

Projected mine life

Net cash costs

$1.27/lb

1.51

1.26

1.27

18

19

20

Copper production

246.8k tonnes

Gold production

143.7k ounces

276.6

248.0

246.8

222.6

146.9

143.7

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18

19

20

18

19

20

2020 Performance
Operating performance
Centinela had a solid year in 2020 despite 
expected lower copper and gold grades, as 
throughput increased at both the concentrate 
and cathodes lines and cash costs 
outperformed guidance.

EBITDA at Centinela was $912 million, compared 
with $960 million in 2019, on lower copper and 
gold sales volumes, offset by higher realised 
prices and lower unit costs.

Production
Copper production was 246,800 tonnes, 10.8% 
lower than in 2019 due to the expected lower 
grades at Centinela Concentrates, partially offset 
by the higher production at Centinela Cathodes 
due to increased plant throughput during 
the year.

Production of copper in concentrate was 153,500 
tonnes, 21.5% lower than in 2019 as copper 
grades decreased to an average of 0.53%.

Copper cathode production during the year 
was 93,300 tonnes, 15.0% higher than in 2019, 
primarily due to higher throughput and grades.

Capital expenditure
Capital expenditure was $442 million, including 
$198 million on mine development.

Gold production was 143,700 ounces, 35.4% 
lower than 2019, due to expected lower grades.

Molybdenum production was 1,700 tonnes on 
improved grades.

Cash costs
Cash costs before by-product credits in 2020 
were $1.85/lb, 1.1% higher than in 2019 as a 
result of the lower copper production offset by 
tight cost control, a weaker Chilean peso and 
lower input costs.

By-product credits were $0.58/lb, $0.01/lb 
higher than in 2019 as lower gold production 
was offset by a higher realised gold price.

Net cash costs during the year were $1.27/lb, 
0.8% higher than in 2019.

Pre-stripping started at the Esperanza Sur pit in 
the third quarter and is expected to be completed 
in H1 2022.

During 2021 and 2022 autonomous trucks 
will be acquired to continue mining once the 
contracted stripping has been completed.

Outlook for 2021
Production for 2021 is forecast at 270–280,000 
tonnes of copper, 190–200,000 ounces of gold 
and 1,500–2,000 tonnes of molybdenum.

Copper production should increase compared 
to 2020 as grades improve at Centinela 
Concentrates to an expected 0.59%.

Cash costs before by-products are forecast to be 
approximately $1.75/lb and net cash costs $1.15/lb.

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Operating review continued

Mining division

Antucoya

Antucoya is approximately 1,400 km north 
of Santiago and 125 km north-east of the city 
of Antofagasta. Antucoya mines and leaches 
oxide ore to produce copper cathodes using 
the solvent extraction and electrowinning 
(SX-EW) process.

70%

Owned

Lifecycle of mine

2021

5 years

2016

19 years

2040

Start of operations

Projected mine life

2020 Performance
Operating performance
Antucoya improved its operational reliability 
and consistency during the year with daily ore 
throughput increasing by 14.3% compared 
to 2019.

EBITDA was $166 million compared with $86 
million in 2019, reflecting higher sales volumes 
and realised prices, and lower operating costs.

Production
Antucoya produced 79,300 tonnes, 10.3% higher 
than the previous year on higher throughput, 
partially offset by lower grades and recoveries.

Cash costs
Cash costs for 2020 were $1.82/lb, 16.1% lower 
than in 2019 due to tight cost control, higher 
production, the weaker Chilean peso and 
lower input prices.

Capital expenditure
Capital expenditure was $42 million, including 
$19 million on mine development.

Outlook for 2021
Production is forecast to be 75–80,000 tonnes 
of copper and cash costs are expected to be 
approximately $1.80/lb.

2020 financials

$480m +11.1%

Revenues

$166m +92.1%

EBITDA

2021 forecast

75-80k

Copper (tonnes)

$1.80/lb

Cash costs

Copper production

79.3k tonnes

Net cash costs

$1.82/lb

79.3

72.2

71.9

2.17

1.99

1.82

18

19

20

18

19

20

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2021
10 years

2031

Projected 
mine life

Lifecycle of mine

26 years

1995

Start of operations

2021 forecast

45-50k

Copper (tonnes)

$1.75/lb

Cash costs

Mining division

Zaldívar

Zaldívar is an open-pit, heap-leach copper 
mine which produces copper cathodes using 
the solvent extraction and electrowinning 
(SX-EW) process. It is located at an elevation 
of 3,000 metres above sea level, approximately 
1,400 km north of Santiago and 175 km 
south-east of the city of Antofagasta.

50%

Owned

2020 financials

$96m -15.2%

EBITDA

2020 Performance
Operating performance
Zaldívar had a challenging 2020 due to lower 
recoveries compared to 2019.

Attributable EBITDA was $96 million compared 
with $113 million in 2019.

Production
Attributable copper production was 48,200 
tonnes, mainly due to lower recoveries. Ore 
throughput and grades were slightly lower 
than in 2019.

Cash costs
Cash costs were $1.80/lb, 2.9% higher than 
in 2019, as lower production was offset by the 
weaker exchange rate and lower input prices.

Capital expenditure
Attributable capital expenditure in 2020 was 
$74 million, including approximately $18 million 
of mine development.

Outlook for 2021
Attributable copper production is forecast 
to be 45–50,000 tonnes at a cash cost of 
approximately $1.75/lb.

Other matters
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has 
been submitted to extend the mine’s life to 2031. 
The application process was delayed during 
2020 due to COVID-19 and approval is now 
expected in early 2022. This EIA includes the 
extension of the water permit from 2025 to 2031 
and remediation.

Zaldívar’s final pit phase, which represents 
approximately 20% of current ore reserves, 
impacts a portion of Minera Escondida’s mine 
property, as well as infrastructure owned by third 
parties (road, railway, powerline and pipelines). 
Mining of the final pit phase is subject to 
agreements or easements to access these 
areas and relocate this infrastructure.

Copper production

48.2k tonnes

Net cash costs

$1.80/lb

58.1

47.3

48.2

1.94

1.75

1.80

18

19

20

18

19

20

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Operating review continued

Transport division

Transport division
Our Transport division is known as Ferrocarril 
de Antofagasta a Bolivia (FCAB) and provides 
rail and truck services to the mining industry 
in the Antofagasta region, including our own 
mining operations.

2020 financials

$149m -6.9%

Revenue

$61m -24.5%

EBITDA

2020 Tonnage transported

6,444k tonnes

6,533 6,444

6,065

18

19

20

Tocopilla

María Elena

Calama

Sierra Gorda

A n t o f a g a s t a   R e g i o n

Mejillones

Antofagasta

Taltal

Customer map

Road route

Rail route

FCAB customers

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Sustainability
The maturity of the safety processes applied at 
the division continued to show improvement, 
with the division recording its fourth year with 
no fatalities and the LTIFR (Lost Time Injury 
Frequency Rate) falling by 41% to 2.37, a 
record for the division.

In the occupational health area, the operation 
successfully managed the challenge of managing 
the impact of COVID-19 with minimal disruptions 
to its operations.

Also, in line with the Group’s Diversity and 
Inclusion Policy, the number of women and 
people with disabilities in the division increased to 
13% and 1% of the total workforce respectively.

Outlook
Over the next few years the division will 
transport an increasing quantity of bulk materials 
and is currently commissioning a project to 
further increase transport volumes, particularly 
of copper concentrates.

The division continues advancing its plans to 
convert land it owns in the centre of the city 
of Antofagasta from industrial to urban use. 
This has involved extensive consultion with 
communities, neighbours and other stakeholders, 
and approval of the project’s Environmental 
Impact Assessment is expected in the first 
half of 2021.

2020 Performance
The Transport division continued to improve its 
operating activity through the implementation of 
its Management Model, which is based on five 
key pillars: operating continuity, growth, urban 
development, transformation and community 
affairs. In 2020, the division optimised its 
organisational structure and focused on 
operational continuity, with an in-depth 
review of the processes and procedures 
used in the operations and maintenance areas.

Tonnage transported in 2020 was 1.4% lower 
than in the previous year as a result of the impact 
of COVID-19 on some of the division’s customers, 
which affected their production levels and, to 
a lesser extent, adverse weather conditions.

During 2020 the division completed the 
investment and preparatory work for a significant 
new transport service contract for a mining client 
which will start in early 2021.

The truck transport business was awarded a 
new contract during 2020 to transport products 
for the lithium industry.

Operating performance
The division’s EBITDA was $61 million, 24.5% 
lower than in 2019, reflecting the lower revenue 
and decreased EBITDA from associates and 
joint ventures, partly offset by the lower 
operating costs.

Costs and operating efficiency
Management is focused on optimising 
the division’s business processes to ensure 
its long-term competitiveness. The Group´s 
Cost and Competitiveness Programme (CCP) 
continued to be applied at the division during 
2020 to improve its cost structure, revenue 
stream and operating standards.

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Operating review continued

Growth projects 
and opportunities

Our approach to considered growth means 
we focus on value, which includes controlling 
capital costs and optimising production at our 
existing operations and the development of 
new mining operations to deliver replacement 
and new production in the future. We achieve 
this through careful project management and 
constant monitoring of the efficiency of our 
mines, plants and transport infrastructure.

Development of our growth projects at Los 
Pelambres, Centinela and Zaldívar was impacted 
by COVID-19 during the year. Work at the Los 
Pelambres Expansion project was already 
under way when the pandemic reached Chile and 
the decision was made to temporarily suspend 
part of the project to reduce health risks. The 
start of work on the Esperanza Sur pit and the 
Zaldívar Chloride Leach projects was delayed 
for the same reason.

After the initial impact caused by COVID-19, work 
on all three projects started in the third quarter, 
but with workforces approximately 65% of the 
originally planned size. All projects are proceeding 
with fully integrated COVID-19 health protocols in 
place and these are expected to continue until the 
end of 2021.

With the impact of the initial delay and the 
revised execution schedules that incorporate 
the COVID-19 health protocols, the projects 
are now all expected to be completed in 2022.

Los Pelambres Expansion
This expansion project is divided into two phases.

Phase 1
This phase is designed to optimise throughput 
within the limits of the existing operating, 
environmental and water extraction permits.

During 2020 the decision was made to change 
the scope of the project and double the planned 
capacity of the desalination plant that is part 
of Phase 1 of the project, from 400 litres per 
second to 800 litres per second. The amount of 
work that can be done on the expansion of the 
desalination plant during Phase 1 is limited by 
what is allowed under the permits that have 
already been issued.

Following the change of scope and the delays 
due to COVID-19 the project reached 45% overall 
project completion by the end of the year and is 
now expected to be completed in the second half 
of 2022.

As mining progresses at Los Pelambres ore 
hardness will increase. The expansion is 

designed to compensate for this, increasing plant 
throughput from the current capacity of 175,000 
tonnes of ore per day to an average of 190,000 
tonnes of ore per day. The plant expansion 
includes not only the desalination plant and 
pumping infrastructure, but also an additional 
SAG mill, ball mill and six additional cells in the 
flotation circuit.

Annual copper production will be increased by 
an average of 60,000 tonnes per year over 15 
years, starting at approximately 40,000 tonnes 
per year for the first four to five years and 
70,000 tonnes for the rest of the period as the 
hardness of the ore increases and the benefit 
of the higher milling capacity is fully realised.

The 400 litres per second desalination plant 
includes a 62 km pipeline from the coast to 
the Mauro tailings storage facility, where it 
will connect with the existing recycling circuit 
that returns water to the Los Pelambres 
concentrator plant.

To complete the expansion of the desalination 
plant to 800 litres per second additional permits 
will be required, but some preparatory work will 
be carried out as part of Phase 1 of the Los 
Pelambres Expansion project. The planned 
investment to enable the future expansion will 

be limited to what is allowed under the existing 
permits and includes changes to the marine 
works associated with the inlet and outlet pipes, 
expanding the plant footprint and changes in the 
piping, cabling and civil works.

The capital cost of the project was revised to 
$1.7 billion during the year to include the direct 
costs related to COVID-19 and the delay caused 
by it, and the investment in enabling the future 
expansion of the desalination plant.

Phase 1

+60,000 tonnes

annual copper production

+400 litres

per second

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Phase 2 – Future expansion
Following the decision in 2020 to increase the 
size of the desalination plant, Phase 2 of the 
expansion requires two separate EIA applications:

Desalination plant expansion
This project is to protect Los Pelambres from 
the future impact of climate change and the 
deteriorating availability of water in the region.

The additional works required, beyond those 
being completed as part of Phase 1, include 
the expansion of the desalination plant and the 
construction of a new water pipeline from the 
Mauro tailings storage facility to the concentrator 
plant. This project requires a new EIA application 
which will be submitted in the first half of 2021 
following the completion of a community 
consultation process earlier in the year. The EIA 
also includes the desalination plant expansion and 
two sustaining capital infrastructure projects, the 
replacement of the concentrate pipeline, which 
is approaching the end of its useful life, and the 
construction of certain planned enclosures at 
the Mauro tailings storage facility. The EIA is 
expected to be approved in approximately two 
years with the project being completed by 2025 
when the desalination plant will be able to supply 
Los Pelambres with over 95% of its water needs.

Mine life extension
The current mine life of Los Pelambres is 14 
years and is limited by the capacity of the Mauro 
tailings storage facility. The scope of the second 
EIA will include increasing the capacity of the 
tailings storage facility and the mine waste 
dumps. This will extend the mine’s life by a 
minimum of 15 years, accessing a larger portion 
of Los Pelambres’s six billion tonne mineral 
resources. The EIA will also include the option 
to increase throughput to 205,000 tonnes of 

ore per day, increasing copper production by 
35,000 tonnes per year.

Critical studies on tailings and waste storage 
capacity have been completed and are now 
progressing towards the feasibility study stage. 
The study will also include repowering the 
conveyor that runs from the primary crusher 
in the pit to the concentrator plant to support 
the additional throughput.

The capital expenditure to extend the mine life 
was estimated in a pre-feasibility study in 2014 
at approximately $500 million, with most of the 
expenditure on mining equipment and increasing 
the capacity of the concentrator and the Mauro 
tailings facility. Community consultation is in its 
early stages and the EIA application is expected 
to be submitted to the authorities during 2022. 

Phase 2

+15 years

Life-of-Mine extension

+35,000 tonnes

annual copper production

+400 litres

per second

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Operating review continued

Centinela Second Concentrator
We are currently evaluating the construction of a 
second concentrator and tailings deposit some 7 
km from the existing concentrator in two phases. 
Phase 1 would have an ore throughput capacity 
of approximately 90,000 tonnes per day, 
producing copper, and gold and molybdenum 
as by-products, with an annual production 
of approximately 180,000 tonnes of copper 
equivalent. Once Phase 1 has been completed 
and is operating successfully, a further expansion 
is possible and would involve increasing the 
capacity of the concentrator to 150,000 tonnes of 
ore per day with annual production increasing to 
250,000 tonnes of copper equivalent, maximising 
the potential of Centinela’s large resource base.

Ore for the second concentrator would be 
sourced initially from the Esperanza Sur deposit 
and later from Encuentro Sulphides. The latter 
lies under the Encuentro Oxides reserves, 
which are expected to be depleted by 2026.

The EIA for both phases of the project was 
approved in 2016 and the initial feasibility 
study for Phase 1 was completed during 2020 
with further detailed and supplier engineering 
progressing during 2021 ahead of an expected 
decision by the Board in H1 2022. The capital 
cost estimated in the 2015 pre-feasibility study 
for Phase 1 was $2.7 billion, which included 
capitalised stripping, mining equipment, a 
concentrator plant, a new tailings storage facility, 
a water pipeline and other infrastructure, plus 
the owner’s and other costs.

In late 2020 a tender process was started 
to invite third parties to provide water for 
Centinela’s current operations, by acquiring 
the existing water supply system, and building 
the new water pipeline. It is expected this 
process will be completed during 2021.

Esperanza Sur pit
The Board has approved a pre-stripping contract 
to open the Esperanza Sur pit at Centinela. 
Esperanza Sur is 4 km south of the Esperanza 
pit and is close to Centinela’s concentrator plant. 
The deposit contains 1.4 billion tonnes of 
reserves with a grade of 0.4% copper, 
0.13 g/t of gold and 0.012% of molybdenum.

Stripping was expected to start in early 2020 
but was rescheduled in response to COVID-19 
to the third quarter, and is now expected to 
be completed in the first half of 2022 at an 
unchanged capital cost of $175 million. The 
stripping cost is being capitalised and is being 
carried out by a contractor. Once it is completed, 

autonomous trucks operated by Centinela will be 
used to mine the deposit.

Opening the Esperanza Sur pit will improve 
Centinela’s flexibility to supply its concentrator 
and, over the initial years, the higher-grade 
material from the pit will increase production 
by some 10–15,000 tonnes of copper per year, 
compared to how much would be produced if 
material was solely supplied from the Esperanza 
pit. This greater flexibility will allow Centinela to 
smooth and optimise its year-on-year production 
profile, which has in the past been variable.

Zaldívar Chloride Leach
The start of the project was rescheduled in 
response to COVID-19 to the third quarter of 
2020 and completion is now expected to be 
in the first half of 2022.

The project is expected to increase copper 
recoveries by approximately 10 percentage 
points with further upside in recoveries possible, 
depending on the type of ore being processed. 
This will increase copper production at Zaldívar 
by approximately 10–15,000 tonnes per annum 
over the remaining life of the mine.

The project requires an upgrade of the Solvent 
Extraction (SX) plant, new reagents facilities and 
the construction of additional washing ponds for 
controlling the chlorine levels, at an estimated 
capital cost of $190 million.

As the Group equity accounts for its interest 
in Zaldívar, capital expenditure at the operation 
is not included in Group total capital 
expenditure amounts.

Twin Metals Minnesota
In late 2019, Twin Metals Minnesota presented its 
Mine Plan of Operations (MPO) to the US Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM) and a Scoping 
Environmental Assessment Worksheet Data 
Submittal was also issued to the Minnesota 
Department of Natural Resources. These 
submissions start a multi-year scoping and 
environmental review process that will 
thoroughly evaluate the proposed project.

In June 2020, the BLM issued its Notice of 
Intent (NOI) to begin its environmental review, a 
process that is likely to take several years. The 
review process will include additional baseline 
data collection, impact analyses and multiple 
opportunities for public input. Permitting for 
the project will follow the environmental review.

Twin Metals Minnesota is a wholly owned 
copper, nickel and platinum group metals (PGM) 
underground mining project, which holds the 
Maturi, Maturi Southwest, Birch Lake and Spruce 
Road copper, nickel, cobalt-PGM deposits in 
north-eastern Minnesota, US. The MPO design is 
based on mining and processing 18,000 tonnes 
of ore per day for 25 years. The concentrator 
will produce three saleable concentrates 
– copper, nickel and cobalt/PGM.

Reko Diq project
In July 2019 the World Bank Group’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes 
(ICSID) awarded $5.84 billion in damages (compensation and accumulated interest as at the 
date of the award) to Tethyan Copper Company Pty Limited (Tethyan), a joint venture held 
equally by the Company and Barrick Gold Corporation, in relation to an arbitration claim filed 
against the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Pakistan) following the unlawful denial of a mining 
lease for the Reko Diq project in Pakistan in 2011.

In 2019, Pakistan requested that ICSID annul the award, and this triggered a provisional stay 
of enforcement of the award under the ICSID Convention. In March 2020, ICSID appointed a 
committee to consider Pakistan’s request for annulment and whether the provisional stay of 
enforcement should continue for the duration of the annulment proceedings. The committee 
issued a decision in October partially terminating the stay of enforcement, permitting Tethyan 
to enforce 50% of the award plus accrued interest on the condition that any amounts collected 
through enforcement of the award must be put into escrow and returned if the award is 
annulled. Tethyan has resumed proceedings to enforce the award in accordance with the 
conditions set by the annulment committee.

The committee is expected to issue a decision on Pakistan’s annulment application within the 
next one to two years.

The proceeds of the award will only be recognised in Antofagasta’s financial statements once 
they are received by the Company.

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Exploration 
activities

The exploration team has continued to conduct 
its activities at a reduced level in Chile and 
elsewhere in the Americas as it has adapted to 
the restrictions required under new COVID-19 
protocols introduced during the year.

Exploration both in Chile and internationally 
remains key to the sustainable long-term 
growth of the Group´s copper business. In 2020, 
all our exploration activities were conducted in 
accordance with the new COVID-19 protocols, 
which restricted activity is some areas. The 
Group continued with its programme of early- 
and intermediate-stage projects, managed in 
South America by its team based in Santiago, 
and in North America by its team based in 
Toronto. In-house teams carried out these 
programmes, maintaining a well-balanced 
portfolio of exploration properties in Chile and 
Peru and looking for opportunities to work with 
third parties in the rest of the Americas, with the 
aim of building a portfolio of high-quality 
long-term copper projects.

The Group’s exploration and evaluation 
expenditure in 2020, including expenditure on 
pre-feasibility studies, dropped by 23% to $85 
million compared with 2019, following a reduction 
in expenditure triggered by the rapid weakening 
of the copper market in the first half of the year 
and restrictions on travel and other activities 
required under the new COVID-19 protocols.

Chile
The Group’s exploration programmes are in the 
copper belts of northern-central Chile, 
particularly in areas with high prospectivity for 
porphyry copper, as well as manto and IOCG 
(Iron Ore Copper Gold)-type deposits. During 
2020 the early-stage programmes completed 
more than 40,000 metres of drilling, some 50% 
less than in 2019.

Drilling evaluation was reduced at several of 
the brownfield projects in the Centinela Mining 
District with the focus continuing to be on 
identifying new high-quality oxide leach targets. 
As a result of the COVID-19 restrictions, more 
desktop evaluations were carried out than in 
2019 in order to generate new land acquisition 
opportunities either by submitting exploration 
licence applications or by entering into 
agreements with third parties.

International
International exploration efforts remain 
concentrated on the key copper belts of North 
and South America, with a strong focus on Peru 
and western North America, which were also 
affected by COVID-19 restrictions.

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Operating review continued

Key inputs and 
cost base

In addition to reducing the cost of our electricity, 
we are improving our energy consumption 
efficiency. We have an Energy Management 
System based on international standard 
ISO 50.001 to manage energy efficiency 
at our mining operations, from the design 
stage to the construction of mining and 
infrastructure projects.

During 2020, we implemented improvements 
that reduced our energy consumption by 
approximately 148 GWh and more than 1.9 million 
litres of diesel, equivalent to emissions of 61,000 
tonnes of CO2 and a significant step towards 
achieving our target of reducing emissions 
by 300,000 tonnes by 2022.

Water
Water is a strategic input for all our mining 
operations. At Los Pelambres and Zaldívar 
water is supplied from continental sources 
while Centinela and Antucoya use sea water.

In 2020, sea water accounted for 43% of total 
Group water use and our efficiency metric 
(reuse and recycling, as defined by the ICMM) 
ranges from 79% to 97%, depending on the 
characteristics of each operation.

Los Pelambres recycles approximately 85% of its 
water and the Los Pelambres Expansion project 
includes a desalination plant and pipeline to 
supply 400 l/s of sea water to the operation.

In September 2020, the operation announced 
that the desalination plant’s capacity would 
double to 800 l/s by 2025, when Los Pelambres 
would stop using continental water from 
the Choapa River. In this way, desalinated, 
recirculated and mine (from the open pit) 
water would represent around 96% of its 
total consumption.

Centinela is a pioneer in efficient water 
management, becoming the world’s first 
large-scale mining operation to use raw 

Our mining operations depend on many inputs, 
ranging from energy and water to labour 
and fuel, the most important of which are 
reviewed below.

Contractor services, maintenance and spare 
parts account for 45% of the Mining division’s 
total production costs, and energy and labour are 
the largest direct costs, accounting for 12% and 
14% respectively. As concentrate producers, Los 
Pelambres and Centinela require reagents and 
grinding media. As cathode producers using 
the SX-EW process, Centinela, Antucoya and 
Zaldívar require sulphuric acid. The availability, 
cost and reliability of these inputs are central to 
our cost management strategy, which focuses 
on cost control and security of supply.

Energy
Our operations are on the country’s main grid, 
the National Electrical System (SEN) and each of 
our operations sources power under medium- 
and long-term contracts called Power Purchase 
Agreements (PPAs).

In recent years, renewable technologies have 
significantly reduced in cost and many new 
renewable power plants are being built, mainly 
in the north of Chile. At the end of 2020, 50% of 
the SEN’s installed capacity was generated from 
renewable sources and this will increase over 
the coming years. We are benefiting from these 
changes and in 2022 all of our mining operations 
will be using power from renewable sources. As 
at the end of 2020, 19% of the Mining division’s 
power was from renewable sources.

In 2020, Centinela renegotiated its supply 
contract and will be 100% renewable from 2022, 
as will Antucoya. Zaldívar started operating on 
100% renewable power in July 2020.

In addition, Los Pelambres increased its use of 
renewable power in 2020, and during 2022 
it should start being supplied entirely from 
renewable sources.

Using energy only from renewable sources 
reduces both our carbon footprint and our 
power costs, as in Chile renewable power costs 
substantially less than power from conventional 
sources. As electricity makes up 12% of our 
production costs, this is having a significant 
impact on our total costs.

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sea water and thickened tailings, which allow 
more water to be recycled than conventional 
thickening technology.

Antucoya also uses only raw sea water, as will 
the Centinela second concentrator project when 
it is built.

Zaldívar has submitted an Environmental Impact 
Assessment for an extension of its mine life to 
2031 and this includes an application to extend 
the mine’s water extraction permit from 2025, 
when it currently expires. The approval of the 
EIA has been delayed by the pandemic and 
we now expect approval by the end of 2021 
or early 2022.

We report our water consumption according to 
the ICMM´s Minimum Disclosure Standard and 
the Carbon Disclosure Project´s (CDP) water 
programme methodologies.

Labour
Antofagasta’s total workforce during 2020 was 
approximately 23,200 employees and contractors. 
Accessing a diverse and talented workforce is key 
to our success.

Labour agreements are in place with each of the 
11 unions at our mining operations and generally 
last for a period of three years, when they are 
renegotiated. However, we maintain good working 
relationships with our employees and unions 
throughout the contract periods, so that issues 
are not left for discussion only during formal 
negotiations. During 2020, negotiations were 
successfully concluded with the workers’ unions 
at Zaldívar, Centinela and the Transport division.

Contractors account for approximately 71% of 
our workforce and contractor companies are 
responsible for labour negotiations with their own 
employees. We maintain strong relations with all 
contractors to ensure operating continuity and 
require all contractors to adhere to the same key 
standards as we maintain for our own employees, 
particularly in the areas of safety and health.

Service contracts and key supplies
Negotiation of the main commercial contracts, 
such as mining equipment, fuels, lubricants, 
critical spares, tyres, reagents, grinding balls, 
explosives, and mine maintenance are managed 
centrally to generate synergies and economies of 
scale. This allows us to obtain significant savings 
and implement new controls that improve 
performance, resulting in greater competitiveness 
and productivity by our contractor companies.

We have implemented a challenging optimisation 
programme at corporate and operations level 
to improve the administration, control and risk 
management of our service contracts. We have 
also standardised our way of working, improved 
the procurement team’s technical knowledge and 
developed a long-term strategy.

With the global disruption of the supply 
chain caused by COVID-19, we implemented 
contingency plans to maintain the quality and 
timely delivery of spare parts and materials, 
ensuring operational continuity and 
cost containment.

Depending on the strategic position of the 
supplier, we use a range of approaches, from 
pure price competition with e-auctions to 
long-term Group-wide agreements with 
mechanisms and incentives that provide 
benefits for both parties.

As part of the Group’s Digital Transformation 
Programme to capture value creation opportunities 
by integrating new technologies into our business, 
the procurement area implemented a purchasing 
assistant robot to help some stages of the 
purchase process. Approximately 93% of the 
Group’s material stock purchases were done 
through this automatic process.

In total we have some 3,250 suppliers of goods 
and services, of which 93% are based in Chile.

Fuel and lubricants
Fuel and lubricants represent approximately 5% of 
production costs and are used mainly by trucks for 
ore and waste haulage. Improving fuel efficiency is 
a priority, with the amount of fuel consumed per 
tonne of material mined being a key measure. 
Variations in the oil price affect not only the fuel 
price but also the spot price of energy, shipping 
rates for supplies and products, and the cost of 
items such as tyres and conveyor belts, which 
contain oil-based products. The oil price declined 
by approximately 14% during 2020.

Sulphuric acid
Sulphuric acid is one of the main inputs for the 
SX/EW leaching process to produce cathodes 
and accounts for approximately 4% of the Group’s 
production costs. Centinela, Antucoya and Zaldívar 
use approximately 1.5 million tonnes of sulphuric 
acid per year, mainly contracted under one-year 
contracts to secure supply and prices.

During the first half of 2020, acid imports into Chile 
were down 30% from the previous year while local 
smelters ran at normal rates compared with 2019, 
when several were shut down for environmental 
upgrades. Also, acid demand from the fertiliser 
industry fell during the first half of the year 
because of the COVID-19 pandemic, while acid 
production was less severely impacted. These 
factors, combined with logistical constraints, 
pushed prices to a decade low. However, the 
market recovered in the second half of the year, 
closing at about $75 per tonne in Chile, slightly 
higher than agreed for the Group’s 2020 and 
2021 annual contracts.

Exchange rate
The Chilean peso/US dollar exchange rate 
correlates to the copper price, as copper exports 
generate some 50% of Chile´s foreign exchange 
earnings. This provides a natural hedge for the 
Company as approximately 35–40% of our 
operating costs are in Chilean pesos. During 
2020 the Chilean peso strengthened by 4%, 
from Ch$745/$1 at the beginning of the year 
to Ch$711/$1 at the end.

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Operating review continued

Operating excellence 
and innovation

Operating excellence
During 2020, we updated the Group Operational 
Excellence strategy, establishing a plan for the 
next two years to strengthen our culture of 
excellence by focusing on standard processes 
and value capture. We also implemented a 
process to strengthen the exchange of good 
practices and innovative solutions among 
our mining operations to capture synergies 
and lessons learned, and foster continuous 
improvement. As a key enabler towards 
achieving operating excellence we introduced 
LEAN continuous improvement during the year 
as an additional tool to improve our operating 
processes and productivity.

Excellence, forward thinking and innovation 
are three of our core values and are central 
to how we achieve our production targets 
at competitive costs in a safe environment. 
We do this through three initiatives, which 
have different timescales and overlap. These 
are the promotion of operating excellence, 
the implementation of our Cost and 
Competitiveness Programme and the 
development of innovative solutions and ideas.

23%

through productivity improvements

77%

through more efficient contract and 
input negotiations, consumption rates 
and better use of maintenance resources

$197m

of savings achieved in 2020

Cost and Competitiveness Programme
The Cost and Competitiveness Programme (CCP) 
was introduced in 2014 to reduce our cost base 
and improve our competitiveness within the 
industry. Six years later, the CCP’s scope has 
evolved to reflect the greater maturity level 
that has been achieved over this period.

During 2020, we have achieved savings of 
$197 million, equivalent to $11c/lb for the year.

The target for 2021 is a further $100 million 
of savings, mainly as a result of productivity 
improvements achieved through applying 
our operating excellence methodology.

The programme focuses on five areas to 
deliver sustainable cost reductions and 
productivity increases:

Streamlining goods and 
services procurement:
•  Improving the efficiency and quality of 

purchase contracts while reducing costs

•  Centralising procurement to create synergies 

for the operating companies

Operating efficiency and asset reliability:
•  Maximising plant and equipment availability 

and minimising variability through 
continuous improvement

•  Ensuring the reliability and performance of 
assets through planned, proactive and 
predictive maintenance

Energy efficiency:
•  Optimising energy efficiency and lowering 

energy contract prices

Corporate and organisational effectiveness:
•  Restructuring the Group’s organisational 
framework to increase efficiency and 
reduce costs

Working capital, capital expenditure and 
services efficiency:
•  Optimising inventory levels, capital expenditure 

and services costs

Innovation
Innovation is critical to our strategy of creating 
long-term value and is a key enabler for safer 
and sustainable mining development, and our 
long-term competitiveness and growth. Our 
innovation strategy is characterised by a focused, 
collaborative and multi-dimensional approach 
driven by value creation. We seek to promote 
a culture that fosters innovation, develops 
skills and enables transformation.

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Strategic objectives
Our innovation model considers developing or 
adopting new solutions to improve or transform 
our current operational practices to solve our 
main strategic challenges and build our future.

integrating data to improve drill and blast 
management, improving plant ore feed 
characterisation, scanning the SAG mills 
while they are operating and applying 
robotics to clean the conveyor belts area.

Our strategic objectives are to develop or 
implement effective solutions to the main 
operational challenges that limit our operations’ 
ability to reach their full potential (operational 
innovation). We are also embedding our digital 
roadmap to significantly improve our operations’ 
safety and productivity, and are investigating the 
use of new technologies to address our main 
strategic challenges (transformational innovation).

At the heart of our innovation strategy is, firstly, 
to fully understand our challenges and then to 
rethink how we sustainably resolve them.

Operational innovation
We are sharing our main operational challenges 
through an open platform, called Innovaminerals, 
to capture ideas from inside and outside the 
Group to resolve our challenges.

We also have a system called PITCH through 
which suppliers can submit proposals to solve 
the challenges we have presented. During 2020 
we conducted 17 PITCH days which generated 13 
active projects for co-development, four of which 
were implemented during 2020. These included 

Our portfolio of projects includes both technical 
and non-technical initiatives across the entire 
value chain and also reinforces critical safety 
controls and environmental protection measures.

Transformational innovation
Current transformational strategic initiatives include 
reducing the volume and improving the monitoring 
of tailings, transporting large volumes of material 
over long distances and developing a primary 
sulphide leach process. The primary leach process, 
in particular, is generating encouraging results 
and we will scale it up to an industrial-sized test 
during 2021.

Additionally, we continue with the implementation 
of our digital roadmap programmes. These include:

•  The construction of an Integrated 

Remote Operations Centre (IROC) in the 
city of Antofagasta for Centinela, where a 
visualisation room was already commissioned

•  The introduction of autonomous trucks at 

Centinela’s new Esperanza Sur pit

•  The use of autonomous production drill rigs at 
Los Pelambres, with significant improvements 
in productivity

•  Developing advanced data analytics to better 
understand and predict the performance of 
our operations. This includes strengthening 
our team of specialists and validating a 
governance framework for data management

•  Continuing with the digital transformation, 

which started at the end of 2019, to simplify 
and streamline our support functions

•  Evaluating the use of robotic arms to fully 

automate the replacement of SAG mill liners 
at Los Pelambres

•  COVID-19 has accelerated our transition to 

remote operations, building on the technology 
platform introduced during the previous 
two years

Key to the success of creating value from the 
implementation of our digital roadmap is the 
careful management of the changes that each of 
these projects requires to be effectively adopted. 
To build up the necessary skills and to support 
our people through our digital transformation, 
we have set up a Digital Academy which provides 
on-line training support for our employees on 
digital literacy and the basics of data analytics. 
Some 1,500 supervisors trained using this 
programme during the year.

Case study at Los Pelambres: Rock 
falls prediction to improve safety
Los Pelambres developed a predictive model 
using artificial intelligence to analyse data 
from the mine in-pit radar that improves 
the prediction of rock falls caused by ground 
failure at the bench level from 42% to 89%.

Case study at Los Pelambres: 
Autonomous drills
The two diesel production drill rigs retrofitted 
at Los Pelambres at the end of 2019 were 
successfully operated autonomously from 
a control room over a mile away and drilled 
nearly 160,000 metres during the year. This 
programme will now be extended to the electric 
drill rigs.

Case study at Centinela: Oversized 
ore management at Encuentro 
Oxides plant
During 2020 Centinela ran a project to better 
manage the oversized ore at the Encuentro 
Oxides crushing plant to reduce damage to the 
plant and unplanned shutdowns. This initiative 
improved the plant’s run time by 12%.

Case study: Cuprochlor-T® leaching 
technology for primary sulphides
During 2020 we continued with our large-scale 
pilot programme to validate our in-house 
patent-protected chemical primary sulphides 
leaching technology (Cuprochlor-T®), with very 
encouraging results, achieving consistently 
competitive recoveries on high content 
chalcopyrite sulphide minerals from Centinela.

Digital Transformation Programme
During 2019, a special team was assembled to 
implement a digital transformation programme 
to capture opportunities for value creation 
through the integration of new technologies 
into our business.

By the end of 2020, 20 projects had moved 
into production, including several on robotic 
process automation (RPA), projects to improve 
efficiency in the procurement, treasury and 
accounting processes, projects to digitally 
manage expense claims and create maintenance 
work orders, a chatbot to support the help 
desk on IT matters, and projects to improve 
data-driven decision-making through better 
reports and analytics.

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Operating review continued

The copper market: 
supplying metals for 
a better future

As the world becomes ever more 
environmentally aware, demand for copper 
increases. We are responding by continuing 
to supply the copper needed for a more 
sustainable world in a sustainable way.

In November, Centinela and Zaldívar signed 
letters of commitment to The Copper Mark, the 
copper industry’s new responsible production 
framework assessed by independent assurance 
experts, and they will be followed by Los 
Pelambres and Antucoya.

Copper consumption by region in 2020

7%

49%

17%

9%

18%

China

Other Asia

North America

Europe

Rest of world

Source: Wood Mackenzie, Copper Outlook December 2020

On the supply side, while production is expected 
to grow as several projects are completed, the 
risk of impact from COVID-19 remains, including 
the consequences of past and ongoing reductions 
in maintenance activity, sustaining capital 
expenditure and waste rock stripping.

Overall, the copper market in 2021 is expected 
to be in deficit before remaining tightly balanced 
for the following years as several large projects 
are completed.

Copper concentrate
Some 70% of our copper production is in the 
form of copper concentrates, so the dynamics of 
the concentrate market are important and affect 
the level of treatment and refining charges (“TC/
RCs”) we pay. These charges account for some 
9% of our cash costs before by-product credits.

Most of the new copper production in the 
world is in the form of concentrates and these 
volumes are largely being absorbed by new 
smelter capacity in China. In 2020 the copper 
concentrate market was in deficit and spot TC/
RCs were significantly lower than the annual 
contract TC/RCs negotiated towards the end of 
2019. Spot TC/RCs fell sharply during the year, 
reaching about $35 per dry tonne of concentrate 
and 3.5c/lb of refined copper by the end of 2020.

Annual contract industry TC/RCs for 2021 
were set in the fourth quarter of 2020 at $59.5 
per dry tonne of concentrate and 5.95c/lb of 
refined copper, a reduction of 4% on 2020’s 
annual terms.

The concentrates market is expected to remain 
tight during 2021 with TC/RCs remaining at low 
levels as custom smelter demand continues to 
be greater than mine supply.

Refined copper
2020 was an unusual year for the copper 
market. At the beginning of the year the copper 
price was $2.74/lb and fundamentals were 
supportive at this level. However, by March, as 
it became clear that the outbreak of COVID-19 in 
China in late 2019 was escalating into a pandemic 
impacting the world economy, the copper price 
fell to $2.09/lb. From this low point, China’s 
progress in controlling the disease and returning 
to normality stimulated demand for refined 
copper, elevating prices by the end of July 
to $2.90/lb. In the second half of the year, 
continued progress in key markets to control the 
spread of the pandemic and support economic 
recovery, together with encouraging progress 
on vaccine development, further strengthened 
demand so that the copper price ended the 
year at just over $3.50/lb.

The pandemic not only impacted demand during 
the year, it also affected copper supply with some 
mining operations temporarily suspended or 
operating at lower levels of activity. This meant 
that for the full year there was a relatively small 
surplus. In addition, visible copper stocks reduced 
for a second year, this time by approximately 
40,000 tonnes to historically low levels, while 
stocks in Chinese bonded warehouses were 
estimated to have increased by 120,000 tonnes, 
reflecting the increased demand for refined 
copper in China.

Over the year the LME copper price averaged 
$2.80/lb, 3% higher than in 2019.

Market outlook
In early 2021, sentiment in the copper market 
remained positive despite a second wave of the 
pandemic in many countries, as markets took 
encouragement from the successful development 
of several vaccines and their accelerating rollout. 
Demand is expected to recover the volumes lost 
in 2020, and to grow further. There is, however, 
some uncertainty about stimulus packages in 
China continuing as strongly as in 2020, but the 
economic recovery expected in the USA, Europe 
and elsewhere in the world, supported by fiscal 
stimulus packages will positively impact sectors 
that use copper. In particular, growth is expected 
from infrastructure investment and the growth 
of the electric vehicles and renewable energies 
sectors. Additionally, constraints on the scrap 
trade due to restrictions in the Chinese market 
and supply chain disruptions are also expected to 
contribute to increased demand for refined copper.

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Gold
During 2020 the gold price increased by about 
27%, peaking at $2,065/oz during the third 
quarter. Demand for gold increased as people 
sought financial protection from the uncertainties 
created by COVID-19.

Molybdenum
Until mid-2020 the molybdenum price performed 
weakly due to COVID-19, averaging $8.4/lb in the 
second quarter, having started the year at $9.2/lb. 
In the second half of the year the market 
strengthened, closing the year at $10/lb.

The market price of gold averaged $1,770/oz 
in 2020, compared with $1,393/oz in 2019, and 
closed the year at $1,891/oz. If global economic 
uncertainty continues in 2021, the gold price is 
expected to remain strong.

Molybdenum is used mainly for making 
specialist steel alloys and demand is linked to 
steel production, particularly its use in the oil 
and gas industry. Production is mainly as a 
by-product of copper mining operations.

The market price averaged $8.7/lb for the 
year compared with $11.4/lb in 2019 and the 
consensus price for 2021, at the beginning of 
the year, was between $9.0/lb and $11.0/lb.

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Financial
review

The Group maintains a strong financial 
position, to underpin its returns 
to shareholders and its investment 
in its future growth.

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Financial review

Increased earnings in 
challenging conditions

“We were able to deliver a 12% growth in EBITDA, and the issue of our 
inaugural bond helped further strengthen our robust financial position, 
increasing our cash and liquid investments balance to $3.7bn.”

Mauricio Ortiz
Chief Financial Officer

Financial review for the year ended 31 December 2020

Revenue
EBITDA (including share of EBITDA from associates and joint ventures)
Total operating costs
Operating profit from subsidiaries
Net share of results from associates and joint ventures
Impairment of investment in associate
Total profit from operations, associates and joint ventures
Net finance expense
Profit before tax
Income tax expense
Profit from continuing operations 
Profit from discontinued operations
Profit for the year
Attributable to:
Non-controlling interests
Profit attributable to the owners of the parent

Basic earnings per share
From continuing operations
From discontinued operations
Total continuing and discontinued operations

Before exceptional 
items
$m

Exceptional items
$m

5,129.3
2,739.2
(3,537.1)
1,592.2
5.1
–
1,597.3
(103.4)
1,493.9
(546.2)
947.7
7.3
955.0

408.4
546.6

cents

54.7
0.7
55.4

–
–
–
–
–
(80.8)
(80.8)
–
(80.8)
19.7
(61.1)
–
(61.1)

(20.9)
(40.2)

cents

(4.1)
–
(4.1)

Year ended 
31.12.2020 
Total
$m

5,129.3
2,739.2
(3,537.1)
1,592.2
5.1
(80.8)
1,516.5
(103.4)
1,413.1
(526.5)
886.6
7.3
893.9

387.5
506.4

cents

50.6
0.7
51.3

Year ended 
31.12.2019 
Total
$m

4,964.5
2,438.9
(3,588.7)
1,375.8
24.4
–
1,400.2
(51.0)
(1,349.2)
(506.1)
843.1
–
843.1

341.7
501.4

cents

50.9
–
50.9

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Net earnings
The profit for the financial year attributable to the owners of the parent (including exceptional items 
and discontinued operations) increased from $501.4 million in 2019 to $506.4 million in the current 
year. Excluding exceptional items and discontinued operations the profit attributable to the owners 
of the parent increased by $37.9 million to $539.3 million. The full reconciliation between 2019 and 
2020 is as follows:

164.8

51.6

(19.3)

(52.4)

(40.1)

(66.7)

501.4

539.3

(32.9)

506.4

Y
F
–

9
1
0
2

e
u
n
e
v
e
R

s
t
s
o
c

g
n
i
t
a
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p
O

V
J

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a

d
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t
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s
s
A

s
m
e
t
i

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i
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o
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-
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o
N

* Excluding exceptional items and discontinued operations.

*
Y
F
–
0
2
0
2

s
n
o
i
t
a
r
e
p
o

d
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Y
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–
0
2
0
2

COVID-19
The Group’s operations were all able to continue to operate without interruption throughout the year, 
in part reflecting the strict COVID-19 related measures which the Group began to implement from 
February 2020 onwards. As a result, the Group’s production was within the guidance range for the 
year. The Group’s planning assumes that COVID-19 related measures will continue to be required 
for the rest of 2021.

The Group incurred $40 million of operational expenses (including the 50% attributable share of 
Zaldívar’s expenditure) during 2020 in respect of COVID-19 measures, including additional travel 
costs for its employees travelling to and from the mine sites, hygiene supplies and additional costs 
for third-party services. The Group also established a $6 million fund to provide COVID-19 related 
support to local communities, of which $4 million has been spent during 2020.

Work on the Group’s growth projects at Los Pelambres, Centinela and Zaldívar was largely 
suspended in March 2020, but activity was able to begin increasing during the third quarter of 
the year. The Group has capitalised $31 million of additional project costs during 2020 which are 
linked to the impact of the COVID-19 situation, mainly relating to additional costs for the third-party 
contractors, increased travel costs for employees and project contractors travelling to the sites and 
the purchase of hygiene supplies.

Revenue
The $164.8 million increase in revenue from $4,964.5 million in 2019 to $5,129.3 million in the 
current year reflected the following factors:

348.4

(153.3)

69.7

(50.0)

(45.1)

6.2

(11.1)

5,129.3

4,964.5

Y
F
–

9
1
0
2

e
c
i
r
p
r
e
p
p
o
C

l

s
e
m
u
o
v
r
e
p
p
o
C

s
C
R
/
C
T

l

d
o
G

m
u
n
e
d
b
y
o
M

l

r
e
v
l
i

S

t
r
o
p
s
n
a
r
T

Y
F
–
0
2
0
2

Revenue from the Mining division
Revenue from the Mining division increased 
by $175.9 million, or 3.7%, to $4,979.9 million, 
compared with $4,804.0 million in 2019. The 
increase reflected a $264.8 million improvement 
in copper sales partly offset by a $88.9 million 
decrease in by-product revenue.

Revenue from copper sales
Revenue from copper concentrate and copper 
cathode sales increased by $264.8 million, 
or 6.5%, to $4,348.2 million, compared with 
$4,083.4 million in 2019. The increase reflected 
the impact of $348.4 million from higher realised 
prices and $69.7 million from lower treatment 
and refining charges, partly offset by $153.3 
million from lower sales volumes.

(i) Realised copper price
The average realised price increased by 8.3% to 
$2.98/lb in 2020 (2019 – $2.75/lb), resulting in a 
$348.4 million increase in revenue. The increase 
in the realised price reflected the higher LME 
average market price, which increased by 2.8% 
to $2.80/lb in 2020 (2019 – $2.72/lb), and 
a positive provisional pricing adjustment 
of $258.5 million. The provisional pricing 
adjustment mainly reflected the increase in 
the year-end mark-to-market copper price 
to $3.52/lb at 31 December 2020, compared 
with $2.81/lb at 31 December 2019.

Realised copper prices are determined by 
comparing revenue (before treatment and 
refining charges for concentrate sales) with 
sales volumes in the period. Realised copper 
prices differ from market prices mainly because, 
in line with industry practice, concentrate and 
cathode sales agreements generally provide for 
provisional pricing at the time of shipment with 
final pricing based on the average market price in 
future periods (normally around one month after 
delivery to the customer in the case of cathode 
sales and normally four months after delivery to 
the customer in the case of concentrate sales).

Further details of provisional pricing adjustments 
are given in Note 7 to the financial statements.

(ii) Copper volumes
Copper sales volumes reflected within revenue 
decreased by 3.5% from 715,500 tonnes in 2019 
to 690,200 tonnes in 2020, decreasing revenue 
by $153.3 million. This decrease was due to lower 
copper sales volumes at Centinela (40,100 tonnes 
decrease) mainly as a result of its decreased 
production volumes, partly offset by higher sales 
volumes at Los Pelambres (9,900 tonnes increase) 
and at Antucoya (4,900 tonnes increase).

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87

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Financial review continued

(iii) Treatment and refining charges
Treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) for 
copper concentrate decreased by $69.7 million 
to $182.4 million in 2020 from $252.1 million in 
2019, reflecting the lower average TC/RC rates 
as well as the decrease in the concentrate sales 
volumes at Centinela. Treatment and refining 
charges are deducted from concentrate sales 
when reporting revenue and hence the decrease 
in these charges has had a positive impact 
on revenue.

Revenue from molybdenum, gold and 
other by-product sales
Revenue from by-product sales at Los Pelambres 
and Centinela relate mainly to molybdenum and 
gold and, to a lesser extent, silver. Revenue from 
by-products decreased by $88.9 million or 
12.3% to $631.7 million in 2020, compared 
with $720.6 million in 2019.

Revenue from gold sales (net of treatment and 
refining charges) was $357.7 million (2019 – 
$407.7 million), a decrease of $50.0 million 
which mainly reflected a decrease in volumes 
partially offset by a higher realised price. 
Gold sales volumes decreased by 30.9% from 
288,800 ounces in 2019 to 199,600 ounces in 
2020, mainly due to lower grades at Centinela. 
The realised gold price was $1,796.8/oz in 2020 
compared with $1,416.0/oz in 2019, reflecting the 
average market price for 2020 of $1,770.1/oz 
(2019 – $1,393,5/oz), plus a provisional pricing 
adjustment of $3.1 million.

Revenue from molybdenum sales (net of roasting 
charges) was $209.5 million (2019 – $254.6 
million), a decrease of $45.1 million. The 
decrease was due to the lower realised price 
of $8.8/lb (2019 – $10.8/lb), partially offset 
by increased sales volumes of 12,500 tonnes 
(2019 – 12,100 tonnes).

Revenue from silver sales increased by $6.2 
million to $64.5 million (2019 – $58.3 million). 
The increase was due to a higher realised silver 
price of $21.3/oz (2019 – $16.4/oz), partly offset 
by lower sales volumes of 3.1 million ounces 
(2019 – 3.6 million ounces).

Revenue from the Transport division
Revenue from the Transport division (FCAB) 
decreased by $11.1 million or 6.9% to $149.4 
million (2019 – $160.5 million), mainly due to 
the effect of the weaker Chilean peso, and 
lower sales volumes of freight transported 
and industrial water.

Total operating costs
The $51.6 million decrease in total operating costs from $3,588.7 million in 2019 to $3,537.1 million in 
the current year reflected the following factors:

3,588.7

(156.8)

128.0

3,537.1

24.0

(26.0)

(6.5)

(14.3)

Y
F
–

9
1
0
2

s
t
s
o
c

e
t
i
s
-
n
o

e
n
M

i

s
t
s
o
c

i

e
n
m
r
e
h
t
O

n
o
i
t
a
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p
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E

l

n
o
i
t
a
u
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l

d
n
a

e
t
a
r
o
p
r
o
C

t
r
o
p
s
n
a
r
T

n
o
i
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a
s
i
t
r
o
m
a

d
n
a
n
o
i
t
a
c
e
r
p
e
D

Y
F
–
0
2
0
2

Operating costs (excluding depreciation, 
amortisation and loss on disposals) at 
the Mining division
Operating costs (excluding depreciation, loss on 
disposals and impairments) at the Mining division 
decreased by $165.3 million to $2,390.7 million 
in 2020, a reduction of 6.5%. Of this decrease, 
$156.8 million is attributable to lower mine-site 
operating costs. This decrease in mine-site costs 
reflected lower key input prices, the weaker 
Chilean peso, lower sale volumes and cost savings 
from the Group’s Cost and Competitiveness 
Programme, partly offset by the cost impact 
of the expected lower ore grades at Centinela 
and the $33.1 million of mine-site costs incurred 
related to the COVID-19 pandemic. On a unit cost 
basis, weighted average cash costs excluding 
by-product credits (which are reported as part 
of revenue) and treatment and refining charges 
for concentrates (which are deducted from 
revenue), decreased from $1.49/lb in 2019 
to $1.43/lb in 2020.

The Cost and Competitiveness Programme 
was implemented to reduce the Group’s cost 
base and improve its competitiveness within the 
industry. During 2020 the programme achieved 
benefits of $197 million, of which $155 million 
reflected cost savings and $42 million reflected 
the value of productivity improvements. Of the 
$155 million of cost savings, $125 million related 
to Los Pelambres, Centinela and Antucoya, and 
therefore impacted the Group’s operating costs, 
and $30 million related to Zaldívar (on a 100% 
basis) and therefore impacted the share of 
results from associates and joint ventures.

Closure provisions and other mining expenses 
increased by $24.0 million. Exploration and 
evaluation costs decreased by $26.0 million to 
$85.1 million (2019 – $111.1 million), reflecting 
decreased exploration expenditure principally in 
respect of the Encierro and Cachorro projects 
and less drilling activity in relation to the 
reserve and resource estimates at Centinela 
and Antucoya. Corporate costs decreased by 
$6.5 million.

Operating costs (excluding depreciation, 
amortisation and loss on disposals) at 
the Transport division
Operating costs (excluding depreciation, 
amortisation and loss on disposals) at the 
Transport division decreased by $14.3 million 
to $91.4 million (2019 – $105.7 million), mainly 
due to the effect of the weaker Chilean peso 
and the lower diesel price, as well as the lower 
consumption of materials.

Depreciation, amortisation 
and disposals
The depreciation and amortisation charge 
increased by $128.7 million from $927.0 million 
in 2019 to $1,055.7 million. This increase is 
mainly due to higher amortisation of capitalised 
stripping costs under IFRIC 20 Stripping Costs 
in the Production Phase of a Surface Mine, 
particularly at Centinela. The loss on disposal of 
property, plant and equipment was $6.3 million, 
a decrease of $6.4 million (2019 – $12.7 million).

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Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

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Operating profit from subsidiaries
As a result of the above factors, operating profit from subsidiaries increased by $216.4 million or 15.7% in 2020 to $1,592.2 million (2019 – $1,375.8 million).

Share of results from associates and joint ventures
The Group’s share of results from associates and joint ventures was a profit of $5.1 million in 2020, compared to $24.4 million in 2019. This was 
principally due to the impact of the agreement on 31 March 2020 to dispose of the Group’s investment in Hornitos (as detailed below). In the 2019 
full-year Hornitos had generated a net profit of $10.3 million, but in the first three months of 2020 prior to the disposal agreement Hornitos did not 
generate a net profit. In addition, there was a $3.9 million higher loss from Tethyan Copper Company and profits from Zaldívar were $3.4 million lower.

EBITDA
EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) increased by $300.3 million or 12.3% to $2,739.2 million (2019 – $2,438.9 million). 
EBITDA includes the Group’s proportional share of EBITDA from associates and joint ventures.

EBITDA from the Mining division increased by 13.6% from $2,358.1 million in 2019 to $2,678.2 million this year. This reflected the higher revenue and 
lower mine-site costs, decreased exploration and evaluation expenditure and lower corporate costs, partly offset by higher other mining expenses and 
lower EBITDA from associates and joint ventures.

EBITDA at the Transport division decreased by $19.8 million to $61.0 million in 2020 ($80.8 million – 2019), reflecting the lower revenue and decreased 
EBITDA from associates and joint ventures, partly offset by the lower operating costs.

Commodity price and exchange rate sensitivities
The following sensitivities show the estimated approximate impact on EBITDA for 2020 of a 10% movement in the average copper, molybdenum and gold 
prices and a 10% movement in the average US dollar/Chilean peso exchange rate.

The impact of the movement in the average commodity prices reflects the estimated impact on the relevant revenues during 2020, and the impact of the 
movement in the average exchange rate reflects the estimated impact on Chilean peso denominated operating costs during the year. These estimates do 
not reflect any impact in respect of provisional pricing or hedging instruments, any potential inter-relationship between commodity price and exchange 
rate movements, or any impact from the retranslation or changes in valuations of assets or liabilities held on the balance sheet at the year-end.

Copper price
Molybdenum price
Gold price
US dollar/Chilean peso exchange rate

Net finance expense
Net finance expense increased by $52.4 million to $103.4 million, compared with $51.0 million in 2019.

Investment income
Interest expense
Other finance items
Net finance expense

Average market commodity 
price/average exchange rate 
during the year ended 
31.12.20

Impact of a 10% movement 
in the commodity price/
exchange rate on EBITDA 
for the year ended 31.12.20 
$m

$2.80/lb
$8.7/lb
$1,770/oz
792

456
24
35
123

Year ended 
31.12.20 
$m

18.9
(77.1)
(45.2)
(103.4)

Year ended 
31.12.19 
$m

47.1
(111.1)
13.0
(51.0)

Interest income decreased from $47.1 million in 2019 to $18.9 million in 2020, mainly due to the decrease in average interest rates partly offset by the 
higher average cash balance.

Interest expense decreased slightly from $111.1 million in 2019 to $77.1 million in 2020, reflecting both a decrease in the average LIBOR rate and also 
a reduction in the average relevant debt balances.

Other finance items were a net loss of $45.2 million, compared with a net gain of $13.0 million in 2019, a variance of $58.2 million. This was mainly due 
to the foreign exchange impact, which was a $28.9 million loss in 2020 compared with a $35.8 million gain in 2019, due to the retranslation of Chilean 
peso denominated assets and liabilities.

Profit before tax
As a result of the factors set out above, profit before tax increased by 4.7% to $1,413.1 million (2019 – $1,349.2 million).

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Financial review continued

Income tax expense
The tax charge for 2020 excluding exceptional items was $546.2 million (2019 – $506.1 million) and the effective tax rate was 36.6% (2019 – 37.5%). 
Including exceptional items the tax charge for 2020 was $526.5 million and the effective rate was 37.3%.

Profit before tax
Tax at the Chilean corporate rate tax of 27%
Exceptional items – impairment of investment in associate
Mining tax (royalty)
Deduction of mining royalty as an allowable expense in 
determination of first category tax
Items not deductible from first category tax
Withholding taxes
Tax effect of share of results of associates and joint ventures
Reversal of previously unrecognised tax losses/(unrecognised 
tax losses)
Adjustment in respect of prior years
Net other items
Tax expense and effective tax rate for the period

Year ended 
31.12.2020
Excluding 
exceptional 
items
$m

1,493.9
(403.4)
–
(101.3)

28.1
(9.8)
(70.0)
1.4

10.5
(1.6)
(0.1)
(546.2)

Year ended 
31.12.2020
Including 
exceptional
items
$m

1,413.1
(381.5)
(2.2)
(101.3)

28.1
(9.8)
(70.0)
1.4

10.5
(1.6)
(0.1)
(526.5)

%

27.0
–
6.8

(1.9)
0.7
4.7
(0.1)

(0.7)
0.1
0.0
36.6

Year ended 
31.12.2019
$m

1,349.2
(364.3)
–
(66.6)

19.1
(11.9)
(59.3)
4.7

(33.0)
4.3
0.9
(506.1)

%

27.0
0.2
7.2

(2.0)
0.6
5.0
(0.1)

(0.7)
0.1
0.0
37.3

%

27.0
–
4.9

(1.4)
0.9
4.4
(0.4)

2.5
(0.3)
(0.1)
37.5

The effective tax rate excluding exceptional items of 36.6% varied from the statutory rate principally due to the mining tax (royalty) (net impact of $73.2 
million/4.9% including the deduction of the mining tax (royalty) as an allowable expense in the determination of first category tax), the withholding tax 
relating to the remittance of profits from Chile (impact of $70.0 million/4.7%), items not deductible for Chilean corporate tax purposes, principally the 
funding of expenses outside of Chile (impact of $9.8 million/0.7%) and adjustments in respect of prior years (impact of $1.6 million/0.1%), partly offset 
by the reversal of previously unrecognised tax losses (impact of $10.5 million/0.7%) and the impact of the recognition of the Group’s share of profit 
from associates and joint ventures, which are included in the Group’s profit before tax net of their respective tax charges (impact of $1.4 million/0.1%).

The impact of the exceptional items on the effective tax rate including exceptional items was $2.2 million/0.2%.

Exceptional items
On 31 March 2020 the Group agreed to dispose of its 40% interest in the Hornitos coal-fired power station to ENGIE Energía Chile S.A. (“ENGIE”), the 
owner of the remaining 60% holding. This was part of the value accretive renegotiation of Centinela’s power purchase agreement which as a result will 
be wholly supplied from lower cost renewable sources from 2022. Under the terms of the agreement the Group will dispose of its investment to Engie 
in 2021 for a nominal consideration and will not be entitled to receive any further dividend income from Hornitos from the date of the agreement. 
Accordingly, the Group no longer has any effective economic interest in Hornitos from 31 March 2020 onwards and has therefore recognised an 
impairment of $80.8 million in respect of its investment in associates and will no longer recognise any share of Hornitos’ results. The post-tax impact 
of the impairment is $61.1 million, of which $40.2 million is attributable to the equity owners of the Company.

Non-controlling interests
Profit for 2020 attributable to non-controlling interests (excluding exceptional items) was $408.4 million, compared with $341.7 million in 2019, an 
increase of $66.7 million. This reflected the increase in earnings analysed above.

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Earnings per share

Underlying earnings per share (excluding exceptional items and discontinued operations)
Earnings per share (exceptional items)
Earnings per share (discontinued operations)
Earnings per share (including exceptional items and discontinued operations)

Earnings per share calculations are based on 985,856,695 ordinary shares.

Year ended 
31.12.20
$ cents

Year ended 
31.12.19
$ cents

54.7
(4.1)
0.7
51.3

50.9
–
–
50.9

As a result of the factors set out above, the underlying profit attributable to equity shareholders of the Company (excluding exceptional items and 
discontinued operations) was $539.3 million compared with $501.4 million in 2019, giving underlying earnings per share of 54.7 cents per share (2019 
– 50.9 cents per share). The profit attributable to equity shareholders (including exceptional items and discontinued operations) was $506.4 million, 
resulting in earnings per share of 51.3 cents per share (2019 – 50.9 cents per share).

Dividends
Dividends per share proposed in relation to the period are as follows:

Ordinary dividends:
Interim
Final
Total dividends to ordinary shareholders

Year ended 
31.12.20
$ cents

Year ended 
31.12.19
$ cents

6.2
48.5
54.7

10.7
7.1
17.8

The Board determines the appropriate dividend each year based on consideration of the Group’s cash balance, the level of free cash flow and underlying 
earnings generated during the year and significant known or expected funding commitments. It is expected that the total annual dividend for each year 
would represent a payout ratio based on underlying net earnings for that year of at least 35%.

The Board has proposed a final dividend for 2020 of 48.5 cents per ordinary share, which amounts to $478.2 million and will be paid on 14 May 2021 
to shareholders on the share register at the close of business on 23 April 2021.

The Board declared an interim dividend for the first half of 2020 of 6.2 cents per ordinary share, which amounted to $61.1 million.

This gives total dividends proposed in relation to 2020 (including the interim dividend) of 54.7 cents per share or 539.3 million in total (2019 – 17.8 cents 
per ordinary share or $175.7 million in total) equivalent to a payout ratio of 100%.

Capital expenditure
Capital expenditure increased by $228.6 million from $1,078.8 million in 2019 to $1,307.4 million in the current year, mainly due to expenditure on the 
Los Pelambres Expansion project.

NB: capital expenditure figures quoted in this report are on a cash flow basis, unless stated otherwise.

Derivative financial instruments
The Group periodically uses derivative financial instruments to reduce its exposure to commodity price, foreign exchange and interest rate movements. 
The Group does not use such derivative instruments for speculative trading purposes. At 31 December 2020 the derivative financial instruments in place 
had a negative fair value of $36.0 million (2019 – negative $7.3 million).

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Financial review continued

Cash flows
The key features of the cash flow statement are summarised in the following table.

Cash flows from continuing operations
Income tax paid
Net interest paid
Capital contributions and loans to associates
Purchases of property, plant and equipment
Dividends paid to equity holders of the Company 
Dividends paid to non-controlling interests
Capital increase from non-controlling interest 
Dividends from associates and joint ventures
Other items
Changes in net debt relating to cash flows
Other non-cash movements
Effects of changes in foreign exchange rates 
Movement in net debt in the period
Net debt at the beginning of the year
Net debt at the end of the year

Cash flows from continuing operations were 
$2,431.1 million in 2020 compared with $2,570.7 
million in 2019. This reflected EBITDA from 
subsidiaries for the year of $2,647.2 million 
(2019 – $2,302.8 million) adjusted for the 
negative impact of a net working capital increase 
of $242.5 million (2019 – working capital 
decrease of $291.9 million) and a non-cash 
increase in provisions of $26.4 million (2019 
– decrease of $24.0 million).

The working capital increase in 2020 was mainly 
due to an increase in receivables, predominantly 
due to the higher year-end mark-to-market 
copper price of $3.52/lb at 31 December 2020, 
compared with $2.81/lb at 31 December 2019. 
The 2019 working capital decrease was mainly 
due to the $275 million refund of the one-off 
short-term VAT payment which had been made 
in December 2018 and was refunded to the 
Group as expected in January 2019.

The net cash outflow in respect of tax in 2020 
was $319.7 million (2019 – $403.6 million). 
This amount differs from the current tax charge 
in the consolidated income statement (including 
exceptional items) of $515.3 million (2019 – 
$354.4 million) mainly because cash tax 
payments for corporate tax and the mining tax 
partly include the settlement of outstanding 
balances in respect of the previous year’s tax 
charge of $8.0 million (2019 – $29.5 million), 
withholding tax payments of $54.5 million, 
payments on account for the current year based 
on the prior year’s profit levels of $366.8 million, 
as well as the recovery of $109.7 million in 2020 
relating to prior years.

Contributions and loans to associates and joint 
ventures of $7.2 million (2019 – $1.8 million) 
relate to Tethyan Copper Company.

Capital expenditure in 2020 was $1,307.4 million 
compared with $1,078.8 million in 2019. This 
included expenditure of $782.6 million at Los 
Pelambres (2019 – $493.8 million), $441.5 million 
at Centinela (2019 – $457.6 million), $41.9 million 
at Antucoya (2019 – $49.9 million), $8.3 million 
at the corporate centre (2019 – $15.9 million) 
and $33.1 million at the Transport divisions (2019 
– $61.6 million). The increase at Los Pelambres 
reflects expenditure on the Expansion project.

Year ended 
31.12.20
$m

2,431.1
(319.7)
(40.1)
(7.2)
(1,307.4)
(131.1)
(280.0)
210.0
–
2.3
557.9
(68.0)
(8.5)
481.4
(563.4)
(82.0)

Year ended 
31.12.19
$m

2,570.7
(403.6)
(35.3)
(1.8)
(1,078.8)
(470.3)
(400.0)
–
58.0
1.8
240.7
(214.3)
6.5
32.9
(596.3)
(563.4)

Dividends paid to equity holders of the Company 
were $131.1 million (2019 – $470.3 million) of 
which $70.0 million related to the payment of the 
final element of the previous year’s dividend and 
$61.1 million to the interim dividend declared in 
respect of the current year.

Dividends paid by subsidiaries to non-controlling 
shareholders were $280.0 million (2019 – 
$400.0 million).

Dividends received from associates and joint 
ventures was nil for 2020 (2019 – $58.0 million).

A capital contribution of $210.0 million was 
received from Marubeni, the minority partner 
at Antucoya, in order to replace part of the 
subordinated debt financing with equity.

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Financial position

Cash, cash equivalents 
and liquid investments
Total borrowings
Net debt at the end of 
the period

At 31.12.20
$m

At 31.12.19
$m

3,672.8
(3,754.8)

2,193.4
(2,756.8)

(82.0)

(563.4)

At 31 December 2020 the Group had combined 
cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments of 
$3,672.8 million (31 December 2019 – $2,193.4). 
Excluding the non-controlling interest share 
in each partly-owned operation, the Group’s 
attributable share of cash, cash equivalents 
and liquid investments was $3,046.9 million 
(31 December 2019 – $1,849.7 million).

Total Group borrowings at 31 December 2020 
were $3,754.8 million, an increase of $998.0 
million on the prior year (31 December 2019 – 
$2,756.8 million). The increase was mainly due 
to a $814.8 million increase of the senior loan 
at Los Pelambres and $495.6 million from the 
bond issue, partly offset by the $210.0 million 
repayment of the subordinated debt from 
Antucoya to Marubeni which was replaced with 
equity, a $66.0 million repayment of Antucoya’s 
senior loan and a net decrease of lease liabilities 
of $37.4 million.

Excluding the non-controlling interest share 
in each partly-owned operation, the Group’s 
attributable share of the borrowings was 
$2,805.5 million (31 December 2019 – 
$2,041.3 million).

This resulted in net debt at 31 December 2020 
of $82.0 million (31 December 2019 – $563.4 
million). Excluding the non-controlling interest 
share in each partly-owned operation, the 
Group had an attributable net cash position 
of $241.4 million (31 December 2019 – net 
debt $191.6 million).

Cautionary statement about 
forward-looking statements
This preliminary results announcement 
contains certain forward-looking statements. 
All statements other than historical facts are 
forward-looking statements. Examples of 
forward-looking statements include those 
regarding the Group’s strategy, plans, objectives 
or future operating or financial performance, 
reserve and resource estimates, commodity 
demand and trends in commodity prices, growth 
opportunities, and any assumptions underlying or 
relating to any of the foregoing. Words such as 
“intend”, “aim”, “project”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, 
“plan”, “believe”, “expect”, “may”, “should”, “will”, 
“continue” and similar expressions identify 
forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve known and 
unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and 
other factors that are beyond the Group’s control. 
Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, 
actual results could differ materially from any 
future results expressed or implied by these 
forward-looking statements, which apply only as 
at the date of this report. Important factors that 
could cause actual results to differ from those 
in the forward-looking statements include: global 
economic conditions, demand, supply and prices 
for copper and other long-term commodity 
price assumptions (as they materially affect 
the timing and feasibility of future projects and 
developments), trends in the copper mining 
industry and conditions of the international 
copper markets, the effect of currency exchange 
rates on commodity prices and operating costs, 
the availability and costs associated with mining 
inputs and labour, operating or technical 
difficulties in connection with mining or 
development activities, employee relations, 
litigation, and actions and activities of 
governmental authorities, including changes in 
laws, regulations or taxation. Except as required 
by applicable law, rule or regulation, the Group 
does not undertake any obligation to publicly 
update or revise any forward-looking statements, 
whether as a result of new information, future 
events or otherwise.

Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide 
to future performance.

The Strategic Report has been approved by the 
Board and signed on its behalf by:

Jean-Paul Luksic
Chairman

15 March 2021

Ollie Oliveira
Senior Independent 
Director

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Corporate Governance

Corporate 
Governance

The Board is responsible for Antofagasta plc’s 
long-term, sustainable success, generating 
value for shareholders and contributing to 
wider society.

The Board has established governance 
structures that ensure independent oversight 
and constructive challenge and promote the 
Group’s culture and core values of respect, 
responsibility for safety and health, a 
commitment to sustainability, excellence 
in daily work, innovation and forward thinking.

This reflects the Board’s commitment to 
international best practice and continuing 
success as an international mining company 
based in Chile.

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Governance
Applying the Code in 2020
Board leadership and 
company purpose 

 Chairman’s introduction 
 Senior Independent 
Director’s introduction 
 Group corporate 
governance overview
 Board activities 
 Stakeholder engagement 
Employee engagement
Division of responsibilities 
 Directors’ biographies 
 Board balance and skills 
 Roles in the boardroom 
  Executive Committee and 
General Managers’ biographies 
 Introduction to the Committees 

Composition, succession 
and evaluation 

 Nomination and 
Governance Committee report 
 Board effectiveness 

Audit, risk and internal control 

 Audit and Risk Committee report 
 Sustainability and 
Stakeholder Management 
Committee report 
 Projects Committee report 

Remuneration

Remuneration and Talent 
Management Committee report
 Committee Chair’s introduction 
 2020 Directors’ and 
CEO Remuneration Report 
Implementation of the Directors’ 
and CEO’s remuneration policy 
in 2021

Directors’ Report 
Statement of Directors’ 
responsibilities

96

100

102

104
106
108
110

112
114
115

116
118

119
123

124

129
132

134
135

139

150
153

155

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Corporate Governance

Applying the Code in 2020

How we 
apply the Code

UK Corporate Governance 
Code compliance statement
The UK Corporate Governance Code issued 
by the Financial Reporting Council in July 2018 
sets out the governance principles and provisions 
that applied to the Company during the 2020 
financial year.

The Code is not a rigid set of rules; it consists 
of principles and provisions. The Listing Rules 
require companies to apply the principles and 
report to shareholders on how they have done 
so. The Corporate Governance Report that 
follows has been prepared for this purpose, 
demonstrating how these principles have been 
considered and applied to the Company’s 
specific circumstances.

The Company complied with all the principles and 
detailed provisions of the Code in 2020 except 
for Code Provision 19. This Code Provision, 
which recommends that the Chairman should 
not remain in post beyond nine years from the 
date of his first appointment to the board, was 
introduced for the first time for accounting 
periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019. 
The Company’s Chairman, Jean-Paul Luksic, 
was appointed to the Board in 1990. He served 
as Chief Executive Officer of the Group’s Mining 
division from 1998 until 2004 and was appointed 
Executive Chairman in 2004. In 2014, he stepped 
back from executive responsibilities to become 
Non-Executive Chairman. Mr Luksic’s Chilean, 
mining and business experience coupled with 
his knowledge of the Group’s business have 
been, and continue to be, a cornerstone of the 
Company’s continuing growth and success. The 
Board considers that Mr Luksic continues to 
demonstrate objective judgement and provides 
constructive challenge and believes that his 
continued appointment is appropriate without 
fixing a limit to his service. Mr. Luksic is a 
member of the family that is interested in 

the E. Abaroa Foundation, a controlling 
shareholder of the Company for the purposes 
of the UK Listing Rules. The Company’s major 
shareholders were invited by the Senior 
Independent Director to discuss this subject 
ahead of the 2020 AGM and unanimously 
expressed their support for Mr Luksic’s 
continued service as Chairman of the Board. 
Further details on the role of the Senior 
Independent Director are set out on 
pages 102 and 115.

As Chairman and Chair of the Board’s 
Nomination and Governance Committee, 
Mr Luksic fully supports wider succession 
and diversity planning and has overseen the 
design and implementation of succession plans 
to facilitate increased diversity, including gender, 
and continual refreshment of the Board. Further 
details are set out in the Nomination and 
Governance Committee report on pages 119-123.

The UK Corporate Governance Code is available 
on the Financial Reporting Council website 
at www.frc.org.uk.

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“We apply the Code’s principles
to our circumstances as an 
international mining company
based in Chile.”

Jean-Paul Luksic
Chairman

antofagasta.co.uk

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Corporate Governance

Applying the Code in 2020 continued

Non-Executive Directors
•  The Non-Executive Directors provide 

constructive challenge and strategic guidance, 
offer specialist advice and hold management 
to account – pages 112-113 and 115.

Commitment
•  All Directors have confirmed they are 
able to allocate sufficient time to meet 
the expectations of their role – page 112.

•  Directors do not undertake additional external 
appointments without the prior approval of 
the Board – page 112.

•  Time commitment is considered during 
Board effectiveness reviews and when 
electing and re-electing Directors – page 123.

•  A review of the Directors’ external 
directorships is carried out annually 
– pages 103 and 154.

Information and support
•  The Board is provided with appropriate 

information, in form and quality, to discharge 
its duties – page 105.

•  The Board has access to independent 
professional advice and to the advice 
and services of the Company Secretary 
– pages 115 and 120.

•  The Board is regularly updated on the Group’s 

performance between scheduled Board 
meetings – page 105.

How the Code principles 
were applied in 2020
Board leadership and Company purpose
The role of the Board
•  The Company is led by an effective and 

entrepreneurial Board, which is collectively 
responsible for promoting the Company’s 
long-term sustainable success, generating 
value for shareholders and contributing to 
wider society as shown throughout this 
Corporate Governance Report.

•  The Board has adopted and actively promotes 

the Group’s purpose, vision, values and strategy 
and has satisfied itself that these and its 
culture are aligned. This is explained further 
in the Chairman’s introduction – page 100.
•  The Board has ensured that the necessary 
resources are in place for the Company to 
meet its objectives and measure performance 
against them. It has established a framework 
of prudent and effective controls, which enable 
risk to be appropriately assessed and managed 
– pages 22-30 and 127-128.

•  The Board ensures effective engagement 
with, and encourages participation from, 
shareholders and other stakeholders to ensure 
that its responsibilities are met – pages 34-61, 
102, 108-109, 110-111 and 138.

•  The Board ensures that workforce policies and 
practices are consistent with the Company’s 
values and support its long-term sustainable 
success and that the workforce is able to raise 
any matters of concern anonymously through 
the Group’s whistleblowing channels 
– pages 31, 42-44, 110-111 and 128.

•  The Board considers the matters set out in 
section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 in 
Board discussions and decision-making. 
Examples can be found on pages 108-109.

Division of responsibilities
•  The Board is structured to ensure that there is 
limited scope for an individual or small group 
of individuals to dominate its decision-making, 
as demonstrated throughout this Corporate 
Governance Report.

•  The CEO is not a Director of the Company 
and therefore not a member of the Board 
– page 115.

•  There is a clear division of responsibilities 
between the Board and the executive 
leadership of the Company’s business
– page 115.

•  The division of responsibilities between 
the Chairman, the CEO, and the Senior 
Independent Director is recorded in writing 
and is available on the Company’s website 
at www.antofagasta.co.uk – page 115.
•  The roles of the Board and the Board 

Committees are recorded in the Schedule 
of Matters Reserved for the Board and the 
Terms of Reference for each of the Board’s 
Committees, which are available on the 
Company’s website at www.antofagasta.co.uk.

•  The Board, supported by the Company 
Secretary, has the policies, processes, 
information, time and resources it needs in 
order to function effectively and efficiently 
– pages 105 and 120.

The Chairman
•  The Chairman leads the Board and is 

responsible for its overall effectiveness in 
directing the Company. His responsibilities 
are set out on page 115.

•  The Board considers that the Chairman 
demonstrates objective judgement and 
promotes a culture of openness and 
debate – pages 96 and 102.

•  The Chairman facilitates constructive Board 
relations and the effective contribution of all 
Directors. He is responsible for setting the 
Board’s agenda and ensures that Directors 
receive accurate, timely and clear 
information – pages 105, 115 and 120.

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Remuneration
Policy
•  The Company has no executive directors, 

however the CEO’s remuneration is disclosed 
as if he were a director.

•  The Directors’ and CEO’s Remuneration 

Policy, approved at the 2020 AGM, is aligned 
to the Company’s purpose and values, and is 
clearly linked to the successful delivery of the 
Company’s long-term strategy – pages 135-138.

•  The Remuneration and Talent Management 
Committee Chair, Francisca Castro, served 
as a member of the Committee for more than 
12 months before being appointed as Chair.
•  The CEO’s remuneration includes transparent, 
stretching and rigorously applied performance-
related elements designed to promote the 
Company’s long-term sustainable success 
– pages 139-152.

Procedure
•  The Board has a formal and transparent 

procedure for developing policy on executive 
remuneration and determining Director 
and senior management remuneration 
– pages 134-152.

•  No Director, nor the CEO, is involved in 
deciding his or her own remuneration.
•  Directors exercise independent judgement 

and discretion when authorising remuneration 
outcomes, taking account of Company 
and individual performance, and wider 
circumstances including internal and 
external factors – pages 135-138.

Composition, succession, 
and evaluation
Composition of the Board and Committees
•  The Board has 10 Directors, comprising 

a Non-Executive Chairman and nine other 
Non-Executive Directors, six of whom 
are independent – pages 112-115.

•  All members of the Audit and Risk and 
Remuneration and Talent Management 
Committees are independent, and two 
of the three Nomination and Governance 
Committee members are independent.
•  The Board and its Committees comprise 
Directors with the requisite combination 
of skills, experience and knowledge to 
fulfil their roles – pages 112-115.

•  There is a diverse pipeline for succession. 

Consideration is given to the length of service 
of the Board as a whole and membership is 
regularly refreshed – pages 114 and 120-122.

Appointments to the Board and 
succession planning
•  There is a formal, rigorous and transparent 

procedure to identify and appoint new 
Directors led by the Nomination and 
Governance Committee – pages 120-122.
•  An independent external search consultancy 

was used for the appointment of Tony Jensen 
to the Board as a Non-Executive Director 
during the year – page 120.

•  An effective succession plan is maintained for 
Board and senior management appointments 
– pages 120-122 and 138.

•  Appointments and succession plans are based 
on merit and objective criteria, and promote 
diversity of gender, social and ethnic 
backgrounds, cognitive and personal 
strengths – pages 120-122.

Development
•  New Directors receive a thorough induction 

upon joining the Board – page 120.
•  Directors are regularly updated with 

information and training and, as a minimum, 
receive an annual briefing on legal, regulatory, 
market, and other developments that are 
relevant to directors of UK-listed companies 
– page 120.

Evaluation
•  Annual evaluation of the Board considers 
composition, diversity and how effectively 
members work together to achieve objectives 
– page 123.

•  Individual evaluation forms part of the annual 
Board evaluation and assesses whether each 
Director continues to contribute effectively
– page 123.

•  The Board has agreed an action plan to close 

gaps identified by Board and Committee 
effectiveness reviews – page 123.

•  An internally facilitated Board and Committee 
effectiveness review was conducted in 2020 
– page 123.

Re-election
•  All Directors stand for annual re-election 

– page 112.

Audit, risk, and internal control
Governance
•  The Board has established formal and 

transparent policies and procedures to ensure 
the independence and effectiveness of internal 
and external audit functions and to satisfy itself 
on the integrity of financial and narrative 
statements – pages 124-128 and 155.

Financial and business reporting
•  The Board considers that the Annual Report 

presents a fair, balanced, and understandable 
assessment of the Company’s position and 
prospects – page 155.

Risk and internal control
•  The Board has established procedures to 
manage risk, oversee the internal control 
framework, and determine the nature and 
extent of the principal risks that the Company 
is willing to take in order to achieve its 
long-term strategic objectives – pages 22-30 
and 127-128.

Audit
•  All Audit and Risk Committee members 

are considered to have recent and relevant 
financial experience and have competence 
relevant to the mining industry – pages 112-114 
and 124.

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Corporate Governance

Chairman’s introduction

Developing mining 
for a better future

the medium and long term that will help us to 
continue to Develop Mining for a Better Future. 
These medium- and longer-term considerations 
included the decision to adjust the scope of the 
Los Pelambres Expansion project to enable Los 
Pelambres to increase its sea and recirculated 
water use to 95% of total consumption by 2025 
(see page 109), and monitoring key innovations 
for our long-term success including Zaldívar’s 
Chloride Leach project, the implementation of 
an autonomous haulage system at Centinela’s 
Esperanza Sur pit and the opening of Centinela’s 
remote operations centre in Antofagasta.

Stakeholder considerations and 
workforce engagement
The Board’s ability to continue to deliver 
long-term sustainable success relies on a 
detailed understanding of the views of our 
workforce and stakeholders in Chile, where our 
corporate headquarters, senior management 
team and all of our operating companies 
are located.

Mining is a long-term business and our 
relationships with our employees and 
contractors, local communities, suppliers, 
governments, customers and shareholders are 
central to our long-term success. The Group’s 
governance structures include a network of 
arrangements to ensure that the views and 
interests of stakeholders are represented in the 
boardroom and considered as part of deliberations. 
Some examples of Board decisions that were 
made during the year and how the interests of 
our stakeholders were taken into account can 
be seen on pages 108-109.

Boardroom deliberations are enhanced by an 
understanding of the practical challenges that 
exist on-site and I would normally, along with 
my fellow Directors, regularly visit the Group’s 
operations and projects. This year we sought 
alternative ways of ensuring that these 
perspectives were understood by the Board. 
This included fortnightly meetings with the 
management team between the months of April 
and September. At these meetings we monitored 
developments and supported the management 
team in addressing challenges arising from the 
COVID-19 pandemic paying particular attention 
to safety and health, people, sustainability and 
stakeholder management, project development 
and operational continuity.

Jean-Paul Luksic
Chairman

Dear Shareholders,
As highlighted in my introduction to this 
Annual Report, last year offered no shortage 
of adversity. Few years have generated such 
volatility alongside so many health, operational 
and financial challenges.

As a Board, we have responded to this adversity 
and volatility, ensuring that our deliberations and 
decisions address the immediate issues at hand 
while also taking into account the views of our 
stakeholders to ensure the Company’s 
long-term success.

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged our 
governance arrangements during the year 
and I am delighted to report they succeeded in 
continuing to facilitate effective decision making 
as we balanced flexibility in responding to the 
most severe global health crisis of our lifetimes 
with progressing important strategic initiatives.

Our purpose, strategy, culture 
and vision
Following the adoption of our purpose statement 
in 2018, we have overseen the implementation of 
the Group’s strategic framework which defines 
our strategy, culture and vision. We have continued 
to align our activities with this framework 
during the year as shown on pages 106-107. 
The Board fully embraces the important role 
that it has in setting the tone for the Group’s 
culture and promoting our core values of 
respect, responsibility for safety and health, a 
commitment to sustainability, excellence in daily 
work, innovation and forward-thinking.

Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic 
demonstrated our focus on protecting the safety 
and health of our employees, contract workers 
and local communities during our day-to-day, 
project and exploration activities during the year 
while continuing to make important decisions for 

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“The focus of our reporting is to outline how we have applied the 
principles of the Code in a way that can be meaningfully evaluated by our 
stakeholders. This highlights the particular circumstances of our Group 
and how this has influenced how we best apply the Code.”

Jean-Paul Luksic
Chairman

Regardless of the circumstances, we engage 
constantly with our workforce, and not only 
in the years when there are scheduled union 
negotiations. This open dialogue is key to 
maintaining good relations and maintaining 
the trust that has been built up between the 
Company and its employees. It is a testament to 
these relationships that wage negotiations were 
satisfactorily completed with unions at Centinela, 
Zaldívar and the Group’s Transport division 
during the year. Details of our workforce 
engagement mechanisms are on pages 110-111.

Climate change
Addressing climate change is a global issue 
and Chile is particularly vulnerable to its 
consequences. The drought that we have been 
experiencing in central Chile has affected our 
operations and the local communities, and we 
are committed to contributing to the reduction of 
the global problem of growing greenhouse gas 
emissions and water scarcity by reducing our 
own emissions.

During the year, a climate change strategy was 
approved by the Board. As part of this strategy, 
we will take a multidisciplinary approach to 
the challenges posed by climate change, better 
co-ordinating the many initiatives, large and small, 
undertaken by our operations and projects, and 
taking advantage of the synergies between them. 
Further information can be found in the 
Sustainability and Stakeholder Management 
Committee report on page 130.

During the year we also worked on the 
implementation of a programme to comply 
with the recommendations of the Task Force 
on Climate-related Disclosures (TCFD) which 
will allow us to report on the impact of climate 
change on our operations and results. We have 
reported on our progress to date on pages 54-56.

Risk management
The Board oversees a framework of prudent and 
effective internal controls and a system for the 
identification and management of risk to ensure 
the financial viability of the Group. As part of 
this process the Board decides the nature and 
extent of the significant risks the Group is willing 
to accept in achieving its strategic objectives. 
The framework provides structure to our policies 
and practices throughout the business, which 
also ensures that the Board can focus on the 
most appropriate issues.

– external risks, and updates to the Company’s 
Climate Change and Project Execution risk 
appetite statements.

Further details can be found on pages 22-23 
and 125-128.

Board changes and succession planning
Succession and diversity planning is a key area 
of focus for the Board.

We were delighted to appoint Tony Jensen 
to the Board on 13 March 2020 and he was 
subsequently elected by shareholders at the 
2020 AGM. Tony’s extensive industry experience 
in the USA and Chile combined with his recent 
and relevant financial experience has already 
been, and will continue to be, of great benefit 
to the Company. He joined the Audit and Risk 
Committee from the date of his appointment 
to the Board and also joined the Remuneration 
and Talent Management, and Sustainability and 
Stakeholder Management Committees during 
the year.

In anticipation of the retirement of Tim Baker 
from the Board at the 2020 AGM, Vivianne 
Blanlot joined the Nomination and Governance 
Committee in February and stood down from 
the Audit and Risk Committee during the year in 
line with the Board’s policy that Directors should 
not serve concurrently on more than three 
Committees except where this is a temporary 
arrangement as part of the Board’s 
succession plan.

Ramón Jara also joined the Sustainability and 
Stakeholder Management Committee during 
the year.

In monitoring the Board’s succession plans, 
the Board has also carefully considered the 
independence of all Directors and is satisfied 
that Ollie Oliveira continues to be independent 
notwithstanding that the ninth anniversary of his 
appointment was in October 2020. In reaching 
this conclusion, the Board has taken into account:

•  the entirely Non-Executive composition of 
the Board which is designed to promote 
independent oversight and constructive 
challenge of management;

•  that there are no circumstances that are 
likely to impair, or (other than his tenure) 
circumstances that could appear to impair, 
Mr Oliveira’s independence;

•  that Mr Oliveira’s character and the manner 

•  that in accordance with the Board and 

Committee succession plan, Mr. Oliveira will be 
handing over the roles of Senior Independent 
Director and Audit and Risk Committee 
Chairman to an Independent Non-Executive 
Director in the coming months – a transition 
of roles that was due to take place before 
the 2021 AGM but was delayed due to 
the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the meantime, Mr Oliveira will continue in 
these roles and will offer himself for re-election 
as an Independent Non-Executive Director at the 
2021 Annual General Meeting. No other factors 
set out in Code Provision 10 apply to the 
Company’s Independent Directors.

The Board has met the Parker Review target 
and the Board’s Nomination and Governance 
Committee continues to work with an 
independent external search consultancy to 
identify potential female candidates that could 
provide an important contribution to the Board 
in the future and the Board intends to make a 
further appointment before the Company’s 2022 
AGM. Further details on the Board’s diversity 
policy can be found on pages 120-122.

Shareholder engagement
Our 2020 AGM was held behind closed doors to 
ensure that the UK Government’s compulsory 
measures at the time, which prohibited public 
gatherings of more than two people, were 
complied with. Nevertheless the Board and 
Committee Chairs engaged with shareholders 
through the Company Secretary in relation to 
the Company’s AGM resolutions and governance 
arrangements in the lead up to the 2020 AGM 
and shareholders were provided the opportunity 
to ask questions ahead of the 2020 AGM which 
were responded to on our website. Nevertheless, 
the circumstances at the time prevented 
engagement between the Board and 
shareholders in the usual way.

This year we will be implementing arrangements 
to ensure that shareholders are provided with 
an opportunity to engage with the Board 
through electronic means and I encourage 
all shareholders to take advantage of this 
opportunity. Further details are included 
in the Company’s 2021 Notice of Annual 
General Meeting.

Along with my fellow Directors, I look forward to 
engaging with you at the Annual General Meeting.

An update of the Company’s risk appetite 
statements was approved by the Board during 
the year and included one new risk category 

in which he performs his role clearly 
demonstrate independent thought and 
judgement; and

Jean-Paul Luksic
Chairman

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Corporate Governance

Senior Independent Director’s introduction

Ensuring balance

navigating the challenges arising from the 
COVID-19 pandemic.

Q. What impact does the 

controlling shareholding 
have on Company decisions?
The Luksic family first acquired an interest in 
the Company over 40 years ago. Since then, 
the Company has demonstrated an excellent 
track record in terms of safety, operational 
expertise and financial strength.

First as an Independent Director and 
now as the Senior Independent Director, 
I have discussed the role of the controlling 
shareholders with other shareholders, proxy 
advisers and policy makers. The widely held 
view is that the substantial controlling interest 
is regarded positively, with shareholders 
satisfied that the interests of the controlling 
shareholder are aligned with theirs, and are 
appreciative of the understanding of the 
copper price cycle and market fundamentals 
of the members of the Luksic family who 
serve on the Board, long-term vision of the 
industry, and the Company’s well-known 
conservative operating, financial and 
growth strategy.

Their support is, of course, conditional 
on the continuation of the current 
corporate governance framework, 
which rigorously protects the interests 
of all shareholders equally.

I, and all the Independent Directors, 
place a strong emphasis on maintaining 
this governance and protection regime. 
We guard our independence and preside over 
a framework and processes that go beyond 
the regulatory norm. We are supported and 
encouraged by the other Directors who – like 
the Independent Directors – bring their own 
perspectives and opinions and are committed 
to the long-term sustainable success of 
the Company.

The controlling shareholders, and the 
members of the Luksic family who serve 
on the Board (including the Chairman), are 
not just supportive of this framework but 
also actively encourage the Independent 
Directors to provide the independent input 
and challenge that we are convinced proves 
indispensable in Board decision-making.

Ollie Oliveira
Senior Independent Director

Ollie Oliveira
Senior Independent Director

Q. What are your responsibilities 

“My role is to ensure that the 
Chairman, the Board, and the 
management team receive a 
balanced view of issues that are 
relevant and important for our 
shareholders. This role has 
been particularly important this 
year when the Company has 
had to carefully balance the 
needs of all of the Company’s 
stakeholders in navigating 
the challenges arising from 
the COVID-19 pandemic.”

as Senior Independent Director?
I am appointed by the Board to act as a 
sounding board for the Chairman and to 
ensure that the views of the other Directors 
are conveyed to the Chairman and that the 
views (and especially any concerns) of 
shareholders are passed on to the Board. 
My role is to support the Chairman on several 
levels. I advise him on corporate governance 
matters. I seek to ensure that the issues that 
are especially important to the independent 
Non-Executive Directors are reflected in 
Board discussions. I lead the annual review 
of the Chairman’s performance and follow 
up on the closure of gaps identified in internal 
and externally facilitated reviews of Board and 
Committees’ performance. Most importantly, 
I provide feedback on issues that matter to 
the Company’s shareholders.

I live and am based in the UK, close to many 
shareholders, directors at other UK-listed 
companies and advisers, and I am senior 
independent director at another large 
FTSE-listed mining company and director of 
a large global mining investment trust, which 
help me ensure that the Chairman, the Board 
and the management team receive a balanced 
view of issues that are relevant and important 
for our shareholders. This role has been 
particularly important this year when the 
Company has had to carefully balance the 
needs of all the Company’s stakeholders in 

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Related party governance in practice
There are several checks and balances to ensure 
that there is full transparency in the way that 
related party transactions are handled by the 
Board. The following diagram summarises the 
approach taken to identify and manage related 
party transactions and actual or potential 
conflicts of interest.

Relationship agreement
The E. Abaroa Foundation is a controlling 
shareholder of the Company for the purposes of 
the Listing Rules and certain other shareholders of 
the Company (including Aureberg Establishment) 
are also treated as controlling shareholders. Details 
of the Company’s substantial shareholders are set 
out on page 154.

In 2014, the Company entered into relationship 
agreements in respect of each controlling 
shareholder, which contain the mandatory 
independence provisions required by the Listing 
Rules. The Company has complied with, and, so 
far as the Directors are aware, during 2020, 
each controlling shareholder and its associates 
(including Metalinvest Establishment and 
Kupferberg Establishment) also complied 
with the mandatory independence 
provisions throughout the year.

Related party transactions
Certain related party transactions outside the 
ordinary course of business must be subject 
to independent assessment and approval. The 
Company has for many years presented all such 
related party transactions between the Company 
and the controlling shareholders or their associates 
to a committee of Directors independent from 
the controlling shareholders, to support the 
negotiation process and ultimately to make an 
assessment as to whether the Company should 
enter into such transactions. In most cases, 
transactions of this nature will also be subject to 
independent review by third-party shareholders 
in each of the Group’s mining operations.

Any other proposed related party transaction 
over $25 million, whether or not in the ordinary 
course of business, is also tabled for Board 
approval. Any Director with a potential conflict 
or connection with the related party does not 
take part in the decision on that transaction.

Identifying Directors’ interests

Process

How this is managed

Monitoring of 
Directors’ 
interests

If a Director has an interest in any other company, the Board will normally consider 
that interest under its arrangements for authorising conflicts of interest under section 
175 of the Companies Act.

 + See page 154 for more information

Responsibility

Directors

Managing related party transactions

Process

How this is managed

Proposed 
transaction

Ongoing monitoring of Directors’ interests and the Company’s related parties 
provides information to determine if a related party approval is required for 
a proposed transaction.

Contract 
negotiation 
and verification

The Executive Committee seeks to ensure that the best possible terms are achieved 
for a proposed transaction and, where appropriate or necessary, that they are 
verified by industry benchmarking reports or independent third-party valuation 
or assessment.

If the potential transaction is between the Group and a controlling shareholder or its 
associates and is a transaction to which the UK Listing Rules related party transaction 
rules apply, a committee of Directors independent from the controlling shareholder 
and its associates is formed to oversee and support management with this process 
and to ensure compliance with the corresponding Relationship Agreement.

Responsibility

Company Secretary, 
senior management and 
the Executive Committee

Senior management and 
the Executive Committee 
and, if involving a 
controlling shareholder, 
Independent Directors

Approval by 
Independent 
Directors

Potential related party transactions outside the ordinary course of business that 
involve a controlling shareholder, or its associates, are reviewed, and if appropriate, 
approved by Directors independent from the controlling shareholders.

Independent Directors

All other potential related party transactions over $25 million, whether or not in 
the ordinary course of business, are approved by the Board. Any Director with 
a potential conflict or connection with the related party will not take part in that 
decision. Transactions within the ordinary course of business that are below 
$25 million require approval by the relevant operating company board. All of the 
operating company boards in the Mining Division have directors representing 
third party shareholders.

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Corporate Governance

Group corporate governance overview

Our structure for effective 
decision-making

Antofagasta plc Board
The Board’s role is to promote the long-term, sustainable success of the 
Company, generating value for shareholders and contributing to wider 
society. The Board has established the Company’s purpose, values, 
strategy, and risk appetite and monitors the culture of the Group 
as well as its performance against defined measures.

The schedule of matters reserved for the Board is available on the 
Company’s website at www.antofagasta.co.uk.

Key responsibilities

•  Internal controls, risk 

•  Culture
•  Strategy and management
•  Governance
•  Shareholder engagement

management, and compliance

•  Financial and 

performance reporting

•  Structure and capital
•  Approving material transactions

Board Committees

Nomination 
and Governance 

Audit
and Risk 

Sustainability 
and Stakeholder 
Management 

Projects 

Remuneration and 
Talent Management 

The Board is assisted in discharging its responsibilities by five Board 
Committees. The Board has delegated authority to these Committees 
to perform certain activities as set out in their terms of reference.

The Chair of each Committee reports to the Board following each 
Committee meeting, allowing the Board to understand and, if necessary, 
discuss matters in detail and consider the Committee’s recommendations.

The terms of reference for each Committee are available on the 
Company’s website at www.antofagasta.co.uk.

Key responsibilities

The key responsibilities of each Committee and their focus areas for 
2020 are set out on page 118.

CEO and Executive Committee

The Board has delegated day-to-day responsibility for implementing the 
Group’s strategy and fostering the corresponding organisational culture 
to the Company’s CEO, Iván Arriagada.

Mr Arriagada is not a Director of the Company but is invited to attend all 
Board and Committee meetings and is supported by the members of the 
Executive Committee, each of whom has executive responsibility for his 
or her respective function.

Mr Arriagada chairs the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee reviews significant matters and approves 
expenditure within designated authority levels.

The Executive Committee leads the annual budgeting and planning 
processes, monitors the performance of the Group’s operations and 
investments, evaluates risk, and establishes internal controls, promoting 
the sharing of best practices across the Group.

Subcommittees of the Executive Committee

Operating 
Performance Review 

Business 
Development 

Disclosure

Ethics 

Project
Steering 

The Executive Committee is assisted in its responsibilities by 
the Operating Performance Review Committee, the Business 
Development Committee, the Disclosure Committee, the Ethics 
Committee and, from time to time, Project Steering Committees.

Members of the Executive Committee also sit on the boards of 
the Group’s operating companies and report on the activities of those 
companies to the Board, Mr Arriagada and the Executive Committee.

Following the introduction of the EU Market Abuse Regulation, the 
Board adopted its current Disclosure Procedures Manual and delegated 
to the Disclosure Committee primary internal responsibility for identifying 
information that may need to be disclosed to the market and for managing 
the disclosure of such information.

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Board and Committee information flows

1. Chairman agrees agenda 
with Directors
The Chairman maintains an agenda of standing 
topics to be considered by the Board each year, 
which is then supplemented, during the year, 
with agreed key topics and events 
requiring consideration.

3. Board and Committee meetings
Each Board and Committee meeting has one 
or more short sessions without management 
present to allow Directors to set expectations 
for the meeting and to reflect on and evaluate 
the meeting’s progress. The CEO provides 
timely updates to the Board on emerging 
issues, and executives present to the 
Board and its Committees on operating 
and development matters, allowing close 
interaction between Board members and 
a wide range of executive management.

2. Papers circulated in advance 
of meetings
Materials are sent to Board and Committee 
members a week in advance of each meeting.

Each presentation has a summary sheet 
setting out the objective, background, proposal, 
justification, risk analysis and next steps. 
Materials include the CEO’s report, which 
is an open and candid summary of his views 
on evolving strategic challenges, changes in 
risk assessments and emerging issues, as 
well as the management report with detailed 
information on the Group’s performance 
against key safety, health, environmental, 
community, financial, project development 
and organisational culture indicators.

1.
Chairman 
agrees agenda 
with Directors

2.
Papers circulated 
in advance of meetings

6.
Information between 
meetings

3.
Board and 
Committee meetings

5.
Action lists prepared 
and updated as key 
actions are 
implemented

4.
Minutes prepared, 
circulated and 
approved

4. Minutes prepared, 
circulated and approved
The Company Secretary minutes all Board 
and Committee meetings, which are circulated 
and reviewed by the Board and management, 
updated as necessary, and tabled for approval.

5. Action lists prepared and updated 
as key actions are implemented
The Board and each Committee maintain their 
own action list that is reviewed at the beginning 
of each meeting to ensure that Directors’ 
enquiries and concerns are clearly identified 
and addressed in a timely manner.

6. Information between meetings
Between Board meetings, Directors receive 
flash reports with monthly and year-to-date 
production and financial results, including 
key metrics in respect of safety, health, 
environmental and community relations 
performance, ensuring that the Board is 
regularly updated on the Group’s progress. 
Occasionally, Directors may receive general 
information on the commodity markets and 
additional reports highlighting key developments 
in the Group’s exploration, projects, business 
development and innovation activities.

The Group’s management team, led by 
Iván Arriagada, performs an essential role in 
ensuring that the Board has the information 
required to make effective decisions, reporting in 
real time on the implementation of the Group’s 
strategy and the Company’s performance.

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Corporate Governance

Board activities

Strategic vision

The Board’s activities in 2020 addressed the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting 
the health and safety of the workforce and local communities while ensuring operational continuity. 
In addition, the Board provided oversight on the pursuit of the Group’s strategy, timely confronting 
critical issues and advising management in the development of strategic priorities and plans, seeking 
to align with the values of the Group and the best interests of our stakeholders.

Our strategic framework
The COVID-19 pandemic has tested not only the flexibility of our 
organisation, but also the resilience of our strategy and governance 
framework. As we have faced the daily challenges of the pandemic, 
we have strengthened our commitment to Developing Mining for a 
Better Future as the purpose that mobilises us and gives meaning to 
everything we do.

We seek to continue as an international mining company based in Chile, 
focused on copper and its by-products, known for its operating efficiency, 
creation of sustainable value, high profitability and as a preferred and 
reliable partner in the global mining industry.

We want to generate an inclusive culture, with key values shared by all. We 
have a Code of Ethics and our own way of doing things, while managing 
our risks. To achieve this, we rely on the capacity and talent of our 
workforce and our flexible organisation allows us to overcome current 
and future challenges, as shown during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Below are examples of how the Board’s activities in 2020 have furthered 
the Group’s strategy.

STRATEGY
• People
• Safety and Sustainability
• Competitiveness
• Growth
• Innovation

PURPOSE

CULTURE

Shared values 
and our own 
way of doing 
business

ORGANISATION

Organised 
to meet our 
objectives

Visio n

COVID-19 pandemic
•  Met fortnightly between March and 

September to monitor developments and 
support management in addressing challenges 
arising from the COVID-19 pandemic with 
particular focus on safety and health, people, 
sustainability and stakeholder management, 
project development and operational continuity.
•  Approved a $6 million fund to aid neighbouring 
communities including the provision of health 
infrastructure and medical equipment.

•  Approved a special early retirement plan for 
employees at high risk during the pandemic.

Culture
•  Monitored the performance of the operations 
and projects to understand the progress on 
developing the Group’s culture, particularly 
concerning safety and health.

•  Oversaw the continued implementation of 
the Group’s strategic framework, including 
the Group’s culture.

•  Monitored progress on the implementation of 
the Group’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. 
Reviewed the Group’s gender pay gap analysis.
•  Monitored the implementation of behavioural 
guidelines which connect specific expected 
behaviours to the Group’s culture.

•  Reviewed workforce engagement survey 
results and meetings with representatives 
of the Group’s labour unions.

Governance and engagement
•  Reviewed Board and Executive Committee 
succession plans. Each Director withdrew 
from any meeting when his or her own 
position was being considered.

•  Appointed Tony Jensen to the Board.
•  Approved changes to the membership 
of several of the Board Committees.

•  Reviewed Director independence.
•  Reviewed Directors’ conflict of 

interest declarations.

•  Reviewed and approved requests by Directors 
to undertake additional external appointments.

•  Reviewed Committees’ terms of reference.
•  Oversaw the implementation of key 

recommendations arising from the 2019 
external and 2020 internally facilitated Board 
effectiveness reviews.

•  Monitored feedback from investors and proxy 
agencies regarding the Group’s corporate 
governance arrangements.

•  Reviewed the results of a perception study 

on the views of existing and potential 
shareholders, and bank equity 
research analysts.

Internal controls, risk management 
and compliance
•  Reviewed the risk management system’s 

maturity level.

•  Reviewed principal and emerging risks and 

updated the Group’s risk appetite statements, 
which are aligned with the Group’s strategic 
pillars, approving statements for three new 
risk areas: climate change, tailings, and “black 
swan” events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
•  Reviewed and updated the Group’s risk matrix, 

materialised risks and risk mitigation.

•  Reviewed budgets for initiatives designed to 

mitigate material identified risks.

•  Reviewed half-yearly compliance reports.
•  Reviewed results of the Group’s 

whistle-blowing processes and approved 
adjustments to standardise investigations 
and add additional resources.

•  Approved changes to the Group’s compliance 

and crime prevention models.

Financial and performance reporting
•  Approved the Group’s 2019 full-year 

and 2020 half-year results and 
corresponding announcements.

•  Reviewed and approved the Group’s Human 

•  Proposed the dividends paid to shareholders 

Rights Policy.

during 2020.

•  Reviewed and approved going concern and 

viability statements.

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Our strategy is structured around five pillars each with defined 
short- and medium-term goals to enable us to achieve our purpose.

People

People are central to our business. We want our employees to feel recognised and to have the maximum opportunities for personal and professional 
growth. We seek to generate a culture of diversity and inclusion in which our employees can achieve their full potential. Our goal is to be the best 
employer in the mining industry in Chile. To achieve this, we understand the importance of creating an environment of trust and collaboration that 
looks to the long term.

•  Approved a “New Ways of Working” project to facilitate flexible on-site, 
home-based and hybrid working arrangements following the pandemic, 
with the goal of creating a more flexible and adaptable organisation.
•  Reviewed the annual talent management exercise, including succession 

•  Monitored labour relations at the Group’s mining and transport 

operations and reviewed the results of collective bargaining negotiations.
•  Monitored the implementation of behavioural guidelines which connect 

specific expected behaviours to the Group’s culture.

plans for the Executive Committee.

•  Monitored the impact of the civil unrest in Chile, including contingency 

•  Monitored progress on the implementation of the Group’s Diversity 

measures to protect the Group’s workforce.

and Inclusion Strategy.

Safety and Sustainability

The safety and health of our employees and contractors is non-negotiable. We are committed to achieving zero fatalities at our operations 
and continuing to reduce the number and seriousness of accidents and occupational health issues. We view sustainability as a source of value 
creation that is an integral part of our decision-making processes.

•  Reviewed and approved the implementation of COVID-19 
protocols aimed at protecting the Group’s workforce and 
neighbouring communities.

•  Continued to monitor the independent review of tailings dam 

safety and assessed them versus the ICMM’s standard.

•  Continued to monitor the progress of local community interactions 

•  Reviewed and monitored the Group’s safety and health performance.
•  Reviewed the Group’s compliance with environmental commitments.

at Los Pelambres.

Competitiveness

Our key focus as regards competitiveness is to achieve productivity gains through cost control and streamlining our processes.

•  Monitored results of the Group’s Cost and Competitiveness Programme, 

•  Reviewed and approved the Group’s copper concentrate and copper 

including estimated future savings.

•  Approved key procurement and sales contracts.
•  Reviewed and monitored the Group’s financial and 

operating performance.

cathode sales strategy.

•  Reviewed and approved the Company’s inaugural $500 million 
corporate bond issuance and the refinancing of its $500 million 
corporate loan.

Growth

We have a portfolio of growth projects that allows us to remain competitive and develop sustainable operations in the long term.

•  Reviewed execution progress on the Los Pelambres Expansion project.
•  Reviewed execution progress on the Zaldívar Chloride Leaching and 

•  Reviewed and approved the acquisition and divestment of mining 

properties in Chile.

Esperanza Sur projects.

•  Reviewed and approved the Group’s budget and long-term 

•  Reviewed progress on the Centinela Second Concentrator project.
•  Reviewed progress on the Twin Metals Minnesota project.
•  Reviewed development and exploration activities, including business 

development opportunities.

•  Reviewed progress on the Group’s material Environmental 

Impact Assessments.

price assumptions.

•  Reviewed and approved the base case and development case for 

the Group’s assets.

•  Reviewed and approved the Group’s 2021 budget.
•  Reviewed the Group’s reserves and resources statements.
•  Reviewed the progress of proposed legislation which could 

affect the Group.

Innovation

We innovate as a means of improving social, environmental and economic performance while, at the same time, delivering strong returns for 
our shareholders. Innovation is key to improving productivity and efficiency and promoting growth, especially in the medium and longer term.

•  Stewarded progress on the Group’s portfolio of innovation initiatives.
•  Reviewed progress on the implementation of the Group’s digital 

•  Monitored construction progress for the Zaldívar Chloride 

Leaching project.

transformation programme.

•  Reviewed and approved the purchase of an autonomous haulage 

•  Reviewed and approved Centinela’s remote operations centre project.

system for Centinela’s Esperanza Sur pit.

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Corporate Governance

Stakeholder engagement

Engaging with stakeholders to 
make decisions for a better future

The Group maintains ongoing dialogue with 
stakeholders to understand their expectations 
and concerns and these views are considered 
in the Board’s deliberations. A description of 
the Group’s key stakeholders, their importance 
to the long-term success of the Group and the 
key initiatives that are in place to recognise 
their interests and concerns is set out in detail 
within the Strategic Report on pages 34-61.

Further details on the Board’s workforce 
engagement mechanisms are set out on 
pages 110-111. Two principal 2020 Board 
decisions are explained here with an explanation 
of how the views of key stakeholders were 
taken into account.

Principal Board Decision: 
2019 Final Dividend
In May 2020, recognising the significant 
challenges and uncertainties relating to the 
spread of COVID-19 both globally and in Chile, 
the Board took the decision to revise its original 
March 2020 recommendation in respect 
of the 2019 final dividend by reducing the 
recommended dividend by 16.3 cents per share 
(or a total of $160.7 million). Although the Group 
entered the period of economic and operating 
uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 
pandemic in a strong financial position, the Board 
considered that revising the 2019 final dividend 
recommendation would preserve cash within the 
Company and balance its responsibilities towards 
all stakeholders, including the Company’s 
employees, contractors, communities, suppliers, 
customers and broader Chilean civil society. 
Although the total dividend payout for 2019 was 
equal to a 35% payout of net earnings, in line 
with the Company’s dividend policy, this decision 
was not taken lightly given the Group’s long 
history of returning surplus cash to shareholders.

Stakeholder considerations, and the factors set 
out in section 172(1), were therefore at the heart 
of the decision-making process. As part of its 
decision-making the Board had regard to the 
different interests of stakeholders but with an 
overarching focus, as required by section 172(1), 
on acting in the way that would be most likely to 
promote the success of the Company for the 
benefit of its members as a whole. Among other 
things, the likely consequences in the longer 
and near term of the decision to revise its 
recommendation in respect of the 2019 final 
dividend were key considerations for the Board.

How the Board considered, and 
had regard to, the interests of key 
stakeholders and the requirements 
of section 172(1)
The decision to revise its recommendation in 
respect of the 2019 final dividend was taken 
following extensive discussions between the 
Board and management.

•  In advance of the decision, the Board was 
regularly updated on discussions with the 
Group’s employees, contractors, communities, 
suppliers and customers to understand the 
difficulties they were facing as well as the 
impact and potential impact of the COVID-19 
pandemic on broader Chilean civil society.

•  The Board considered the rapid increase in 

the number of new COVID-19 cases in Chile in 
the period immediately preceding the Board’s 
decision, the Chilean Government’s decision 
to impose a total quarantine over the Greater 
Santiago area two days before the dividend 
was due to be approved and the additional 
uncertainty this created around the impact on 
the Company’s operations and the potential 
restriction on the ability to move its 
workforce to and from its operations.
•  The uncertainty of the medium- and 

longer-term impact of COVID-19 on the 
global economy, economic outlook and 
the Group were taken into consideration.
•  The Board considered market developments 
including the actions of other FTSE 350 
companies across different sectors.
•  The expectations of shareholders and the 

impact of any decision on them were a key 
consideration for the Board, with a view to 
balancing investor priorities given the Group’s 
strong track record of returning surplus cash to 
shareholders, with maximising cash preservation 
given the unprecedented uncertainty.

•  The sentiment of, and matters of interest 
to, employees, contract workers and local 
communities were frequently communicated 
to the Board given the paramount importance 
of health, safety, well-being and morale and 
their perception of the Company’s handling 
of the COVID-19 pandemic.

•  Updates on supplier performance were also 
taken into consideration given their vital role 
in enabling the Company to continue to 
execute its business model.

Following discussion with the Board, the 
Group also took the decision to support local 
communities in the province of Choapa and the 
Antofagasta region by establishing a $6 million 
fund to buy medical supplies and equipment 
needed by healthcare workers to fight the 
COVID-19 virus, create facilities for people to 
stay in if they needed to be quarantined, and to 
sterilise public spaces and create safe places. 
Further details can be found on pages 36 and 48.

Following the Group’s resilient performance 
in the second half of the year, the Board has 
subsequently recommended a 2020 final 
dividend of $48.5 cents per share in respect 
of the 2020 financial year. Further details 
can be found on pages 91-92 and 153.

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increase in the population and productive 
activities, brought significant water stress 
to the area.

•  In making this decision, the Board had regard 
to the need to foster the Group’s business 
relationships with suppliers, employees and 
contractors as the decision to adjust the scope 
of the project formed part of a detailed review 
of the project’s execution schedule and costs. 
These costs included costs associated with 
the restrictions due to COVID-19 following the 
project’s original suspension and restart some 
120 days later.

•  The investments proposed by Los Pelambres 

will be presented to the Chilean Environmental 
Impact Assessment System (SEIA) and will 
include consultations with local communities 
and the authorities. The progress on these 
consultations will be reported to the Board 
as they progress.

•  The planned initiatives will require significant 
investment by the Group in the province of 
Choapa over the next 10 years, estimated at 
approximately $1 billion and creating up to 
2,000 new jobs during construction. The 
Board took into consideration that working 
with the communities and authorities would 
help the region and the country overcome 
the social and economic crisis generated 
by COVID-19.

•  The expectations of shareholders and 
the impact of any decision were key 
considerations for the Board, in ensuring 
that Los Pelambres will be able to secure the 
water it requires while also advancing studies 
to extend the life of the mine beyond 2035, 
when its current environmental permits expire.

Further details can be found on pages 67 and 75.

Principal Board Decision:
Los Pelambres 
Expansion project
During the year, consistent with the Company’s 
purpose of Developing Mining for a Better Future, 
the Board oversaw a decision to adjust the scope 
of the Los Pelambres Expansion project to enable 
the future expansion of the desalination plant 
currently under construction to 800 l/s, double the 
original 400 l/s design. After more than 20 years 
of operating in the Choapa province, this change 
will pave the way for Los Pelambres to stop using 
water from the Choapa River and wells located 
nearby and increase its sea and recirculated water 
use to 95% of total consumption from 2025. Los 
Pelambres, which currently has environmental 
authorisation to extract water from the Choapa 
River until 2035, has worked for years with its 
neighbours and the authorities on the water 
management of the Choapa Valley. This work will 
continue with the aim of promoting the sustainable 
use of available water, with priority being given to 
strengthening rural drinking water systems for 
human consumption.

Stakeholder considerations, and the factors set 
out in section 172(1), were central to the decision-
making process. As part of its decision-making 
the Board had regard to the different interests 
of stakeholders but with an overarching focus, 
as required by section 172(1), on acting in the way 
that would be most likely to promote the success 
of the Company for the benefit of its members 
as a whole. Among other things, the likely 
consequences of the decision in the long term 
were key considerations for the Board.

How the Board considered, and 
had regard to, the interests of key 
stakeholders and the requirements 
of section 172(1)
The decision to adjust the scope of the Los 
Pelambres Expansion project to enable future 
expansion of the desalination plant was taken 
following extensive discussions between the 
Board and management.

•  In advance of the decision, the Board was 

regularly updated on the views of the nearby 
communities and authorities to understand 
the difficulties that they were facing relating 
to water availability in the Choapa Valley.
•  The Board also considered the changes that 

have occurred in the Choapa province and the 
region over the last 20 years, and particularly 
in the last 10 years when a persistent drought 
caused by climate change, together with the 

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109

Corporate Governance

Employee engagement 

Monitoring and understanding the 
changing views of our workforce

Mining is a long-term business and timescales 
often run into decades. Our relationships with 
our stakeholders are central to our long-term 
success and to our purpose of developing 
mining for a better future. The Group’s 
governance structures include a network 
of arrangements to ensure that the views 
and interests of stakeholders, including our 
employees and contractors, are represented 
in the boardroom and considered as part of 
the Board’s deliberations.

The Group maintains strong relations with its 
workforce based on trust, continuous dialogue 
and favourable working conditions. The Board has 
carefully considered and thoroughly reviewed the 
mechanisms that are in place to allow the Board 
to understand the views of the Group’s workforce. 
Ultimately, the Board has decided not to adopt any 
of the three workforce engagement mechanisms 
that are recommended in the Code. The Board 
considers that adopting any of these mechanisms 
would interfere with the effective, structured and 
formal combination of mechanisms that the Board 
already has in place.

The Group’s workforce comprises 23,000 
people. More than 99% are in Chile and more 
than 50% come from communities in the 
Antofagasta and Coquimbo regions, where all 
of the Group’s operating companies are located. 
Approximately 29% of the workforce are Group 
employees and 71% are contractors 
or subcontractors.

Approximately 75% of the Group’s employees 
are unionised. This number is close to 100% at 
the operator level. The Group maintains ongoing 
dialogue with labour unions and all key issues are 
raised with, and discussed by, the Remuneration 
and Talent Management Committee and the Board.

The Group has established control mechanisms 
to ensure that contractors and subcontractors, 
who are often members of their own labour 
unions, meet the Group’s standards and 
guidelines on labour, environmental, social 
and ethical matters and adopt good practices 
with regard to safe workplaces and quality 
employment. Contractors and subcontractors 
receive the same protections as the Group’s 

employees under Chilean labour law and 
the Group requires contractors to pay their 
employees ethical wages at least two thirds 
higher than Chile’s legal minimum and to provide 
other basic benefits including life and health 
insurance. These protections are reinforced 
through bank guarantees and contractors and 
subcontractors are subject to regular audits 
by independent third parties to ensure 
full compliance with these standards.

Below is a selection of the workforce 
engagement mechanisms that the Board 
currently has in place:

•  In ordinary circumstances, Directors visit 
the Group’s operations individually or in 
small groups throughout the year where 
they engage informally with the workforce. 
Impressions and views arising from these 
visits are reported to the Board and related 
questions are raised with the management 
team. Although site visits were not possible 
during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 
the Board received fortnightly updates with 

23,000

Total Group’s workforce 
approximately

99%

Are based in Chile

50%

Come from communities in the 
Antofagasta and Coquimbo regions

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“Thanks to our employees’ and contract 
workers’ resilience and innovation, the 
past 12 months were defined not by the 
unprecedented challenges we faced, but 
our responses to them.”

Jean-Paul Luksic
Chairman

a focus on the safety of employees and 
contractors between March and September 
and site visits will recommence as soon as 
conditions allow.

•  Labour relations matters and the feedback 

from labour negotiations are reported directly 
to the Board and the Remuneration and Talent 
Management Committee throughout the year 
and typically form a key part of the CEO’s 
general update to the Board.

•  The CEO, Vice President of Operations, 

Vice President of Human Resources and the 
General Managers and HR Managers of each 
relevant operation meet with unions at least 
annually to share relevant information and 
listen to concerns and suggestions, the results 
of which are shared with the Remuneration 
and Talent Committee and the Board.

•  More targeted and specific ad hoc workforce 
surveys are conducted and/or face-to-face 
focus groups are convened throughout the 
year in relation to specific areas of interest 
such as the Group’s response to the COVID-19 
pandemic and employee wellbeing, the 
Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and the 
employee value proposition. The results of 
these activities are overseen by the Executive 
Committee and reported to the Remuneration 
and Talent Management Committee and 
the Board.

•  The workforce is engaged in the design and 
development of programmes that impact 
culture or have a high impact on working 
conditions. In 2020 this resulted in the 
Board approving the implementation of the 
New Ways of Working project (see extract).

•  Group-wide employee engagement surveys 

•  The Group’s workforce is encouraged to 

are conducted every two or three years. These 
surveys are conducted by independent third 
parties on behalf of the Group and results are 
reported to the Remuneration and Talent 
Management Committee and the Board.

report any concerns to the Ethics Committee 
through the confidential whistleblowing hotline. 
Reports may be made anonymously, and all 
reports are investigated and reported to the 
Audit and Risk Committee and the Board.

New Ways of Working project
During 2019 the Remuneration and Talent 
Management Committee and the Board 
oversaw the development of a new employee 
Total Rewards Programme which was 
designed with the input of employees through 
working groups and staff surveys to enable 
the Group to provide the flexibility required 
by a changing workforce. This includes a 
flexitime system to allow employees to fit 
working hours around their individual needs, 
giving them more flexibility, particularly as 
regards shifts, and allows them to take up to 
a year off work for family or other reasons.

As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, 
fully flexible working arrangements were 
implemented simultaneously across 
the Group to meet health and safety 
requirements. The implementation of these 
arrangements demonstrated not only that 
remote and flexible working arrangements 
are feasible for the Group, but demonstrated 
increased productivity, while creating 
stronger engagement as well as supporting 
the Group’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, 
attracting talent and allowing for better 
work-life balance. The Board received 
regular feedback on views and experiences 
of employees during the pandemic through 
regular staff surveys and town hall events 
hosted by the CEO where questions were 
asked and feedback provided directly by 
employees. This feedback was used to design 
the Group’s New Ways of Working Project 
which will facilitate permanent flexible 
on-site, home-based and hybrid working 
arrangements following the pandemic, 
with the goal of creating a more flexible 
and adaptable organisation. The design 
and subsequent approval of this project 
was reviewed, overseen and approved by the 
Board. The experience of our employees will 
continue to be monitored through the use of 
surveys and town hall events during 2021.

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111

Corporate Governance

Directors’ biographies

A diverse Board with 
wide-ranging experience

Biographical details for each Director standing for re-election at the 2021 AGM are set out below. All Directors have confirmed that their other 
commitments do not prevent them from devoting sufficient time to fulfilling their roles, and the Board acknowledges that the skills and experience 
gained by the Directors from these external appointments are of benefit to the Group. Additional external appointments cannot be undertaken 
without the prior approval of the Board. The availability of Directors to attend the significant number of ad hoc informal meetings in response 
to the challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the year demonstrated that all Directors are able to devote sufficient time to 
fulfilling their roles. Ages are as at the date of the 2021 AGM.

NG

NG

Jean-Paul 
Luksic
Chairman, 56

Independent: No

AR PC

NG

PC

ST

ST

NG

AR PC

Ollie
Oliveira
Senior Independent 
Director, 69

Ramón 
Jara
Non-Executive Director, 68

PC

ST

Juan 
Claro
Non-Executive Director, 70

ST

Andrónico 
Luksic C
Non-Executive Director, 67

Independent: No

Independent: No

Independent: No

Appointed to the Board: 1990

Independent: Yes

Appointed to the Board: 2003

Appointed to the Board: 2005

Appointed to the Board: 2013

Appointed Chairman: 2004 
(Non-Executive since 2014)

Over 30 years’ experience 
with Antofagasta, including 
responsibility for overseeing 
development of the Los Pelambres 
and El Tesoro (Centinela 
Cathodes) mines

Previous roles
•  Chairman of Consejo Minero, 

the industry body representing 
the largest mining companies 
operating in Chile
•  CEO of the Group’s 
Mining division

Current positions
•  Member of the board of 

Consejo Minero

•  Non-Executive Director of 

Quiñenco SA and Quiñenco 
group listed companies Banco 
de Chile and Sociedad Matriz 
SAAM SA

•  Member of the board of 

Centro de Estudios Públicos, 
a not-for-profit academic 
foundation in Chile

Appointed to the Board: 2011

Appointed Senior Independent 
Director: 2016

Chartered accountant, 
management accountant 
and economist with over 35 years 
of strategic and operating 
experience in the mining 
industry and corporate finance

Previous roles
•  Senior executive positions 
within the Anglo American 
group, including Executive 
Director Corporate Finance and 
Head of Strategy and Business 
Development of De Beers SA
•  Director and audit committee 

chairman of Dominion 
Diamond Corporation

Current positions
•  Director, senior independent 

director, nomination committee 
chairman and audit and risk 
committee and remuneration 
committee member of 
Polymetal International plc

•  Director and audit and 

management engagement 
committee member 
of BlackRock World 
Mining Trust plc

Lawyer with considerable legal 
and commercial experience 
in Chile

Previous roles
•  Partner, Jara del Favero 

Abogados

•  Director of Empresa Nacional 

del Petróleo (ENAP)

Current positions
•  Chairman of Fundación 
Minera Los Pelambres 
(charitable foundation)
•  Director of Fundación 
Andrónico Luksic A 
(charitable foundation)
•  Member of the Advisory 

Council of Centro de Estudios 
Públicos, not-for-profit 
academic foundation in Chile
•  Member of the board of the 
Centre of Arbitration of the 
Chilean Chamber of Commerce

Extensive industrial experience 
in Chile, including an active 
role representing Chilean 
industrial interests nationally 
and internationally

Previous roles
•  Chairman of the Sociedad 

de Fomento Fabril 
(Chilean Industrial Council)
•  Chairman of the Confederación 

de la Producción y del 
Comercio (Chilean 
Business Confederation)
•  Chairman of the Consejo 
Binacional de Negocios 
Chile-China (Council for 
Bilateral Chile-China Business)

Current positions
•  Chairman of Embotelladora 
Andina SA (Coca Cola) 
and Energía Coyanco SA

•  Director of Melón SA 
and Agrosuper SA

•  Member of the board of 

Centro de Estudios Públicos, 
not-for-profit academic 
foundation in Chile

•  Country adviser, 
Goldman Sachs

Extensive experience across 
a range of business sectors 
throughout Chile, Latin America 
and Europe

Current positions
•  Chairman of Quiñenco SA 

and of Compañía Cervecerías 
Unidas SA; Vice Chairman of 
Banco de Chile and Compañía 
Sudamericana de Vapores SA, 
all of which are listed 
companies in the 
Quiñenco group

•  Director of Nexans SA, 
a company listed on 
NYSE Euronext Paris
•  Director of Sociedad 
de Fomento Fabril 
(Chilean Industrial Council)
•  Member of the International 
Business Leaders Advisory 
Council of the Mayor of 
Shanghai, the International 
Advisory Council of the 
Brookings Institution, the 
International Advisory Board of 
Barrick Gold Corporation, the 
Advisory Board of the Panama 
Canal and the Chairman’s 
International Advisory Council 
of the Council of the Americas

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Key to Committees

Antofagasta plc Directors’ Board meeting attendance1

NG

Nomination and 
Governance

AR

Audit and Risk

ST

Sustainability and 
Stakeholder Management

PC

Projects

RT

Remuneration and 
Talent Management

Chairman

Number attended

Number attended

Number attended

Jean-Paul Luksic
Ollie Oliveira
Ramón Jara
Juan Claro

10/10
10/10
10/10
10/10

Tim Baker2
Andrónico Luksic C
Vivianne Blanlot
Jorge Bande

Francisca Castro
Michael Anglin
Tony Jensen3

4/4
8/10
10/10
10/10

10/10
10/10
9/9

1.  In addition to scheduled Board meetings, the Board met fortnightly between March and September to monitor developments and 

support management in addressing the challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. All Directors attended a significant majority 
of these meetings.

2.  Tim Baker did not stand for re-election at the 2020 AGM.
3.  Tony Jensen joined the Board on 13 March 2020.

ST

AR

RT

NG

AR ST PC

AR RT

RT PC

ST RT

Vivianne 
Blanlot
Non-Executive Director, 66

NG

AR ST

Jorge 
Bande
Non-Executive Director, 68

PC

Francisca 
Castro
Non-Executive Director, 58

AR

RT

Michael 
Anglin
Non-Executive Director, 65

RT

PC

RT

Tony 
Jensen
Non-Executive Director, 59

ST

AR

Independent: Yes

Independent: Yes

Independent: Yes

Independent: Yes

Independent: Yes

Appointed to the Board: 2014

Appointed to the Board: 2014

Appointed to the Board: 2016

Appointed to the Board: 2019

Appointed to the Board: 2020

Commercial engineer with over 
25 years’ experience in industry, 
including mining, energy, finance 
and public/private infrastructure 
projects in the United States 
and Chile

Mining engineer with over 
30 years’ experience in base 
metals, including the development, 
construction and operation of 
large-scale mining operations 
in the Americas.

Previous roles
•  Vice President Operations and 
Chief Operating Officer of BHP 
Base Metals

•  Director of EmberClear Corp

Current positions
•  Chairman of SSR Mining Inc
•  Adviser to THEMAC Resources 

Group Limited
•  Director of Tulla 

Resources, Australia 

Previous roles
•  Executive Vice-President 
of Strategic Business 
at Codelco

•  General Co-ordinator of 
Concessions at Chile’s 
Ministry of Public Works
•  Held various roles within 

Chile’s Finance Ministry and the 
World Bank, Washington DC
•  Member of the independent 
Technical Panel of Chile’s 
Public Works Concessions

Current positions
•  Member of the Chilean 
Pension Funds Risk 
Classification Committee
•  Director of SalfaCorp SA
•  Director of the Fraunhofer 
Chile Research Foundation

Mining engineer with over 
35 years of mining experience 
in the United States and Chile in 
operational, financial, business 
development and management roles.

Previous roles
•  Director of Golden Star 
Resources Limited

•  President, CEO and director of 

Royal Gold Inc

•  Mine General Manager of the 

Cortez joint venture in Nevada 
and in treasury, business 
development, and a wide 
range of other operating 
roles with Placer Dome in 
the USA and Chile

Current positions
•  Director of Black 
Hills Corporation

•  Member of the University 

Advisory Board for the South 
Dakota School of Mines 
and Technology

Economist with extensive 
experience in public and private 
energy, mining, water and 
environmental sectors in Chile

Previous roles
•  Executive Director of the 
Comisión Nacional de 
Medio Ambiente (Chile’s 
Environmental Agency)

•  Undersecretary of the Comisión 
Nacional de Energía (Chile’s 
National Energy Commission)

•  Chile’s Minister of Defence
•  Director of Scotiabank Chile
•  Member of Consejo para la 

Transparencia (Transparency 
Council), the Chilean body 
responsible for enforcing 
transparency in the 
public sector

Current positions
•  Director of Empresas CMPC 

SA, a pulp, paper and 
packaging company listed 
in Chile

•  Director of Colbún SA, 
an energy company 
listed in Chile

•  Director of Instituto Chileno 

de Administración Racional de 
Empresas (ICARE), a business 
think tank in Chile

Economist with over 40 years’ 
experience in the mining, energy 
and water industries in Chile

Previous roles
•  Co-founder and Executive 

Director of Copper and Mining 
Studies CESCO, an independent 
not-for-profit think tank 
focused on mining policy issues
•  Vice President of Development 
and later director of Codelco

•  CEO of AMP Chile
•  Adviser to the World Bank
•  Member of the Global Agenda 

Council for Responsible 
Minerals Resource 
Management at the World 
Economic Forum

•  Director of Edelnor SA, 

Electroandina SA (now E-CL 
SA) and Bupa Chile SA
•  Member of the Experts 

Committee for Copper Prices 
for Chile’s Ministry of Finance

Current positions
•  Director of CESCO
•  Director of NextMinerals SA
•  Director of Circular Mining 

Company

•  Professor of the International 
Postgraduate Programme in 
Mineral Economics at the 
University of Chile

•  Member of the Advisory 
Council of the School of 
Economics and Business at the 
University of Chile

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Corporate Governance

Board balance and skills

A well-balanced 
Board

The Board comprises 10 Directors with a broad and complementary set 
of technical skills, educational and professional experience, nationalities, 
personalities, cultures and perspectives.

Board balance

Independence1

Gender diversity2

Tenure

Nationality3

1

6

8

3

7

1

3

 Chairman

Independent

 Non-Independent

2

 Male

 Female

3

2

4

 1-5 years

6-10 years

 10+ years

 Chile

USA

 UK

1.  The Board reviews the independence of Directors annually. The Board has carefully 

considered the independence of all Directors and is satisfied that Ollie Oliveira continues 
to be independent notwithstanding that the ninth anniversary of his appointment was in 
October 2020. In reaching this conclusion, the Board has taken into account:
•  the entirely Non-Executive composition of the Board which is designed to promote 

independent oversight, and constructive challenge, of management;

•  that there are no circumstances that are likely to impair, or (other than his tenure) 

circumstances that could appear to impair, Mr Oliveira’s independence;

•  that Mr Oliveira’s character and the manner in which he performs his role clearly 

demonstrate independent thought and judgement; and

•  that in accordance with the Board and Committee succession plan, Mr Oliveira will be 
handing over the roles of Senior Independent Director and Audit and Risk Committee 
Chairman to an Independent Non-Executive Director in the coming months – a 
transition of roles that was due to take place before the 2021 AGM but that was 
delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the meantime, Mr Oliveira will continue as Senior Independent Director and Audit 
and Risk Committee Chair and will offer himself for re-election as an Independent 
Non-Executive Director at the 2021 Annual General Meeting. No other factors set out 
in Code Provision 10 apply to the Company’s Independent Directors.

2.  The Board’s Nomination and Governance Committee continues to work with an 

independent external search consultancy to identify potential female candidates that 
could provide an important contribution to the Board in the future and the Board intends 
to make a further appointment before the Company’s 2022 AGM. Further details on the 
Board’s diversity policy can be found on pages 120-122.

3.  The Company has met the Parker Review target and in 2020, more than half the Board 
identified as being from an ethnic minority background according to the criteria in the 
Parker Review survey. As noted throughout this Annual Report, the Group’s footprint is 
primarily in Chile where ethnicity profiles and representation in society differ significantly 
from those in the UK. Nevertheless, the Board recognises that the mining industry is 
international and the Board therefore includes several Directors from outside Chile in 
support of its vision and strategy.

Board skills matrix

Director

Jean-Paul Luksic

Ollie Oliveira

Ramón Jara

Juan Claro

Andrónico Luksic C

Vivianne Blanlot

Jorge Bande

Francisca Castro

Michael Anglin 

Tony Jensen 

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114

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Roles in the boardroom

Board roles 
and responsibilities

The Group’s CEO, Iván Arriagada, is not a Director, which reflects law and practice in Chile1. Despite this, interaction between the Board and 
executive management is as expected between Non-Executive Directors and management in a typical UK-listed company. The Board considers 
that there are considerable benefits associated with having a Board comprising exclusively Non-Executive Directors. Not only does it provide 
a broad range of perspectives, but it also encourages robust debate with, and independent oversight of, the Group’s executive management.

Non-Executive Chairman
Jean-Paul Luksic

Leads the Board and ensures its 
effectiveness in all aspects of its duties.

•  Promotes the highest standards of integrity, 

probity and corporate governance.
•  Sets the agenda for Board meetings 
in consultation with other Directors, 
members of senior management and 
the Company Secretary.

•  Chairs meetings and ensures that there is 
adequate time for discussion of all agenda 
items, focusing on strategic, rather than 
routine, issues.

•  Promotes a culture of openness and debate 
within the Board by facilitating the effective 
contribution by all Directors.

•  Oversees Director development, induction 

and performance reviews.

•  Leads relations with shareholders.

Senior Independent Director
Ollie Oliveira

Provides a sounding board for the 
Chairman and supports the Chairman 
in the delivery of his objectives 
as required.

•  Where necessary, acts as an intermediary 

between the Chairman and the other 
members of the Board or the CEO.

•  Acts as an additional point of contact for 
shareholders, focusing on the Group’s 
governance and strategy, and gives 
shareholders an alternative means of 
raising concerns other than with the 
Chairman or senior management.

Independent Non-Executive Directors
Ollie Oliveira
Michael Anglin
Jorge Bande
Vivianne Blanlot
Francisca Castro
Tony Jensen

Ensure that no individual or small group 
of individuals can dominate the Board’s 
decision-making.

•  Meet the independence criteria set out 
in the UK Corporate Governance Code.2
•  No connection with the Group or any other 

Director which could be perceived to 
compromise independence.

•  Provide a range of outside perspectives to 
the Group and encourage robust debate 
with, and challenge of, the Group’s 
executive management.

Non-Executive Directors
Juan Claro
Ramón Jara
Andrónico Luksic C

Provide a range of outside perspectives 
to the Group and encourage robust debate 
with, and challenge of, the Group’s 
executive management.

•  The Board does not consider these 

Directors to be independent because 
they do not meet one or more of the 
independence criteria set out in the 
UK Corporate Governance Code.3

•  Ensure that no individual or small group 
of individuals can dominate the Board’s 
decision-making.

CEO
Iván Arriagada

Leads the implementation of the Group’s 
strategy set by the Board.

•  Manages the overall operations and 

resources of the Group.

•  Leads the Executive Committee and 

ensures its effectiveness in all aspects 
of its duties.

•  Provides information and makes 

recommendations to the Board regarding 
the Group’s day-to-day activities and 
long-term plans.

Executive Committee members
 + See pages 116-117 for more information

Present proposals, recommendations 
and information to the Board within 
their areas of responsibility.

•  Support the CEO in the implementation 
of the Group’s strategy set by the Board.

Company Secretary
Julian Anderson

Ensures that Directors have access to 
the information they need to perform 
their roles.

•  Provides a conduit between Board 

and Committee communications and 
a link between the Board and management.

•  Advises the Board on corporate 

governance and supports the Board in 
applying the Code and complying with 
the UK listing regime and obligations.

The division of responsibilities between the Chairman, the CEO, and the Senior Independent Director is recorded in writing and is available on the 
Company’s website at www.antofagasta.co.uk.

1.  This is consistent with practice in Chile where local law prohibits CEOs of listed companies from being directors of those companies. The CEO and CFO are invited to attend all 

Board meetings, the CEO is also invited to attend all Board Committee meetings and there is regular formal and informal dialogue between management and the Board.

2.  The Board has carefully considered the independence of all Directors and is satisfied that Ollie Oliveira continues to be independent notwithstanding that the ninth anniversary of 

his appointment was in October 2020. The factors taken into account by the Board in reaching this conclusion are set out on page 114.

3.  Ramón Jara provides advisory services to the Group. Andrónico Luksic C is the brother of Jean-Paul Luksic, the Chairman of the Company, and is Chairman of Quiñenco SA and 

Chairman or Director of Quiñenco’s other listed subsidiaries. Jean-Paul Luksic is also a Non-Executive Director of Quiñenco and some of its listed subsidiaries. Like Antofagasta plc, 
Quiñenco is controlled by a foundation in which members of the Luksic family are interested. Ramón Jara and Juan Claro have served on the Board for more than nine years from the 
date of their first election.

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Corporate Governance

Executive Committee and General Managers’ biographies

A strong and effective 
management team

Iván Arriagada
CEO appointed in 2016

BD

D

P

Mauricio Ortiz
CFO appointed in 2020

BD

E

D

P

Hernán Menares
Vice President of Operations 
appointed in 2011

OP

P

Ana María Rabagliati
Vice President of Human Resources 
appointed in 2013

E

Joined the Group in 2015
•  Commercial engineer and economist 
with over 20 years’ international 
experience in the mining, and oil 
and gas industries

Previous roles
•  Chief Financial Officer at Codelco
•  Various positions at BHP Billiton, 

including President of Pampa Norte 
(Spence and Cerro Colorado), Vice 
President Operations and Chief Financial 
Officer of the Base Metals division
•  Almost 20 years’ experience with 
Shell in Chile, the United Kingdom, 
Argentina and the United States

Joined the Group in 2015
•  Electrical engineer and two Master 

of Science degrees (Metals and Energy 
Finance and Electrical Engineering) 
with 15 years’ experience in the energy, 
mining and railway industries

Previous roles
•  General Manager at FCAB 

(Transport division)

•  Business Development Manager 

at Antofagasta Minerals

•  Finance Manager at 

Codelco – Chuquicamata

•  Business Development Principal 

at Rio Tinto plc, London

•  Various operating project roles 

at BHP Billiton

Joined the Group in 2008
•  Mining engineer and mineral economist 
with over 35 years’ experience in mining

Previous roles
•  Project Development Manager for the 

Centinela District

•  Operating and business planning roles 

at Codelco

•  Various positions at Compañía Minera 
del Pacífico and Compañía Minera 
Huasco SA

Joined the Group in 2013
•  Human resources specialist with a degree 
in Business Administration, with more than 
25 years’ experience in international 
companies across a range of industries, 
including financial services, industrial, 
and oil and gas

Previous roles
•  Corporate Human Resources Manager 

at Masisa SA

•  Country Human Resources 

Vice President at Citigroup Chile

•  Human Resources Manager at Lafarge 

Group in Chile

•  Various positions across several 

divisions and areas at Shell, including 
Human Resources Manager at Shell Oil 
Latin America’s lubricants business 

Gonzalo Sánchez
Vice President of Sales appointed 
in 2004

Francisco Walther
Vice President of Projects 
appointed in 2018

P

René Aguilar
Vice President of External 
Affairs and Sustainability 
appointed in 2017

E

P

Patricio Enei
Vice President of Legal 
appointed in 2014

E

D

P

Joined the Group in 1996
•  Civil engineer with over 25 years’ 
experience in marketing and 
metals hedging

Previous roles
•  Deputy Commercial Director, 
Antofagasta Minerals SA
•  Copper sales at Codelco

Joined the Group in 2007
•  Mining engineer with over 25 years’ 
experience in mining operations 
and engineering at open pit and 
underground mines

Previous roles
•  Corporate Project Manager 
at Antofagasta Minerals SA
•  Project Director of Reko Diq
•  Director of Codelco’s Chuquicamata 

underground mine project

•  Head of engineering for Codelco’s Mansa 

Mina (Ministro Hales) project

Joined the Group in 2017
•  Industrial psychologist with 20 years’ 

experience in mining, including 
in sustainability, safety, human 
resources and corporate affairs

Previous roles
•  Group Head of Safety at 

Anglo American plc, London

•  Vice President of Corporate Affairs 

and Sustainability at Codelco
•  Health and Safety Director at the 
International Council on Mining 
and Metals (ICMM), London

Joined the Group in 2014
•  Lawyer and MBA, with over 20 years’ 
experience in mining, including roles at 
some of the largest international copper 
companies operating in Chile

Previous roles
•  General Counsel at Codelco
•  Corporate Affairs Manager 

at Minera Escondida

•  Senior lawyer at BHP Billiton in Chile
•  Chief Legal Counsel at Minera Doña Inés 

de Collahuasi

•  Lawyer at the Instituto de Normalización 

Previsional and in private practice

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Key to Committees
OP Operating Performance 
Review Committee
BD Business Development 

Committee

E Ethics Committee

D Disclosure Committee

P Project Steering Committees

Andrónico Luksic L
Vice President of Development 
appointed in 2015

BD

Andrés Hevia
Vice President of Strategy and 
Innovation appointed in 2020

Joined the Group in 2006
•  Business administrator with 

broad mining experience in sales, 
exploration, business development 
and general management

Previous roles
•  Corporate Manager in the Mining division
•  Director, Antofagasta Minerals 

Toronto Office

Joined the Group in 2006
•  Civil mining engineer and MBA with 
over 35 years’ experience in mining

Previous roles
•  Consultant and director of various 

mining companies

•  Positions at Minera Escondida including 
Head of Planning and Development and 
Vice President of Mining

•  Various positions at Banco de Chile

•  General Manager of São Bento 

Mineração in Brazil and Vilacollo in Chile

Katherina Jenny
General Manager – 
FCAB (Transport division) appointed 
in 2019

Joined the Group in 2016
•  Mining engineer and MBA, with over

15 years’ experience in mining

Previous roles
•  Safety and Health Manager 
at Antofagasta Minerals

•  Productivity and Costs Manager 
and Safety Manager at Codelco

•  Various roles at BHP Billiton, including 

mine planning, safety and health 
and environment

Mauricio Larrain
General Manager – Los Pelambres 
appointed in 2017

Carlos Espinoza
General Manager – Centinela 
appointed in 2020

Leonardo Gonzalez
General Manager – Antucoya 
appointed in 2015

Julio César Castillo
General Manager – Zaldívar 
appointed in 2020

Joined the Group in 2017
•  Civil mining engineer and Master of 
Science (Mineral Economics) with 
over 25 years’ experience in mining

Previous roles
•  General Manager at Codelco’s 

El Teniente Division

•  Operations Manager at El Teniente
•  Mine Planning Corporate Manager 

at Codelco

•  Various positions at Codelco and 

Los Pelambres

Joined the Group in 2010
•  Civil mining engineer and MBA, with 
over 25 years’ experience in mining

Joined the Group in 2015
•  Civil mining engineer and MBA, with 

Joined the Group in 2016
•  Civil metallurgic engineer, with 25 years’ 

25 years’ experience in mining

experience in mining.

Previous roles
•  Planning and Development Manager 

at Centinela

•  Head of Mining Operations at Centinela
•  Operations Manager at Michilla
•  Planning positions at Minera Escondida 

and Minera Spence

Previous roles
•  General Manager at Zaldívar
•  Operations Manager at Zaldívar
•  Mining Superintendent at Minera Doña 

Previous roles
•  Operations Manager at Los Pelambres
•  Planning and Development Manager 

at Los Pelambres

Inés de Collahuasi

•  Planning positions at Codelco

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Corporate Governance

Introduction to the Committees

Board committees that
ensure focus

The Board’s Committees ensure that Board 
deliberations are focused on key issues and that 
proposals are submitted after specialist review, 
thorough debate, and rigorous challenge.

Each Committee provides a forum to allow the 
views and perspectives of stakeholders to be 
discussed, so that they are represented in the 
Board’s deliberations.

Nomination and Governance Committee

Key responsibilities

Focus areas for 2020

•  Corporate governance framework
•  Succession planning for the CEO 

and the Board

•  Board and Committee composition
•  Nomination to the Board
•  Board effectiveness reviews

•  Succession planning for Board 

and Committee roles

•  Board Committee composition
•  Monitoring shareholder feedback 

on Governance

+ See page 119 
for more 
information

Audit and Risk Committee

Key responsibilities

Focus areas for 2020

•  Financial reporting
•  External audit
•  Internal audit
•  Risk and internal control
•  Compliance

•  Monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 

pandemic on the Group’s internal controls, 
audit and risk management capabilities.
•  Managing the transition to a new PwC 
lead audit partner from 2020 onwards.

•  Assisting the Board with updates to 
the Group’s risk appetite assessment.

+ See page 124 
for more 
information

Sustainability and Stakeholder Management Committee

Key responsibilities

Focus areas for 2020

•  Policies and commitments
•  Safety and health
•  Community relations
•  Environmental and social matters
•  Stakeholder engagement

Projects Committee

•  Overseeing measures to protect the health 
and safety of employees, contract workers 
and local communities in response to the 
COVID-19 pandemic.

•  Endorsing key policies for the Group’s 

long-term sustainable success relating to 
tailings management, climate change, human 
rights, environmental and social matters.

+ See page 129 
for more 
information

Key responsibilities

Focus areas for 2020

•  Oversight of project standards, guidelines, 

•  Monitored progress in the execution of 

and best practices

•  Project development lifecycle matters
•  Project reviews
•  Lessons learned from completed projects

the Los Pelambres Expansion and Zaldívar 
Chloride Leach projects, including revisions 
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

•  Reviewed an updated water strategy for Los 
Pelambres including a proposal to double 
desalinated water capacity to 800 l/s.

+ See page 132 
for more 
information

Remuneration and Talent Management Committee

Key responsibilities

Focus areas for 2020

•  Remuneration governance
•  Directors’ remuneration
•  Executive remuneration
•  Group pay structures
•  Talent management and succession planning 

for the Executive Committee

•  Employee engagement
•  Talent retention
•  Diversity and inclusion

•  Determining the application of the Group’s 
executive remuneration framework in 
response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
•  Considering feedback from shareholders 

in relation to the 2020 Directors’ and CEO 
Remuneration Policy that was approved 
at the 2020 AGM.

•  Monitoring the development and endorsing 

for Board approval, the New Ways of 
Working project.

+ See page 134 
for more 
information

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Nomination and Governance Committee report

Preparing for the future

“ The Committee supports the Board in ensuring that 

effective governance structures are in place and that the 
Board and its Committees have the appropriate balance 
of skills, experience and knowledge to effectively respond 
to the challenges of the future.”

  Jean-Paul Luksic
  Chair of the Nomination and Governance Committee

•  Other regular attendees included the CEO and the Company Secretary.
•  The Committee meets as necessary and at least twice per year.
•  Except for the Chairman, all Committee members are independent.

2020 Membership and meeting attendance

Jean-Paul Luksic (Chair)
Tim Baker1
Vivianne Blanlot2
Ollie Oliveira

1.  Tim Baker did not stand for re-election at the 2020 AGM.
2.  Vivianne Blanlot joined the Committee on 1 February 2020.

Number attended

3/3
2/2
2/2
3/3

Key responsibilities
The Nomination and Governance Committee 
supports the Board in ensuring that the Group 
has effective governance structures in place 
and that the Board and its Committees are 
appropriately staffed and operate effectively. 
The Committee identifies qualified individuals 
to join the Board, recommends any changes 
to the Board and Committee composition 
and monitors an annual process to assess 
Board effectiveness.

This involves:

•  monitoring trends, initiatives and proposals 

in relation to corporate governance

•  overseeing and facilitating annual reviews 

of the Chairman, the Board, its Committees 
and individual Directors, including externally 
facilitated reviews

•  evaluating and overseeing the balance of 
skills, knowledge and experience on the 
Board and its Committees

•  monitoring the independence of Directors
•  overseeing Board succession plans and 
leading the process to identify suitable 
candidates to fill vacancies, nominating 
such candidates for approval by the Board 
and ensuring that appointments are made 
on merit and against objective criteria
•  overseeing the induction of new Directors
•  overseeing CEO succession plans

Key activities in 2020

Corporate governance
•  Monitored the fulfilment of the 
new requirements, principles 
and expectations of the Code.

Succession planning
•  Reviewed and endorsed 

detailed succession plans for 
the Board and its Committees.

•  Reviewed Directors’ 

•  Reviewed and endorsed 

declarations on potential 
conflicts of interest.
•  Reviewed requests by 
Directors to undertake 
additional appointments.
•  Reviewed the Governance 
section of the 2019 Annual 
Report and recommended 
it to the Board for approval.
•  Reviewed the 2020 Notice 

of AGM.

•  Reviewed arrangements for 
the 2020 AGM in response 
to the COVID-19 pandemic.

•  Reviewed feedback 

from investors and proxy 
advisers on the shareholder 
resolutions tabled at the 
2020 AGM.

•  Reviewed the effectiveness 
of the Group’s workforce 
engagement mechanisms.

the succession plan for the 
Senior Independent Director.
•  Reviewed updated succession 

plans for the CEO.

•  Continued to provide input to 
the Remuneration and Talent 
Management Committee in 
relation to succession plans 
for the Executive Committee 
(excluding the CEO) and the 
Group’s diversity and 
inclusion programme.

Board and Committee 
composition
•  Reviewed the independence 
of all Directors, making 
recommendations to 
the Board.

•  Monitored the global search 
carried out by Spencer 
Stuart for an Independent 
Non-Executive Director.
•  Interviewed and considered 
potential Board candidates.

•  Recommended that Tony 
Jensen be appointed to 
the Board and to the 
Audit and Risk Committee, 
and subsequently to 
the Remuneration and 
Talent Management and 
Sustainability and Stakeholder 
Management Committees.
•  Recommended that Vivianne 
Blanlot join the Nomination 
and Governance Committee 
and step down from the 
Audit and Risk Committee.
•  Recommended that Ramón 
Jara join the Sustainability 
and Stakeholder 
Management Committee.
•  Reviewed and endorsed 
updates to the Board’s 
skills matrix.

Board effectiveness reviews
•  Oversaw the implementation 
of recommendations arising 
from the 2019 external 
evaluation of Board and 
Committees’ performance.
•  Carried out the 2020 internal 
evaluation of the Board and 
Committees’ performance.

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Corporate Governance

Nomination and Governance Committee report continued

Diversity, inclusion
and succession planning

Q. What is the scope of the Board’s 

succession planning?
The Board’s succession plan is reviewed 
formally at least once per year and addresses 
Board size, Committee structure and 
composition, skills on the Board, Board and 
Committee members’ tenure, independence of 
Directors, diversity (including gender), Board 
roles, Board policies and individual succession 
plans for all Board and Committee positions. 
Succession plans include contingency plans 
in the event of an unexpected departure, 
medium-term plans for orderly replacement 
of current Board members and long-term 
plans linking strategy with the skills needed 
on the Board in the future.

Q. How does the Board identify 

desirable skills for new 
Board candidates?
The Board maintains a Board skills matrix and 
the Committee reviews the balance of skills, 
experience and expertise at least annually. 
This process enables the Board and the 
Committee to identify the desirable skills 
required of new Board candidates and 
to instruct search firms to identify the 
candidates who fit these criteria when 
making new appointments to the Board.

Q. What steps does the Committee 
take to identify and appoint 
new Directors?
The Committee discusses relevant profiles for 
future appointments and potential candidates, 
taking into account the results of Board 
effectiveness reviews, as shown on page 123, 
the Group’s vision and strategy, as shown 
on pages 18-19 and 106-107, the Board’s 
diversity policy (below) and the core 
competencies and areas of expertise on the 
Board, as shown on page 114. When making 
new appointments of Directors to the Board, 
the Committee has appointed independent 
external search consultancies, who do not 
have any connection to the Group, to assist 
with searches for Board candidates. During 
2019 and 2020 the Committee appointed 
Spencer Stuart to assist with the search for 
new independent Non-Executive Directors. 
Spencer Stuart were briefed on the skills 

and experience of the existing Directors and 
were asked to identify potential candidates 
who would best meet a number of criteria, 
including relevant experience, skills, leadership 
capabilities, contribution to Board diversity 
and whether they had sufficient time to 
devote to the role. Members of the Committee 
interviewed short-listed candidates and 
collectively selected Tony Jensen to 
be recommended to the Board for 
appointment in 2020.

Q. What support does the Company 
provide to facilitate induction and 
assist with professional 
development?
Induction
New Directors receive a thorough induction 
on joining the Board. This includes meetings 
with the Chairman, other Directors, the CEO 
and Executive Committee members; briefings 
on the Group’s strategy, UK corporate 
governance, operations, projects, and 
exploration activities; and visits to the 
Group’s operating companies.

Continuing personal development
Directors receive an annual briefing on 
governance, legal, regulatory, and market 
developments that are relevant to directors 
of UK-listed companies, complemented by 
discussions on Board-related matters.

Directors have access to, and are encouraged 
to regularly attend, round-table discussions, 
seminars and other events that cover topics 
relevant to the Group and their role.

Resources
The Company provides Directors with 
the necessary resources to maintain and 
enhance their knowledge and capabilities.

All Directors have access to management 
and to such information as they need to 
discharge their duties and responsibilities 
fully and effectively.

Directors are also entitled to seek independent 
professional advice concerning the affairs of 
the Group at the Company’s expense.

Q. What is the Board’s position in 

relation to diversity?
The Board’s Diversity and Inclusion Policy 
reflects the Board’s belief in the benefits of 
diversity and that more diverse companies 
attract and maintain the best talent and 
achieve stronger overall performance. The 
Board considers a broad definition of diversity 
when setting policies and appointing Directors, 
including gender, disability, nationality, 
educational and professional experience, 
personality type, culture and perspective.

The Committee has worked hard to ensure 
that the Board is suitably diverse according 
to these criteria. The Board reviews its 
effectiveness in meeting diversity goals 
each year as part of the annual Board 
evaluation process.

As noted throughout this Annual Report, the 
Group’s current activities are focused in Chile. 
The Company has met the Parker Review 
target and in 2020, more than half the Board 
identified as being from an ethnic minority 
background according to the criteria in the 
Parker Review survey. As noted throughout 
this Annual Report, the Group’s footprint is 
primarily in Chile where ethnicity profiles and 
representation in society differ significantly 
from those in the UK. Nevertheless the 
Board recognises that the mining industry 
is international and the Board therefore 
includes several Directors from outside 
Chile in support of its vision and strategy. 
It is important for overall Board effectiveness 
that potential candidates are proficient in 
Spanish and it is preferable for candidates 
to have relevant mining or extractive 
industry experience.

Gender diversity is a fundamental pillar of 
the Group’s diversity and inclusion strategy 
and the Board recognises and supports the 
important work performed by the Hampton-
Alexander Review in pursuing a 33% target 
for women, on FTSE 350 boards and on 
executive committees and their direct 
reports by the end of 2020.

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“The Board believes in the benefits of diversity and that 
more diverse companies attract and maintain the best 
talent and achieve stronger overall performance.”

Two of the five Board appointees since 2014 
have been women and the Board actively 
seeks to increase female representation 
beyond the current level, while ensuring that 
appointments continue to be made on merit.

As at the date of this report, there are 
two women on our Board of ten Directors. 
Vivianne Blanlot joined the Board in 2014 and 
has chaired the Board’s Sustainability and 
Stakeholder Management Committee since 
January 2017. Francisca Castro joined the 
Board in 2016 and has chaired the Board’s 
Remuneration and Talent Management 
Committee since May 2019.

The two most recent searches performed 
in 2019 and 2020 were targeted towards 
identifying candidates with mining operations 
experience (to cover the valuable skill set of 
a departing Director) and recent and relevant 
financial experience (to succession plan 
for the role of chair of the Audit and Risk 
Committee in the future). Searches were 
instructed to access the widest possible 
talent pool and as has been the case for many 
years, instructions were given to specifically 
identify potential female candidate. By way 
of example, for the most recent appointment 
in March 2020, several hundred potential 
candidates were considered as part of a 
global search, from which a short list of seven 
were interviewed, four of whom were female. 
Although it was not possible to appoint a 
female candidate for this or the previous 
appointment, the Group is committed to 
developing a pipeline of diverse talent for 
the future.

The Board’s Nomination and Governance 
Committee continues to work with an 
independent external search consultancy to 
identify potential female candidates that could 
provide an important contribution to the Board 
in the future and the Board intends to make a 
further appointment before the Company’s 
2022 AGM.

Although we were unable to meet the 
33% target by the end of the year, we are 
committed to increasing the percentage of 
women on our Board, in senior management 
positions and importantly, in the Group’s 
workforce. We believe that this will support 
the Group, the industry and Chile in achieving 
a better position to be able to increase the 
percentage of women in leadership roles.

Q. What policies are in place to 
promote a diverse pipeline 
of talent for the future?
The Group is committed to developing a 
pipeline of female talent that will serve to 
widen the pool of female candidates for Board 
and leadership positions in the future. This is 
a responsibility that the Group is leading in 
Chile, where female participation in the 
workforce remains well behind more 
developed economies such as the 
United Kingdom.

In 2019, we sponsored the creation of 
a Chilean chapter of the 30% Club, the 
campaign launched in the UK in 2010 to foster 
gender balance on companies’ boards and 
in senior management positions. To further 
promote diversity at the Executive Committee 
level and below, the current diversity and 
inclusion strategy was approved following 
an in-depth exercise to assess whether the 
Group’s then existing diversity and inclusion 
model was appropriate, which included 
interviews with stakeholders, a benchmarking 
exercise and a comprehensive review of the 
Group’s policies and processes. This review 
identified structural impediments that needed 
to be addressed to achieve a sustained 
improvement in the Group’s diversity and 
inclusion model and these issues were 
addressed in the first years following 
approval of the new strategy.

Metrics associated with the development of 
the diversity and inclusion strategy form part 
of the Group’s annual bonus plan and formal 
talent management and succession planning 
exercise and performance is assessed by 
the Remuneration and Talent Management 
Committee at the end of each year. The 
Remuneration and Talent Management 
Committee is responsible for succession 
planning for the Executive Committee which 
allows for ongoing monitoring of the impact 
of the diversity and inclusion strategy on 
appointments that are made and their 
progress within the Company, including 
at the level of those who report to the 
Executive Committee.

As part of the Diversity and Inclusion strategy, 
female senior executives have been appointed 
to the boards of all our operating companies 
and we have two women in the wider 
15-member Senior Management team; the 
General Manager of our Transport division 
and our Vice President of Human Resources.

Historically it has been difficult for the mining 
industry to attract female talent and this has 
also been the case in Chile. However, we are 
pleased to report that this is beginning to 
change and the Group has committed to 
doubling the percentage of women in the 
Group’s workforce by 2022, compared with 
the 2018 baseline and for these improvements 
to be embedded, sustained and improved 
upon from that point. The gender balance of 
the Group’s Executive Committee and direct 
reports is set out on page 43. In 2018, 8.6% 
of the Mining division’s workforce were 
women and by the end of 2020 this figure 
had increased to 14.7%, compared with 8.5% 
on average for the Chilean mining industry, 
with women in supervisory roles (the level 
immediately below management) now at 
23.4%. To track this metric, progress is 
reported monthly to the Executive Committee 
and in order to achieve this goal, we have 

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121

Corporate Governance

Nomination and Governance Committee report continued

50%

of new recruits into the Mining Division in 2020 
were female

19/20

places were filled by women on the Group’s 
‘Young Graduates’ programme to develop 
future executives

taken steps to create more opportunities for 
women to work at our operating companies 
which are our largest employers but where 
the challenge of attracting female talent has 
been particularly acute.

In our Mining division, female recruitment has 
included apprentice programmes specifically 
for women and the launch of a relief workers 
programme under which residents of local 
communities are employed to cover breaks 
during mining shift work, such as lunch 
periods. This programme provides 
opportunities mainly for women, but 
also for other residents who, for family 
reasons, are unable to work a full shift.

In our Transport division, we launched a 
programme in 2018 to incorporate women 
into maintenance roles, and this has now 
been expanded to other parts of the division.

These initiatives are producing the desired 
results. In 2020, a record 50% of new 
recruits into the Group’s Mining division were 
female, adding 356 women to our workforce. 
Apprentices account for a large share of 
this success. Of the 91 apprentices hired by 
Centinela during 2020, 87 were women and 
at Los Pelambres, all 35 apprentices in the 
mine and concentrate areas are women. 
As part of their induction, gender-specific 
coaching is being provided to the apprentices 
as well as operators and line managers at 
the sites.

A total of 19 female candidates out of 20 
places were also selected to take part in the 
Group’s Young Graduates programme, which 
is aimed at people with the potential to take on 
executive roles.

The Board will continue to monitor 
developments in 2021.

Jean-Paul Luksic
Chair of the Nomination and 
Governance Committee

We are also promoting the professional 
development of women currently working 
in both our Mining and Transport divisions. 
This has led to, for example, a 61% increase 
in the number of women in the talent pool 
since 2018, inviting more than 120 women 
to participate in coaching, leadership and 
mentoring programmes and enrolling 23 
women in the “Promociona” programme, 
a local initiative that supports women in 
reaching senior leadership positions. Similarly, 
we have also sponsored the participation of 
four of our women in the Inter-American 
Development Bank Programme that 
empowers, makes visible and strengthens 
the leadership skills of women with high 
potential in the mining industry.

Importantly, we acknowledge that culture is 
equally important in this matter and we have 
therefore implemented a set of actions and 
programmes to strengthen an inclusive 
culture that encompasses unconscious bias 
training, work-life balance measures, and 
sexual harassment and domestic violence 
prevention and information campaigns. To 
assure their inclusiveness and “no bias”, 
human resources processes, such as 
recruitment and the individual performance 
management system have been reviewed 
and adjusted.

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Board effectiveness

Board effectiveness 
review

During 2020, the Committee oversaw 
an internal evaluation of the Board and its 
Committees, focusing on the areas identified 
in the 2019 externally facilitated evaluation. 
Led by the Senior Independent Director, 
the other Directors also met without the 
Chairman present to evaluate the Chairman’s 
performance. The Chairman evaluated the 
performance of Directors and, facilitated by 
the Company Secretary, the Chairman and the 
Senior Independent Director also monitored the 
gap closure plan addressing the improvement 
areas identified in the 2019 external review.

In accordance with the Code, the Board 
undertakes an externally-facilitated effectiveness 
review at least once every three years. In 2019, 
the effectiveness review was facilitated by an 
external consultant, Clare Chalmers, who is 
independent and has no other connection with 
the Group. Ms Chalmers interviewed Directors 
and Executive Committee members who 
regularly attend Board and Committee meetings. 
She also observed a Board meeting, visited Chile 
twice and participated in a safety leadership site 
visit to Los Pelambres. The review was designed 
to recognise and raise key themes identified 
collectively by the Directors and for the Directors 
to reflect on how these themes should be 

addressed going forward. Ms Chalmers 
discussed her report initially with the Chairman 
and the Senior Independent Director and then 
presented it to the full Board in October 2019. 
Based on Ms Chalmers’ report, the Directors 
were satisfied that the Board and its 
Committees operated effectively in 2019.

Ms Chalmers highlighted the Board’s strengths 
as its diversity, the experience and balance of 
skills of the Directors, its collegiate working 
environment, and the contribution of each 
Director at meetings. The Group’s strong safety 
culture and relations with local communities 
were also highlighted as key strengths. 
Recommended opportunities for further 
improvement were also highlighted which 
formed the basis for a gap closure plan facilitated 
by the Company Secretary and monitored by the 
Chairman and the Senior Independent Director. 
At the end of 2020 an internal evaluation of 
the Board and its Committees was carried 
out to monitor progress and identify further 
opportunities for improvement using a 
targeted anonymous survey of Directors.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact 
on the Board’s activities and processes in 2020 
as meetings were held virtually from April. The 
Board and Committee meeting schedule was also 

adjusted to accommodate fortnightly Board 
update calls with management to monitor 
developments and support management in 
addressing the challenges arising from the 
COVID-19 pandemic.

In the 2020 internal Board and Committee 
effectiveness review, Directors highlighted how 
recommendations made in the 2019 external 
review had been addressed in spite of the 
challenges associated with the pandemic. They 
recommended adjustments to the standing Board 
and Committee meetings schedule to allow for 
some Board and Committee meetings to be held 
virtually following the pandemic and highlighted 
strategic topics that should be tabled for 
discussion in 2021. They also suggested 
prioritising activities such as site visits 
that should be undertaken as soon as 
circumstances allow.

A further internal Board and Committee 
effectiveness review will be undertaken in 2021 
to monitor progress, identify further opportunities 
for improvement and prepare for an externally 
facilitated review in 2022.

Jean-Paul Luksic
Chair of the Nomination and 
Governance Committee

2019

The external review focused 
on evaluating the following 
key areas:
•  Board focus and prioritisation
•  alignment of the Company’s purpose, 
strategy, values, and culture with 
its vision

•  the nature and quality of the 

information and support provided 
by management to the Board
•  the visibility of the Board within 

the organisation

•  the interests of shareholders 

and stakeholders

•  the composition of the Board and 

its Committees, including balance of 
skills, size, succession, and dynamics

•  the Chairman’s leadership 

2020

The Board focused on a number 
of areas to improve its, and its 
Committees’, effectiveness:
•  greater strategic scene-setting 

in executive summaries provided 
to the Board before Board meetings 
to ensure that appropriate time is 
spent on strategic discussions

•  the requirement for more information 

to be presented to the Board in 
relation to talent management 
and succession planning

•  continuing to keep diversity targets 
in mind regarding the appointment 
of women to Board and Executive 
Committee positions

•  paying special attention to 

emerging risks

2021

The Board will focus on a 
number of areas to improve 
its, and its Committees’, 
effectiveness:
•  increase knowledge of market 

developments and peers’ initiatives
•  continue to keep diversity targets in 
mind regarding the appointment of 
women to Board and Executive 
Committee positions

•  the need for Directors to visit each of 
the Group’s operations at least once 
a year after the lifting of COVID-19 
travel restrictions

•  complete the formal induction process 
for Tony Jensen after the lifting of 
COVID-19 travel restrictions
•  maintain some dedicated virtual 

meetings during the year

•  maintain the practice of co-ordinating 
ad hoc sessions to cover specific key 
issues that are under discussion 
during the year

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Corporate Governance

Audit and Risk Committee report

Focusing on controls 

“ The Audit and Risk Committee is focused on ensuring the 
Group has strong financial controls and risk management. 
This was particularly important in 2020 as we monitored 
the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

  Ollie Oliveira
  Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee

2020 Membership and meeting attendance

Ollie Oliveira (Chair)
Jorge Bande
Vivianne Blanlot1
Francisca Castro
Tony Jensen2

1.  Vivianne Blanlot stepped down from the Committee on 18 August 2020.
2.  Tony Jensen joined the Committee on 13 March 2020.

Number attended

•  Other regular attendees included representatives from 

6/6
6/6
5/5
6/6
5/5

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the Group’s external auditor, 
the CEO, the CFO, the Group Financial Controller, the Head of Internal 
Audit, the Head of Risk, Compliance and Internal Control, and the 
Company Secretary.

•  Committee members participate in the other Board Committees, allowing 
the Committee to consider the full spectrum of risks faced by the Group.

•  The Committee meets as necessary and at least twice a year.
•  All Committee members are independent.
•  All Committee members are considered to have recent and relevant 

financial experience.

•  The Committee as a whole has significant experience relevant to the 

mining sector.

Key responsibilities

The Audit and Risk Committee assists the 
Board in meeting its responsibilities relating 
to financial reporting and control and 
risk management. The Committee’s 
main responsibilities cover:

•  monitoring the overall financial reporting 
process, which includes responsibility for 
reviewing the year-end and half-year 
financial reports

•  overseeing the external audit process 

and managing the relationship with PwC, 
the Group’s external auditor

•  reviewing and monitoring PwC’s 
independence and objectivity

•  overseeing internal audit, including 

monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness 
of the Group’s internal audit function, plans, 
processes and findings

•  assisting the Board with its responsibilities 
in respect of risk management, including 
reviews of the Group’s risk appetite 
and key risks

•  monitoring the performance of the Group’s 
compliance and crime prevention models

Key activities in 2020

Financial reporting
•  Reviewed the 2019 year-end and 
2020 half-year financial reports, 
focusing on significant accounting 
issues relating to the Group’s results.

•  Reviewed the Group’s 2019 

reserves and resources statement 
and corresponding audits. Reviewed 
highlights of the 2020 statement.
•  Assisted the Board in ensuring that 
the 2019 Annual Report was fair, 
balanced and understandable.

•  Reviewed the 2020 going concern 
and long-term viability statements.
•  Reviewed the Group’s tax position, 
including the effective tax rate, 
recovery of tax refunds and 
tax-disallowed expenses.

External audit
•  Reviewed and approved the 

2020 audit plan, including fees.

•  Assessed the effectiveness 
of the external audit process.
•  Approved an update to the policy 

on the independence of the Group’s 
external auditors and reviewed 
PwC’s independence.

•  Monitored PwC’s audit partner 

transition plan.

•  Reviewed the key audit findings 
in respect of the 2019 audit and 
reviewed PwC’s progress reports.

Internal audit
•  Reviewed key findings from the 
internal audit reviews conducted 
during 2020.

•  Reviewed the quality, experience 
and expertise of the internal audit 
function, confirming its suitability 
to the business.

•  Agreed the scope and focus areas 
for the 2021 internal audit plan.

Risk and internal control
•  Assisted the Board with its 

assessment of the Group’s key risks 
and its review of the effectiveness 
of the risk management and 
internal control processes.

•  Assisted the Board in updating the 
Group’s risk appetite assessment, 
including the incorporation of a 
new risk area.

•  Conducted detailed reviews with 
General Managers of each of the 
Group’s operations, covering the 
operations’ key risks.

•  Reviewed the activities undertaken 
during the year to further develop 

the maturity of the Group’s 
risk management processes.

•  Reviewed the Group’s 
insurance strategy.

•  Reviewed an action plan to address 
the requirements of the Task Force 
on Climate-related Financial 
Disclosures (TCFD).

Compliance
•  Reviewed the Group’s 

whistleblowing arrangements, 
including details of the most 
significant reports and actions 
taken, along with plans to 
strengthen the function.

•  Reviewed the process to identify 
and manage Group employees’ 
potential conflicts of interest.

•  Reviewed the due diligence process 

conducted in respect of the 
Group’s suppliers.

•  Reviewed the Group’s Compliance 
model, crime prevention manual 
and reporting structure.

•  Monitored the functioning of the 
Group’s crime prevention model, 
in accordance with Chilean and 
UK anti-corruption legislation.
•  Reviewed the Committee’s terms 

of reference.

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Ensuring effective 
risk management

Q. What were the key areas of focus for 

the Committee in 2020?
As noted throughout this Annual Report, the 
COVID-19 pandemic generated a range of 
health, operational and financial challenges for 
the Group during the year. As a Committee, 
we sought to ensure that the travel and social 
distancing restrictions due to the COVID-19 
pandemic and ensuing remote working 
arrangements did not reduce the robustness 
of the external and internal audit functions, 
internal control and risk management 
capabilities and results.

In terms of financial reporting, given the 
copper price volatility during 2020, we have 
monitored the potential impact on the carrying 
value of the Group’s assets. We have also 
worked closely with PwC during the 
transition to our new lead audit partner.

With risk management, we assisted the 
Board with updating the Group’s risk appetite 
assessment, including the incorporation of a 
new risk area covering external threats with 
low probability and high consequence (the 
so called “black swan” events), as well as 
reviewing the ongoing process to further 
develop the maturity of our risk 
management processes.

Financial reporting
Q. What are the Committee’s main 

activities in respect of the Group’s 
financial reporting?
The Committee reviews the year-end financial 
statements and half-year financial reports, 
and ensures that the key accounting policies, 
estimates and judgements applied in those 
financial statements are reasonable.

We also monitor the overall financial reporting 
process to ensure it is robust and well-
controlled. This includes ensuring that the 
Group’s accounting and finance function is 
adequately resourced, with the appropriate 
segregation of duties and internal review 
processes, that the Group’s accounting 
policies and procedures are appropriate and 
clearly communicated, and that the Group’s 
accounting and consolidation systems 
operate effectively.

The Committee assists the Board in 
undertaking its assessment that the 
Annual Report is, when taken as a whole, 
fair, balanced and understandable, and 
provides the necessary information to allow 
shareholders to assess the Group’s position 

and performance, business model and 
strategy. As part of this assessment, we 
use our detailed knowledge of the Company, 
its financial results and the key accounting 
judgements applied in the financial statements 
to ensure that the tone and content of 
the narrative reporting fairly reflect 
the financial results for the year.

The Committee reviews the ore reserves and 
mineral resources statement included in the 
Annual Report and reviews the corresponding 
reserve and resource independent audits.

We also review the going concern basis 
adopted in the financial statements, as well 
as the detailed long-term viability statement 
in the Annual Report.

The Committee reviews the Group’s tax 
position, including the effective tax rate, 
the status of the recovery of tax refunds, 
tax-disallowed expenses and the impact 
of any regulatory changes.

Q. What were the significant accounting 

issues in relation to the financial 
statements considered by the 
Committee during 2020?
The main accounting issues we 
considered were:

•  Asset valuations: we have considered 

and concluded that there are no indicators 
of impairment (or reversal of previous 
impairments) at the Group’s operations. 
Accordingly, we have not performed any 
impairment reviews in respect of the 
Group’s assets at the 2020 year end. 
However, in order to assess the sensitivities 
of the indicative valuations of the Group’s 
mining operations, and to make appropriate 
disclosures within the financial statements 
in respect of this, an indicative valuation 
and sensitivity analysis has been performed. 
As part of this analysis, we considered the 
appropriate copper price forecasts to use 
in these indicative valuation models, with 
reference to the forward curve as at 
31 December 2020 and consensus analyst 
forecasts of the long-term copper price. 
We have also reviewed the key operating 
assumptions in the indicative valuation 
models. We also reviewed the additional 
sensitivity disclosures specifically 
considering the potential impact of 
climate change on the Group’s assets.

•  Hornitos disposal: we reviewed the impact 
of the Group’s agreement to dispose of its 

40% interest in the Hornitos coal-fired 
power station, which resulted in an 
impairment of the investment in 
associates’ balance.

•  COVID-19 costs: we have reviewed the 
impact of COVID-19 on the Group’s 
operating and capital expenditure.
•  Provision for decommissioning and 

restoration costs at the Group’s mining 
operations: we have reviewed updated mine 
closure provisions. These are important 
balances in terms of their value, and there is 
also a significant inherent level of estimation 
involved in the calculation of the provision 
balances, both in terms of the exact nature 
of the decommissioning and the restoration 
activities which will be required, and the 
future cost of those activities. We have 
also reviewed changes to the financial 
parameters used in calculating the 
provision balance.

•  Inventories: we have reviewed relevant 

aspects of the valuation and control over 
the Group’s inventory balances in close 
co-ordination with PwC considering the 
restrictions on travel due to COVID-19.

External audit
Q. What are the Committee’s 
activities in respect of the 
external audit process?
The Committee is responsible for overseeing 
the Company’s relationship with PwC, the 
Group’s external auditor. The Committee 
approved Simon Morley as the new lead audit 
partner and monitored the transition from 
Jason Burkitt, the previous lead audit partner, 
which has been seamless. I have been able to 
establish an effective direct relationship with 
Simon Morley.

The Committee reviews and approves the 
scope of the external audit, the terms of 
engagement and fees. The Committee 
monitors the effectiveness of the audit 
process and we are responsible for ensuring 
the independence of the external auditor. The 
Committee informs the Board of the outcome 
of the external audit and explains how the 
external audit contributes to the integrity of 
the Group’s financial reporting. We also make 
recommendations to the Board in respect of 
the appointment, reappointment, or removal 
of the external auditor. The Committee 
formally meets with PwC without 
management present at least once a year.

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Corporate Governance

Audit and Risk Committee report continued

“The Group’s integrated risk management framework 
is a key tool in ensuring and measuring optimal 
performance and driving appropriate behaviour 
across the Group.”

During 2020 we discussed in detail with PwC 
how to manage the external audit process 
considering the COVID-19 related restrictions. 
We are satisfied that PwC implemented an 
appropriate mix of remote checks and on-site 
reviews, preserving the robustness of the 
audit process.

Q. How long has PwC been the 

Group’s auditor?
PwC has been our external auditor for six 
years. We carried out a tender process during 
2014, which resulted in PwC being appointed 
with effect from 2015 onwards. In line with 
relevant regulatory guidance, we expect to 
undertake a tender process in respect of 
the external audit at least every ten years 
which would see us complete a competitive 
tender process in 2024. This will allow the 
Committee to understand the capabilities 
and coverage that external audit firms can 
offer the Company and further promote the 
independence and objectivity of the external 
auditor by establishing a fixed date for tender 
which the Committee considers to be in the 
best interests of shareholders. As noted 
above, Jason Burkitt was the lead audit 
partner for five years from 2015 to 2019, and, 
in line with normal regulatory requirements 
has now rotated off the engagement, with 
Simon Morley assuming the role as lead 
audit partner from 2020 onwards.

Q. How do you assess the effectiveness 

of the external audit process?
The Committee considered the following 
factors as part of its review of the 
effectiveness of the external audit 
process during the year:

•  the appropriateness of the proposed audit 
plan, the significant risk areas and areas 
of focus, and the effective performance 
of the audit

•  the technical skills and industry experience 
of the audit engagement partner and the 
wider audit team

•  the quality of the external auditor’s reporting 

to the Committee

•  the effectiveness of the co-ordination 

between the UK and Chilean audit teams
•  the effectiveness of the interaction and 

relationship between the Group’s 
management and the external auditor
•  feedback from management in respect of 
the effectiveness of the audit processes 
for the individual operations and the 
Group overall

•  the review of reports from the external 
auditor detailing its own internal quality 
control procedures, as well as its 
annual transparency report.

•  the review of the FRC’s annual Quality 

Inspection Report for PwC.

In light of this assessment, the Committee 
considers it appropriate that PwC be 
reappointed as external auditor.

Independence and objectivity of the 
external auditor

The Committee monitors the external 
auditor’s independence and objectivity in 
line with Group policy, which was updated 
in 2020.

New regulatory requirements apply from 
2020 onwards in respect of prohibited 
non-audit services. The FRC issued an 
updated Ethical Standard which introduces a 
“white list” of specifically-permitted services, 
with all other services prohibited. Permitted 
services relate to specific activities which are 
required by law or regulation and a limited 
number of types of review or verification 
work, such as half-year reviews, verification 
of additional information contained within 
the Annual Report or cross-referenced from 
the Annual Report and work as a reporting 
accountant on transactions or debt issues. 
The provision of non-audit services is also 
subject to a cap such that the total annual 
fees from non-audit services may not exceed 
70% of the average audit fee over the prior 
three years.

The issue of the $500 million bond in October 
2020 required the Group to engage PwC 
to act as the reporting accountant for this 
transaction, work which is effectively 
required to be performed by the Group’s 
auditor. The fees for this work were expected 
to exceed 70% of PwC UK’s average audit 
fees over the past three years (although 
it was not expected to exceed 70% of the 
average total audit fees paid to PwC in total 
over this period). Accordingly PwC requested 
a waiver from the Financial Reporting Council 
in respect of this work prior to performing 
this work, which was granted.

A breakdown of the audit and non-audit 
fees is disclosed in Note 8 to the financial 
statements. PwC has provided non-audit 
services (excluding audit-related services) 
which amounted to $352,000, or 25% of the 
fees for audit and audit-related services. This 
related to the reporting accounting work for 
the bond issuance.

In general, where the external auditor 
is selected to provide non-audit services, 
it is because it has specific expertise or 
experience in the relevant area and is 
considered to be the most suitable provider. 
The Committee has reviewed the level of 
these services in the course of the year 
and is confident that the objectivity and 
independence of the auditor are not 
impaired by such non-audit work.

The external auditor provides a report to the 
Committee at least once a year, setting out its 
firm’s policies and procedures for maintaining 
its independence.

The Committee considers that PwC remained 
independent and objective throughout 2020.

The UK regulatory requirements in respect of 
competitive audit tendering and other related 
audit committee responsibilities in respect 
of the external auditor are set out in the 
Competition & Markets Authority´s “The 
Statutory Audit Services for Large Companies 
Market Investigation (Mandatory Use of 
Competitive Tender Processes and Audit 
Committee Responsibilities) Order 2014” 
(“the Order”). The Company has complied 
with the provisions of the Order during 2020.

Internal audit
Q. What are the Committee’s main 

activities in relation to internal audit?
The Committee monitors and reviews the 
effectiveness of the Group’s internal audit 
function. The Head of Internal Audit reports 
directly to the Committee and meets us 
without management present at least 
once a year.

The Committee reviews and approves 
Internal Audit’s work plan for the coming 
year, including its focus areas as well as 
budget, headcount and other resources. 
We ensure the plan has sufficient resources 
to allow for special reviews that may be 
required during the year.

We also monitor the resources available 
to the Internal Audit team so that it has an 
appropriate mix of skills and experience 
for the Group’s businesses. Internal Audit 
utilises a mix of permanent team members, 
temporary secondees from elsewhere in the 
Group and third parties, particularly for areas 
such as IT-related reviews. The permanent 
team includes members with specific 
expertise in some of the most relevant areas 
for the Group, including mining technical 

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experience, IT, risk, compliance, internal 
control and sustainability.

Internal Audit presents to the Committee 
summaries of the key findings from the 
reviews conducted during the year and any 
actions that have been taken or proposed. 
All Internal Audit reports, when finalised, 
are distributed to Committee members.

The Committee monitors the interaction 
between Internal Audit and PwC, to ensure an 
efficient relationship between the internal and 
external audit processes, avoid duplication of 
work, and achieve effective and timely sharing 
of findings.

During 2020, Internal Audit performed most 
of its work remotely due to the COVID-19 
pandemic. The Committee monitored the 
quality of the audit work and is comfortable 
that an appropriate controls environment 
has been maintained.

Risk management and internal control
Q. What are the Committee’s main 

activities in relation to risk 
management and internal control?
The Committee plays an important role in 
assisting the Board with its responsibilities 
with regard to risk management and related 
controls. The Board has ultimate responsibility 
for overseeing the Group’s emerging and 
principal risks and its risk appetite, as well as 
maintaining adequate control systems which 
were in place throughout the year and up to 
the date of this report. The Committee’s terms 
of reference incorporate the FRC’s Guidance 
on Risk Management and Internal control and 
the Board is satisfied that the Company’s risk 
management and internal control systems 
accord with this guidance. In order to achieve 
our business objectives, internal control 
systems are designed to identify and manage, 
rather than eliminate, the risk of failure, but 
can only provide reasonable, not absolute, 
assurance against material misstatement 
or loss.

Q. What were the Committee’s main 
activities in 2020 relating to risk?
We assisted the Board with its annual update 
of the Group’s risk appetite assessment and 
assessment of emerging and principal risks. 
Emerging risks are identified through the 
reporting of events that have had an impact 
on the Group’s operations and budgets during 
the year and whether and by how much the 
risk has impeded the budget for each risk 
mitigation objective and through a bench-

marking review of emerging and principal 
risks that have been identified by our peers. 
During 2020 the Board added an additional 
risk category, covering external threats 
with low probability and high consequence 
(so-called “black swan” events) and approved 
updates to the risk appetite statements for 
Climate Change and Tailings.

The Committee reviewed the ongoing 
activities undertaken by the Group during 
the year to further develop the maturity of its 
risk management processes and to identify 
emerging risks. Key risks were updated and 
a consistency exercise was carried out at 
each of the operations. A new Enterprise Risk 
Management (ERM) system was implemented. 
Training on risk methodology and risk 
management was also carried out.

The Risk Management function presented 
to the Committee several times during the 
year on developments in the Group’s risk 
management processes and Group-level 
strategic risks. The General Managers 
of the Group’s operations presented to 
the Committee their assessments of their 
respective operations’ key potential risks, trends, 
residual risks and any significant materialised 
risks as well as operational opportunities.

The analysis of emerging and principal risks 
includes an assessment of the significance of 
the risks based on the probability of the risk 
materialising and the potential impact of the 
risk, as well as an evaluation of the quality 
of the controls in place in respect of those 
specific risks. The evaluation of the potential 
impact is not limited to economic factors 
but includes issues such as safety, health, 
environmental, regulatory, community 
and reputational issues. We also examine 
whether those risks have been increasing 
or decreasing in significance and the budget 
for each risk mitigation objective to assist 
with the identification of emerging risks. The 
General Managers present their forecasts of 
any expected change in key risks over the 
coming 12 months. If there is a specific issue 
at one of the operations that requires more 
detailed understanding, we will ask the 
General Manager to attend the next meeting 
to discuss that issue. This direct interaction 
between the Committee and the General 
Managers is extremely valuable – not just in 
terms of the direct insight into each operation 
it affords the Committee, but also in allowing 
us to emphasise the importance we attach 
to strong risk management processes. 

The Committee closely monitored the 
assessments relating to the COVID-19 
pandemic during the year.

Q. How does the Committee 

interact with the Board and 
other Committees?
I report to the Board following each 
Committee meeting, summarising the 
main matters reviewed by the Committee. 
These regular reports allow Directors 
to understand the main issues under 
consideration and, when relevant, to 
discuss them in more detail with the Board.

The Risk Management function presents 
directly to the Board, providing updates of the 
analysis of the Group’s key risks and relevant 
developments in the risk management and 
compliance processes.

We try to ensure that the review of risk by the 
Board is not compartmentalised into isolated 
sessions but is integrated into everything 
that the Board considers. To this end, the 
operating update provided by the CEO to the 
Board at each meeting covers any significant 
materialised risks and each proposal 
presented to the Board incorporates an 
analysis of its impact on the principal risks.

These processes have assisted the Board 
in carrying out a robust assessment of the 
emerging and principal risks facing the 
Company, including those that could threaten 
its business model, future performance, 
solvency, or liquidity, and to assess the 
acceptability of the level of risks that 
arise from the Group’s operations and 
development activities.

Each year the Board, with the support of the 
Committee, reviews the effectiveness of the 
Group’s risk management and internal control 
systems. The review covers all material 
controls, including financial, operating and 
compliance controls. The 2020 review 
confirmed the effectiveness of the Group’s 
risk management and internal control systems 
with no significant failures or weaknesses 
being identified.

Members of the Audit and Risk Committee 
participate on the Nomination and Governance 
Committee, the Projects Committee, the 
Remuneration and Talent Management 
Committee and the Sustainability and 
Stakeholder Management Committee, 
allowing close co-ordination between 
these Committees in considering the full 
spectrum of risks faced by the Group.

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Corporate Governance

Audit and Risk Committee report continued

Audit and Risk Committee, Board, and risk management function interaction

Board
The Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee reports to the Board following 
each Committee meeting, allowing a wider discussion of the risk and compliance 
issues reviewed in detail by the Committee. The Board also provides feedback 
on the analysis of emerging and principal risks for Board agenda items which 
is incorporated into the Board’s review of the effectiveness of the Group’s 
risk management and internal control systems.

Audit and Risk Committee
The Committee supports the Board in its review of the effectiveness of the Group’s 
risk management and internal control systems.

The risk management function provides 
regular presentations covering changes in 
the Group’s emerging and principal risks, 
major materialised risks, and updates on 
risk management and compliance processes.

Risk management function
There are detailed presentations at 
each Committee meeting covering the 
risk management process, significant 
whistleblowing reports, and updates 
on compliance processes and activities.

General Managers of the operations
General Managers are responsible for the risks relating to their operation and give 
detailed presentations to the Committee at least once a year, including on each 
operation’s emerging, principal and materialised risks.

Q. What were the Committee’s 

main activities in 2020 relating 
to compliance?
The Committee reviewed the Group’s 
whistleblowing arrangements, which 
encourage employees and contractors to 
raise concerns in confidence about possible 
improprieties or non-compliance with the 
Group’s Code of Ethics. We received regular 
reports on reported whistleblowing incidents, 
detailing the number and type of incidents, 
along with details of the most significant 
issues and the actions resulting from 
their investigation.

The Committee reviewed proposed 
adjustments to standardise investigations, 
consolidate the centralised investigation 
model by adding specialists and external 
resources, and strengthening each 
operation’s ethics committee.

Compliance
Q. What are the Committee’s 

main responsibilities relating 
to compliance?
The Committee ensures that appropriate 
compliance policies and procedures are 
observed throughout the Group. The 
risk management function makes regular 
presentations to the Committee covering 
developments in the Group’s compliance 
processes and significant compliance issues. 
Chilean law requires the Mining division’s 
holding company, Antofagasta Minerals S.A. 
and each of the operations to appoint a 
Crime Prevention Officer and the Committee 
makes recommendations regarding these 
appointments as well as monitoring and 
overseeing the performance of these roles. 
The Crime Prevention Officer for Antofagasta 
Minerals S.A. is currently Patricio Enei, the 
Legal Vice President.

The Committee receives reports from the 
risk management function in respect of 
the Group’s crime prevention model, 
in accordance with Chilean and UK 
anti-corruption legislation.

We reviewed the process to identify 
and manage Group employees’ potential 
conflicts of interest and the due diligence 
process conducted in respect of the Group’s 
suppliers. We also reviewed the Group’s 
compliance model and details of the compliance 
training undertaken by employees during the 
year. Additionally, updates to the Crime 
Prevention Manual were recommended 
to the Board for approval.

Ollie Oliveira
Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee

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Sustainability and Stakeholder Management Committee report

Helping ensure the Group’s 
policies support long-term 
sustainable success

2020 membership and meeting attendance

Vivianne Blanlot (Chair)
Jorge Bande
Juan Claro
Ramón Jara1
Tony Jensen2

1.  Ramón Jara joined the Committee on 1 February 2020.
2.  Tony Jensen joined the Committee on 18 August 2020.

Key responsibilities

•  The Sustainability and Stakeholder 
Management Committee supports 
the Board in the stewardship of the 
Group’s safety, health, environmental 
and social responsibility programmes 
and makes recommendations to the Board 
to ensure the views and interests of the 
Group’s stakeholders are considered in 
the Board’s deliberations

•  The Committee reviews the Group’s 

framework of safety, health, environmental, 
human rights and social policies, monitors 
the Group’s performance in setting and 
meeting environmental, social, safety, and 
occupational health commitments and 
provides guidance on how the Company 
should reflect the views and interests 
of stakeholders in relation to potential 
projects and other business matters

“ We have maintained continuous dialogue with our 

stakeholders during this difficult year, closely monitoring 
the safety and health of our workforce and local 
communities and responding to the specific challenges 
of the pandemic as well as long-term issues such as 
climate change and ensuring that we continue to 
create social value.”

  Vivianne Blanlot
  Chair of the Sustainability and Stakeholder Management Committee

Number attended

•  Other regular attendees included the CEO, the Vice President 

of External Affairs and Sustainability and the Company Secretary.
•  Sessions were also regularly attended by Directors who were not 

Committee members.

•  The Committee meets as necessary and at least twice per year.

7/7
7/7
6/7
6/6
4/4

Key activities in 2020

Policies and commitments
•  Reviewed the Group’s 2019 

Sustainability Reports.

•  Reviewed the environmental 
and social aspects of the 
Group’s expansion projects 
at Los Pelambres and 
Centinela, including plans 
for Environmental Impact 
Assessments and citizen 
participation processes.
•  Reviewed environmental 
matters relating to the 
Twin Metals project.

•  Endorsed a Human Rights 

Policy, which was approved 
by the Board, and reviewed 
the results of the Human 
Rights due diligence exercise.

•  Reviewed the Group’s 

Tailings Management Policy 
which is aligned with ICMM’s 
global tailings standard.

•  Reviewed a proposal for the 
Group’s mining operations 
to register with The Copper 
Mark, an assurance process 
for environmental, social 
and governance matters.
•  Reviewed the Committee’s 

terms of reference.

Safety and health
•  Reviewed the Group’s 2020 
safety and occupational 
health performance and 
strategy and plans for 2021.

•  Reviewed the Group’s 
strategy and monitored 
the effectiveness of 
protocols in response to 
the COVID-19 pandemic.
•  Monitored Group safety 
performance, including 
high-potential incidents.
•  Reviewed the 2020 report 
issued by the independent 
technical review board 
appointed to advise the 
Group on the operation of 
its tailings storage facilities. 

Community relations
•  Reviewed the Group’s 

Social Management Model.
•  Monitored the implementation 
of a $6 million community 
support fund designed to 
provide healthcare equipment, 
community initiatives and 
economic support to local 
entrepreneurs and businesses 
during the COVID-19 pandemic.

•  Reviewed the Group’s 

Communications strategy 
and monitored results 
from the Group’s 
communications activities.

Environment
•  Reviewed environmental 
management reports.
•  Reviewed environmental 
events and monitored 
mitigation steps.

•  Reviewed environmental 
commitments related to 
the historical ownership 
of the Michilla mine.

•  Reviewed and endorsed for 
Board approval the Board’s 
climate change strategy.
•  Reviewed jointly with the 
Projects Committee the 
environmental reviews 
required to address changes 
in the scope of the Los 
Pelambres Expansion project.

•  Reviewed and endorsed a 

proposal to participate in the 
XPRIZE initiative to develop 
technology to minimise 
tailings generation.

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Corporate Governance

Sustainability and Stakeholder Management Committee report continued

Safeguarding the interests 
of our stakeholders

Q. What was the Committee’s role in 
relation to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Along with the Board, the Committee 
played an important role in overseeing 
the development and implementation of the 
Group’s strategy and protocols in response to 
the pandemic and monitored results regularly. 
The protocols that were implemented were 
designed to protect the safety and health of 
our employees, contract workers and local 
communities while facilitating operational 
continuity to support the livelihoods of some 
of our key stakeholders. Procedures that 
were implemented included office staff 
working from home, designated air and land 
transport services to and from the operations, 
the implementation of social distancing 
measures, strict personal and facilities 
hygiene measures, mandatory self-
evaluations before entering the Group’s 
facilities, thorough cleaning, physical 
separation in lodging facilities, a flu 
vaccination campaign and the provision 
of safe places to stay for members of the 
workforce requiring isolation or who needed 
to be cared for. Agreements were signed 
to support PCR testing and the evolution of 
COVID-19 cases in the communities close 
to the Group’s operations continues to be 
closely monitored.

The Committee also monitored the 
implementation of a $6 million community 
support fund set up by the Group to address 
needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
This fund has been used to deliver medical 
supplies, X-ray equipment, COVID-19 
detection machines, ventilators, personal 
protective equipment and a healthcare 
programme with 1,500 beneficiaries. It 
has also been used to fund programmes 
to support educational initiatives and on-line 
digital training for over 360 teachers and to 
provide humanitarian aid to support local 
communities. The fund has also supported 
local entrepreneurs and local businesses. 
Further details are set out on pages 36 and 48.

Q. Did the pandemic compromise safety?

No, it did not. The robust processes in 
place to ensure safe operations, including 
the systematic and thorough application 
of safety standards and high levels of 
near-miss reporting for the full spectrum of 
risks continued throughout the year, resulting 

in the Group’s strongest ever safety 
performance. The Group has operated for 
over two years without a fatality. In 2020, 
the Group had 86 high-potential near miss 
incidents, 60% fewer than in 2019. The Lost 
Time Injury Frequency Rate was 0.86, 15% 
lower than in 2019. The Total Recordable 
Injury Frequency Rate was 0.63, unchanged 
compared to 2019.

Q. How does the Committee ensure 

that the Board considers the views 
and interests of stakeholders?
Committee meetings provide a forum for the 
detailed discussion of many of the key issues 
that matter to our workforce (such as safety 
and health), local communities, national and 
local governments, regulators and other 
stakeholders. These issues are identified as 
part of the risk management and community 
engagement processes and are submitted by 
management to the Committee for review. 
Communicating with our stakeholders during 
difficult times has been key to strengthening 
mutual trust and understanding. We work 
hard to understand their interests and ensure 
that they understand our ambitious safety, 
occupational health, environmental, and social 
commitments. As Chair of the Committee, 
I report to the Board following each 
Committee meeting, summarising the 
main matters reviewed by the Committee.

Q. What were the key achievements 

overseen by the Committee during 
the year?
The Board places safety and health at 
the centre of its decision-making. The 
Committee has devoted a significant part of 
the year overseeing the development and 
implementation of a strategy and protocols 
in response to the pandemic and the further 
development of the Group’s safety and 
occupational health programme and 
monitoring results as described above. 
In addition, the Committee also:

•  oversaw the development of the Group’s 

Human Rights Policy which was approved 
by the Board in 2020, and included a 
review of the results of the associated due 
diligence process. Having implemented 
this policy, the Group has fulfilled a 
commitment made when the Group 
joined the ICMM

•  reviewed a Tailings Management 
Policy, aligned with ICMM’s global 
tailings standard

•  reviewed and endorsed a proposal to 

participate in the XPRIZE initiative with 
peers to develop technology to allow 
for zero waste mining in the future
•  monitored the performance of the 

Social Management Model implemented 
in 2019 at both the Mining and Transport 
divisions, which introduced standards for 
engagement, management of initiatives, 
management of social risks and 
impact measurement of projects 
and programmes

•  oversaw the management of 

environmental matters related to the 
Group’s projects, including the Los 
Pelambres Expansion project, Zaldívar’s 
Chloride Leach project, the Twin Metals 
project in Minnesota, and other expansion 
projects at Los Pelambres and Centinela
•  reviewed the Group’s communications 

strategy, which included the results of a 
perception study on the views of existing 
and potential shareholders, and bank 
equity research analysts

All of these subjects will further strengthen 
our ability to achieve long-term sustainable 
success and our purpose of developing 
mining for a better future.

Q. How did the Committee consider 
climate change during the year?
As noted by the Chairman on page 101, 
climate change is a global issue and Chile is 
particularly vulnerable to its consequences.

The Committee assisted the Board in 
considering various climate change related 
initiatives during the year, including reviewing 
and endorsing the Group’s climate change 
strategy which takes a multidisciplinary 
approach to the challenges posed by climate 
change, better coordinating the many 
initiatives, large and small, undertaken by our 
operations and projects, and taking advantage 
of the synergies between them. The strategy 
is based on five pillars: climate resilience 
development, greenhouse gas (GHG) 
emissions management, strategic resources, 
environmental and biodiversity management 
and integration of stakeholders, and addresses 
the sustainable development goals as set out 
on pages 38-39.

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“The Committee plays a key role in monitoring the 
Group’s safety, occupational health, environmental and 
social responsibility programmes, while ensuring that 
stakeholders’ views and interests are considered as 
part of the Board’s deliberations.”

A number of the initiatives reviewed and 
endorsed by the Committee during the year 
included commitments and activities in 
support of the Group’s climate change 
strategy including the decision of the 
Group’s mining operations to register 
with The Copper Mark, an assurance 
process for environmental, social, and 
governance matters.

This year Zaldivar became the Group’s first 
operation to be supplied by 100% renewable 
sources of energy and from 2022 the 
remaining operations will follow. This is 
a key step in our roadmap to reduce our 
CO2 emissions.

Q. How does the Committee ensure that 
the Group’s tailings facilities are safe?
The stability and safety of tailings storage 
facilities is a primary concern for many of 
our stakeholders and the Committee and 
the Board are focused on ensuring that the 
appropriate monitoring and management are 
in place to ensure that they continue to be 
stable and safe.

Chile’s location means that it experiences a 
significant amount of seismic activity and as 
a consequence there are strict regulations 
governing construction in the country. These 
regulations apply to all mining and other 
construction, including the storage facilities 
where tailings are deposited. Chilean 
standards have prohibited the construction of 
tailings storage facilities using the upstream 
method, which is commonly used in other 
countries but can pose significant safety risks. 
Current Chilean legislation also requires 
stability analysis of dam walls, a review of 
safety measures and the development of 
detailed emergency plans in the event of 
a major incident.

The Group’s governance structures are 
designed to encourage the independent 
management and monitoring of our tailings 
facilities. This includes internal teams with 
reporting lines that are not linked to the mine 
operation teams and an independent tailings 
review board that visits our tailings facilities 

regularly, assessing risks and making 
recommendations to continue to ensure 
safety. The Committee and the Board review 
these reports and challenge management on 
any recommendations that are made.

During the year, the Committee and the 
Board reviewed the 2020 report issued by 
the independent tailings review board, which 
was presented to the Committee by one of the 
members of the independent tailings review 
board, and confirmed that the Group is 
operating state of the art modern tailings 
storage facilities in accordance with 
international best practices.

The Committee and the Board receive regular 
reports on the operation of the Group’s 
tailings storage facilities and following the 
Group’s adoption of a tailings management 
policy aligned with the ICMM’s global tailings 
standard during the year, the Committee will 
monitor the implementation and compliance 
with this policy along with reports from 
management and the independent 
tailings review board from now on.

Further information on our tailings facilities, 
including the risks and the governance 
measures in place, can be found on page 51.

Q. How are community relations 

managed throughout the Group?
Dialogue with local communities is crucial 
for aligning views, preventing disputes 
and addressing concerns. To strengthen 
such dialogue, Antofagasta uses various 
engagement mechanisms, including 
conversations with members of the 
community, round tables, community 
meetings, participatory environmental 
monitoring with the community and site 
visits to the Group’s operations, as well 
as communicating through the media, 
and on websites and social networks.

The subjects and results of this engagement 
are reported to the Committee periodically 
through standalone reports and as integrated 
inputs into broader Committee discussions.

Q. What are the Committee’s priorities 

in 2021?
Our number one priority continues to be 
the safety and health of our employees, 
contractors and local communities as we 
continue to respond to the COVID-19 
pandemic. As noted above, 2020 saw 
our strongest ever safety performance, 
including no fatal accidents. We will strive 
to achieve a similar record in 2021.

The Group responded to the challenges posed 
by the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and 
the Committee will continue to ensure that 
lessons learned will continue to be applied 
in 2021.

The Committee will continue to monitor the 
implementation of the Group’s environmental 
management system at the Group’s operations.

Work is under way to achieve our greenhouse 
gases target for reduced carbon dioxide 
emissions. As I have already noted, Zaldivar 
became the Group’s first operation to be 
supplied by 100% renewable sources of 
energy during 2020 and the Group has 
contracted power supply agreements that in 
2022 will provide all of the Mining division’s 
power requirements from renewable sources 
and the Committee will continue to oversee 
the implementation of the Group’s climate 
change strategy during the year.

The Committee will continue to monitor 
the implementation of the Group’s social 
programmes and the work done with 
communities close to our operations in 
accordance with the Group’s Social 
Management Model.

Vivianne Blanlot
Chair of the Sustainability and Stakeholder 
Management Committee

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Corporate Governance

Projects Committee report

Robust project oversight

“ The Committee oversees the full project lifecycle, 

monitoring development and construction progress and 
ensuring lessons learned are applied to future proposals.”

  Ollie Oliveira
  Chair of the Projects Committee

2020 Membership and meeting attendance

Ollie Oliveira (Chair)
Michael Anglin 
Tim Baker1
Jorge Bande
Ramón Jara

1.  Tim Baker did not stand for re-election at the 2020 AGM.

Key responsibilities

•  The Projects Committee reviews all 

aspects of projects to be submitted for 
Board approval, highlighting key matters 
throughout the project development lifecycle 
for the Board’s consideration and making 
recommendations to management to ensure 
that all projects submitted to the Board are 
aligned with the Group’s strategy and 
risk appetite

•  The Committee adds an important level of 
governance and control to the evaluation 
of the Group’s projects and plays a key 
role in providing the Board with additional 
oversight of the projects portfolio. This 
includes overview of the establishment of 
project development guidelines, which draw 
from best practice, industry experience and 
lessons learned from other Group projects

Number attended

6/6
6/6
2/2
6/6
6/6

•  Other regular attendees included the CEO, the CFO, the Vice President 
of Projects, the Vice President of Operations, the Projects Finance 
Manager and the Company Secretary.

•  Sessions were also regularly attended by Directors who were not 

Committee members.

•  The Committee meets as necessary and at least twice per year.

Key activities in 2020

Policies and commitments
•  Reviewed the Group’s 

projects portfolio, including 
budgets and schedules.
•  Reviewed the Committee’s 

terms of reference.

Project reviews – 
studies phase
•  Reviewed an updated water 
strategy for Los Pelambres 
including a proposal to double 
desalinated water capacity 
to 800 l/s and incorporating 
works to allow for this 
future expansion in the Los 
Pelambres Expansion project.

•  Reviewed the draft feasibility 
study for Centinela’s Second 
Concentrator project and 
reviewed progress with 
the commitment phase 
and activities in the 
2020 work plan.

•  Reviewed studies to evaluate 
the benefits of outsourcing 
Centinela’s existing seawater 
pumping and supply system 
and to facilitate its expansion 
through a Build Own Operate 
and Transfer (BOOT) contract 
and water supply agreement.

•  Reviewed the Polo Sur 

project’s pre-feasibility study.

Project reviews – 
execution phase
•  Monitored progress in 

•  Reviewed jointly with the 

Sustainability and Stakeholder 
Management Committee 
the environmental reviews 
required to address changes 
in the scope of the Los 
Pelambres Expansion project.

•  Reviewed lessons 

learned from the execution 
of Centinela’s tailings 
deposit expansion project.
•  Reviewed the performance of 
Centinela’s molybdenum plant.

the execution of the Los 
Pelambres Expansion and 
Zaldívar Chloride Leach 
projects, including the 
temporary suspension due 
to the COVID-19 pandemic 
and subsequent restart in 
accordance with strict health 
protocols, and revised capital 
expenditure and project 
timeline estimates.

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“The Committee supports the Board by ensuring that 
the Group’s projects portfolio follows approved and 
consistent guidelines and that project execution 
decisions have been thoroughly vetted before 
being proposed for Board approval.”

Q. What is the Projects Committee’s 

Q. What were the Committee’s key 

approval authority?
The Committee is not responsible for 
approving projects – that is for the Board 
to decide. Our role is to assist the Board 
by ensuring that projects follow a standard, 
structured process with consistent analysis, 
execution and evaluation practices. The 
Committee oversees the full project lifecycle, 
from concept to start of operations, carefully 
assessing and robustly challenging investment 
proposals prior to submission to the Board, 
monitoring development and construction 
progress, and ensuring lessons learned are 
applied to future proposals. The Committee 
invites management to consider different 
perspectives, ideas and improvements to 
enhance the value of the Group’s projects, 
enabling a focused deliberation when the 
project is presented to the Board.

Q. What tools does the Committee use?
The Committee provides guidance to each 
project manager, from the early stages of 
project planning through to completion, 
to ensure that policies, strategies and the 
Group’s standard Asset Delivery System 
(ADS) implementation framework are applied.

ADS is a project management system whose 
processes and practices are widely used in 
the mining industry. ADS has standards and 
common criteria, including governance by 
a steering committee, functional quality 
assurance reviews and risk management.

In some cases, the Committee may 
recommend additional measures including 
independent peer reviews, trade-off 
studies or further analysis in relation 
to the incorporation of potential new 
technologies or processes.

activities in 2020?
COVID-19 pandemic
Responsibility for safety and health is one of 
the Group’s core values and our number one 
priority. As the COVID-19 pandemic reached 
Chile, the Group decided to suspend execution 
of the Los Pelambres Expansion project and 
delay the start of Zaldívar’s Chloride Leach 
project. Work restarted in August following 
the introduction of strict safety and health 
protocols including reducing the size of the 
workforce on-site. The Committee oversaw 
the redesign of the projects and proposed 
protocols in detail, considering the impact 
of the process on the Group’s stakeholders 
including employees, contract workers and 
local communities, The Committee also 
considered the impact on the Group’s long-term 
production profile and projects pipeline.

Los Pelambres
The Committee reviewed progress made on 
the execution of the Los Pelambres Expansion 
project including the suspension due to the 
COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent 
restart. The Committee reviewed a revised 
capital expenditure estimate and project 
timeline including revised key risks and 
mitigations, performance against budget 
and the interaction between the project team 
and the operating team at Los Pelambres.

The Committee reviewed an update on 
Los Pelambres’ water strategy to double 
capacity in the desalinating plant to 800 l/s, 
incorporating enabling works in the Los 
Pelambres Expansion project. The Committee 
also reviewed, jointly with the Sustainability 
and Stakeholder Management Committee, the 
environmental reviews required to address 
changes in the scope of the Los Pelambres 
Expansion project.

+ See pages 74-75 for more information on the 

Los Pelambres Expansion project

Centinela
The Committee reviewed the draft results of 
the feasibility study for Centinela’s Second 
Concentrator project. The Board approved 
proceeding with the next phase of the 
evaluation during the year and the Committee 
monitored its progress, including proposals 
to optimise capital expenditure. One of the 
potential opportunities would be to outsource 
Centinela’s existing sea water pumping and 

supply system with a third party to perform 
its expansion through a Build Own Operate 
and Transfer (BOOT) contract and water 
supply agreement. The Committee endorsed 
proceeding with the corresponding studies.

+ See page 76 for more information on 

Centinela’s Second Concentrator project

The Committee reviewed progress on the 
pre-feasibility study for the Polo Sur Project, 
an ore body in the Centinela Mining District.

The Committee reviewed the performance 
of Centinela’s molybdenum plant, which 
started up in 2018. Payback and economics 
will be analysed in 2021.

The Committee reviewed lessons learned 
from the execution of Centinela’s tailings 
deposit expansion.

Zaldívar
The Committee monitored the execution 
progress of Zaldívar’s Chloride Leach 
project including the delayed start due to the 
COVID-19 pandemic. The Committee reviewed 
a revised capital expenditure estimate and 
project timeline including revised key risks 
and mitigations, performance against budget 
and the interaction between the project team 
and the operating team at Zaldívar.

+ See page 76 for more information on 
Zaldívar’s Chloride Leach project

Q. What are the Committee’s priorities 

in 2021?
•  To ensure that project activity continues 
in accordance with strict safety and 
health protocols.

•  To oversee progress in the construction 
of the Los Pelambres Expansion project 
and Zaldívar’s Chloride Leach project.

•  To monitor progress in Centinela’s 
Second Concentrator project.

•  To oversee the permitting process for 

the Twin Metals project.

•  To monitor the progress of studies on the 
future expansion and supply of 800l/s of 
desalinated water to Los Pelambres.

•  To continue to review and further enhance 
the Group’s ADS framework and project 
development guidelines.

Ollie Oliveira
Chair of the Projects Committee

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Corporate Governance

Remuneration and Talent Management Committee report

Ensuring our employee value 
proposition supports long-term 
sustainable success

“The Committee ensures that the Group’s remuneration 
arrangements support our purpose and the effective 
implementation of strategy.”

Francisca Castro
Chair of the Remuneration and Talent Management Committee

2020 Membership and meeting attendance1

Number attended

•  Other regular attendees include the CEO, the Vice President of 

Francisca Castro (Chair)
Michael Anglin 
Vivianne Blanlot
Tim Baker2
Tony Jensen3

5/5
5/5
5/5
3/3
1/1

1.  The Committee also met with independent remuneration consultants Willis Towers 
Watson during the year to receive an update on global remuneration and talent 
management strategies and implementation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic 
and investor and proxy adviser feedback from the 2020 AGM.

2.  Tim Baker did not stand for re-election at the 2020 AGM.
3.  Tony Jensen joined the Committee from 18 August 2020.

Human Resources and the Company Secretary.

•  At least one Committee member serves on each of the other 

Board Committees which allows the Committee to consider strategic 
priorities and the views of all stakeholders in its deliberations.
•  The Committee meets as necessary and at least twice per year.
•  All Committee members are independent.

Key responsibilities
•  The Committee ensures that the 

Group’s remuneration arrangements 
support the Group’s purpose, the 
effective implementation of strategy 
and enable the recruitment, 
motivation, reward and retention 
of talent.

•  The Committee is responsible 
for setting the remuneration 
for the Chairman, Directors and 
the CEO and for monitoring the 
compensation strategy, level, 
structure and outcomes for 
Executive Committee members.
•  The Committee actively participates 
in the Group’s talent management 
strategy, including the review, 
consideration and implementation of 
succession plans for the Executive 
Committee (excluding the CEO).

•  The Committee also reviews 
workforce remuneration and 
related policies, including the 
diversity and inclusion policy, the 
alignment of incentives and rewards 
with the Group’s culture and the 
implementation of policy changes 
that affect the workforce as 
a whole.

Key activities in 2020

Governance
•  Reviewed the Directors’ and CEO 
Remuneration Policy and feedback 
from shareholders prior to submitting 
the Policy for approval at the 
Company’s 2020 AGM.

•  Reviewed the 2019 Directors’ and 

CEO Remuneration Report.
•  Reviewed Gender Pay Gap and 
CEO Pay Ratio figures for the 
Group (although not mandatory for 
the Group to disclose due to the 
Group’s few UK-based employees).

•  Reviewed the Committee’s terms 

of reference.

Directors’ remuneration
•  Evaluated Chairman, Director and 
Committee fees, recommending 
no changes in 2020.

•  Reviewed Ramón Jara’s service 

contract with Antofagasta Minerals 
SA, recommending no changes 
in 2020.

Executive remuneration
•  Reviewed Annual Bonus Plan and 
LTIP KPIs, including the impact of 
the COVID-19 pandemic.

•  Evaluated the CEO’s performance and 
determined the variable compensation 
payable under the 2019 Annual 
Bonus Plan.

•  Reviewed LTIP eligibility, participants 
and criteria and approved the grant of 
the 2020 awards.

•  Reviewed performance for LTIP 

awards granted in 2017 and approved 
the vesting level.

•  Reviewed Group performance 

against the 2019 Annual Bonus Plan 
performance metrics and reviewed the 
metrics to apply to the 2020 Annual 
Bonus Plan.

•  Reviewed and approved the individual 
performance of Executive Committee 
members under the 2019 Annual 
Bonus Plan.

Human resources and policy
•  Reviewed and monitored the 
implementation of the 2020 
Human Resources plan.

•  Reviewed results from the Group’s 
workforce surveys including pulse 
surveys focused on measures 
implemented to address the 
workforce challenges arising 
from the COVID-19 pandemic.

•  Reviewed progress with the 

implementation of the Diversity 
and Inclusion Strategy.

•  Monitored collective 

bargaining negotiations.

•  Reviewed a “New Ways of Working” 
project to identify on-site, home-
based, and hybrid working 
arrangements applicable to corporate 
office and operating companies’ 
employees following the COVID-19 
pandemic, in order to generate a more 
flexible and adaptable organisation.
•  Reviewed the Group’s Health and 

Life insurance policy and approved 
its renewal.

Talent management 
and succession planning
•  Reviewed the Group’s talent 
management strategy and 
succession plans for members 
of the Executive Committee.
•  Approved the implementation of 
succession plans and revisions 
to the composition of the Executive 
Committee and the appointment 
of new directors at the 
Group’s operations.

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Committee Chair’s introduction

Aligning pay with performance

Dear Shareholders,
I am delighted to present the 2020 Directors’ 
and CEO Remuneration Report.

2020 Directors’ and CEO 
Remuneration Policy
The 2020 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration 
Policy was approved by shareholders at the 
2020 Annual General Meeting on 20 May 2020 
and is available on the Company’s website at 
www.antofagasta.co.uk/media/3910/2020-
directors-and-ceo-remuneration-policy.pdf.

The CEO receives a base salary and benefits 
in line with market conditions in Chile, taking 
into consideration international comparators, 
as appropriate. He participates in the Annual 
Bonus Plan and LTIP which are designed 
to align remuneration with overall Group 
performance and promote outcomes that 
are for the long-term benefit of the Group.

Local regulations, market practice and 
remuneration structures available in Chile are a 
central consideration when structuring the CEO’s 
remuneration. While the Committee has carefully 
considered some of the features of variable 
remuneration that have evolved for UK-listed 
companies in recent years, we continue to 
maintain the structure we have applied for many 
years which includes the grant of a combination 
of restricted and performance “phantom share” 
awards under our Long Term Incentive Plan 
(LTIP) and the delivery of both the LTIP and 
annual bonus in cash. Real share awards have 
not been part of the executive remuneration 
structure for employees since the LTIP was 
first implemented a decade ago as, until recently, 
they were taxable in full at grant in Chile. Despite 
recent changes to Chilean tax laws that have 
removed this disincentive for using real shares, 
these awards continue to be uncommon in Chile. 
Our variable remuneration arrangements are 
simple, understandable and work effectively 
for our circumstances, thereby supporting 
our strategy, values and culture.

During the approval process last year, I met with 
the Company’s major shareholders and proxy 
advisers to engage and discuss the proposed 
Policy during the planning phase. It is clear that, 
above all else, the remuneration of our CEO 
is reasonable relative to his peers and I was 
pleased to engage in constructive discussions 
with investors, particularly in relation to our LTIP.

It was also valuable to understand investors’ 
perspectives on the appropriateness and balance 
of performance KPIs that should be included 
in the Annual Bonus Plan and the LTIP. For 
the 2020 Annual Bonus Plan KPIs, we included 
CO2 emission targets within the environmental 
performance KPIs, and for safety performance 
we moved away from the lost time injury 
frequency rate to a safety performance KPI 

that focuses on reducing high potential incidents 
which is a leading indicator for fatality risk.

From 2021 we will be adjusting the LTIP total 
shareholder return KPI so that shareholder 
returns are measured against the Global X 
Copper Miners ETF instead of the EMIX Global 
Mining Index. This KPI constitutes 50% of the 
LTIP and this adjustment allows for performance 
to be measured against global copper mining 
peers rather than the more general mining 
index which is biased towards bulk and 
precious metals mining companies.

The Committee will continue to take 
shareholders’ perspectives into account 
as we apply the Policy in the coming years.

As a Committee we continue to set remuneration 
policy and practices that are designed to support 
strategy and promote the long-term sustainable 
success of the Group while following the 
below principles:

•  Clarity – remuneration arrangements are 

transparent and promote effective engagement 
with shareholders and the workforce.
•  Simplicity – remuneration structures 

are uncomplicated, and their rationale and 
operation are easy to understand and consistent 
with those applicable to all employees ensuring 
they are well understood.

•  Risk – reputational and other risks from 

excessive rewards, and behavioural risks that 
can arise from target-based incentive plans, 
are identified and mitigated. The Committee 
retains discretion to adjust formulaic outcomes 
under the plans for variable remuneration.
•  Predictability – the range of possible values 
of rewards for the CEO are identified and 
explained at the time of approving the policy.
•  Proportionality – the link between individual 

awards, the delivery of strategy and the 
long-term performance of the Company 
is clear. Outcomes do not reward 
poor performance.

•  Alignment to culture – incentive schemes 

drive behaviours consistent with the 
Company’s purpose, values and strategy 
through individual performance measures 
under the Annual Bonus Plan and the KPIs 
set by the Committee for all variable incentive 
plan participants.

2020 Directors’ and CEO 
Remuneration Report
Although our CEO is not a Director of the 
Company, for a number of years we have 
voluntarily disclosed his remuneration as if 
he were and provided details throughout the 
Remuneration Report on the Group’s executive 
pay structures to allow shareholders to 
understand how these structures support 
strategy and promote long-term sustainable 
success. This year, following implementation 
of the European Shareholders’ Rights Directive II 
in 2019, these disclosures became mandatory 
and our 2020 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration 
Report describes how we have applied the 2020 
Directors’ and CEO Remuneration Policy in 2020.

As set out earlier in the Annual Report, the Group 
has had a very strong year despite the significant 
and unforeseen challenges of operating during 
a global pandemic, with the Group’s strongest 
safety performance to date, and achieving full 
year production guidance and lower cash costs 
than in 2019. Echoing the comments of our 
Chairman and CEO, the Group’s performance 
this year has been particularly impressive given 
the challenges associated with the COVID-19 
pandemic. I believe our employees and senior 
management team have worked extremely hard 
and delivered outstanding results in the face of 
this challenge.

Although the Board made a prudent decision to 
preserve cash and balance its responsibilities 
towards all stakeholders by reducing the 
recommended level of the 2019 final dividend 
(see page 108 for further information), the total 
dividend payout for 2019 remained in line with 
the Company’s dividend policy. No employees 
were furloughed during the year, there were no 
lay-offs and when the Los Pelambres Expansion 
and Zaldívar Chloride Leach projects were 
suspended during the year, the Group ensured 
that contractors’ workers received at least the 
minimum wage that the Company sets for on-site 
contractors in Chile during this period, which is 
approximately two-thirds higher than the national 
living wage in Chile. The Group did not receive 
governmental COVID-19 support offered to 
businesses facing financial challenges arising 
from the COVID-19 pandemic during the year.

The challenges raised during this year have 
provided the Committee with an opportunity to 
consider whether our approach to executive pay 
remains appropriate for our business and in line 
with regulatory and key stakeholder expectations, 
and we explain why we believe this to be the 
case throughout this report.

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135

Corporate Governance

Committee Chair’s introduction continued

Key: 
Link to strategy

People

Safety & 
sustainability

Competitiveness

Growth

Innovation

Performance and incentive 
outcomes for the year
As well as recording its strongest safety 
performance to date, the Group also achieved 
outstanding social performance results during the 
year which led to these elements of the annual 
bonus paying out at maximum. Furthermore, 
the CEO has demonstrated commitment and 
perseverance in delivering against challenging 
personal objectives which are described on 
page 146. An illustration of the outcomes is 
shown opposite.

EBITDA – 
Mining division (15%)

Copper production 
(25%)

Costs (20%)

Growth projects – 
construction execution (12%)

Exploration 
programme (4%)

Innovation (4%)

Safety – High potential 
accidents (5%)

People – Diversity and 
Inclusion strategy (5%)

Environmental 
performance (5%)

Social Performance (5%)

80%

50%

80%

45%

75%

75%

100%

90%

65%

100%

Group annual bonus outcomes
The annual bonus payable to the CEO and 
members of the Executive Committee was 70% 
attributable to Group annual bonus outcomes 
and 30% attributable to personal performance 
according to measures and targets set at the 
beginning of the year. The overall Group annual 
bonus score was 90% of maximum, taking into 
account the Group annual bonus outcomes as 
shown opposite and the adjustment applied by 
the Committee explained on page 137. 

Forecast LTIP performance 
award outcomes
The Performance Awards granted under the 
LTIP in 2018 will vest following the publication 
of the Group’s full-year results. It is currently 
anticipated that these will pay out at 98.8% 
of the maximum based on total shareholder 
return, mineral resources increase, projects 
performance and social and environmental 
performance over the three-year performance 
period. An illustration of the anticipated outcomes 
is shown opposite.

 + See page 145 for more information

The CEO’s 2020 annual bonus outcome was 93% of maximum. 

Objective

Overall Group annual 
bonus score (70%)

Personal annual 
bonus score (30%)

CEO’s overall annual 
bonus score

 + See pages 145-146 for more information

Threshold 
(0% vesting)

Target 
(50% vesting)

Maximum 
(100% vesting)

90%

100%

93%

Link to strategy

Objective

Threshold 
(0% vesting)

Target 
(50% vesting)

Maximum 
(100% vesting)

Relative total shareholder
return (50%)

Mineral resources
increase (25%)

Projects 
performance (12.5%)

Social and environmental 
performance (12.5%)

100%

100%

90.5%

100%

 + See page 149 for more information

136

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

antofagasta.co.uk

Committee decisions on outcomes
Annual Bonus
Safety and health is one of the Group’s core 
values and for a number of years the Committee 
has maintained an automatic 15% adjustment 
to the Group’s formulaic performance score 
outcome under the Annual Bonus Plan 
(downwards if there is a fatality during the year, 
and upwards if there are no fatalities during the 
year) to further align the Group’s incentives with 
this core value and our goal of zero fatalities. 
As there were no fatalities during the year, 
the Committee was delighted to endorse this 
automatic upward adjustment for the year.

As mentioned by the Chairman, the Group also 
faced significant unforeseen circumstances 
during the year arising from the COVID-19 
pandemic. The Board believes that the Group’s 
employees, led by the CEO, handled these 
circumstances in an exceptional manner, and 
therefore exercised its discretion to increase the 
formulaic outcome of the Group’s annual bonus 
performance score under the Annual Bonus 
Plan from 79.5% of the maximum to 90%. 
This upward discretion was also applied to 
the formulaic performance score outcomes for 
each of the operations, reflecting the Board’s 
appreciation of the contribution and teamwork 
of all employees in achieving this exceptional 
outcome for the year.

This is the third time in the last six years that 
the Committee has applied discretion in relation 
to the formulaic Group annual bonus outcome. In 
2015, the Committee applied discretion to reduce 
the outcome for the CEO and the Executive 
Committee due to its production substantially 
missing budget resulting in a decrease from 
35.5% of the maximum to 25%. In 2019, the 
Committee applied discretion to increase the 
Group annual bonus outcome for all employees 
including the CEO and the Executive Committee 
in recognition of their exceptional handling of 
the unforeseen civil unrest in Chile during 2019, 
resulting in an increase from 73.5% of the 
maximum to 75%.

Long-Term Incentive Plan
The anticipated level of vesting of the LTIP is 
considered appropriate in light of the Group’s 
performance over the three-year performance 
period. However, the total shareholder return 
KPI, which accounts for 50% of the LTIP 
performance award KPIs, will not vest until after 
the date of this report. Full details of the KPIs and 
anticipated vesting levels are set out on page 149.

Incentive Plan KPIs and COVID-19
As noted in the Chairman’s introduction on page 7, 
projects in execution during the year were 
suspended to protect the health and safety of our 
employees and contractors, and the communities 

near our operations and to redesign project 
execution plans to allow for the resumption of 
works in accordance with appropriate health 
protocols. The Committee adjusted the Growth 
Projects – construction execution KPIs in the 
2020 Annual Bonus Plan and the Los Pelambres 
and Zaldívar priority projects KPIs in the 2018 
LTIP Plan, which are all project milestone KPIs, 
to take into account the specific impact on the 
KPI milestones caused by the COVID-19 
pandemic.

Apart from these adjustments, which the 
Committee considered to be aligned with the 
best interests of employees, contract workers 
and local communities, and as outlined above, 
no discretion has been applied to the formulaic 
vesting outcomes under these plans.

The Committee considered that the 
remuneration policy approved by shareholders 
in 2020 operated as intended in terms of Group 
performance and quantum, taking into account 
the flexibility afforded to the Committee to apply 
its discretion.

 + See page 145 for more information

Minimum

Target

Maximum

Actual

100%

$0.61m

25%

27%

48%

$2.48m

15%

33%

52%

16%

31%

53%

$4.05m

$3.94m

FIXED PAY

ANNUAL BONUS

LTIP

 + See page 143 for more information

Single total figure outcome
The chart opposite shows the 2020 single figure 
of remuneration for the CEO compared with the 
potential level of remuneration for the CEO for 
the year applying the share price, exchange rate 
and single figure remuneration figures from the 
single figure total remuneration table on page 143. 
As noted in the single figure total remuneration 
table, Mr Arriagada received an exceptional LTIP 
grant of 325% of base salary in 2018. The 
Performance Awards granted pursuant to the 
plan are included in the amounts in the single 
figure table which has resulted in higher 
total figure scenarios compared with 2019. 
Mr Arriagada received ordinary LTIP grants 
of 200% of base salary in 2019 and 2020.

As can be seen, the majority of the CEO’s total 
remuneration package is variable pay, the outcome 
of which depends on the achievement of both 
financial and non-financial performance targets.

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137

Corporate Governance

Committee Chair’s introduction continued

Pay for performance
We are committed to ensuring that the 
remuneration received by our CEO aligns with 
the performance of the Company and reflects the 
achievement against the Group’s strategic goals.

The graph opposite compares the total 
shareholder return performance of the Company 
against the FTSE All-Share Index and the EMIX 
Global Mining Index, over the last 10 years.

 + See page 143 for more information

The Company’s total shareholder return 
performance has outperformed the EMIX Global 
Mining Index over the last 10 years, including for 
the period since the appointment of our CEO, and 
we are comfortable that he is competitively and 
appropriately incentivised to work towards the 
Group’s long-term sustainable success.

Shareholders
It is critical that the remuneration of our CEO is 
aligned with the return delivered to shareholders. 
We align the pay of our CEO in two ways. Our 
LTIP is delivered in phantom shares and is 
subject to a three-year vesting period. In addition, 
relative total shareholder return is a core 
performance measure for our LTIP, accounting 
for 50% of the total performance score, which 
means that our CEO is rewarded based on 
shareholders’ relative outperformance.

Strategic Rationale for CEO 
Remuneration Policy and 
Engagement with the Workforce
When the Committee reviews remuneration of the 
Directors and the CEO, it takes into consideration 
pay conditions across the Group. This is set in the 
context of different working environments and 
geographies and therefore is not a mechanical 
process. The Company does not have any executive 
directors and the executive pay policy that applies 
to the CEO (who is not a Director) is the same 
as the Group’s wider pay policy. This pay policy 
includes access to the same benefits and pension 
arrangements (no pension contributions are 
payable to or for employees in Chile), participation 
in the same annual bonus plan and the same merit 
based reviews of base salary on an annual basis. 
Only certain employees participate in the LTI plan, 
however this plan is the same for the CEO as for 
employee participants. As explained on page 110, 
approximately 75% of the Group’s employees are 
unionised and the number is close to 100% at the 
operator level. As a consequence, employees’ views 
are well represented. The Committee reviews 
gender pay gap and CEO pay ratio figures and a 
range of other internal and external remuneration 
comparison metrics and benchmarks when 
determining the quantum and structure of the CEO’s 
remuneration. This includes feedback received 
from shareholders and more general feedback 
received from employees on the Group’s 

31 December 2010 to 31 December 2020

200

150

100

50

0

Dec 10

Dec 11

Dec 12

Dec 13

Dec 14

Dec 15

Dec 16

Dec 17

Dec 18

Dec 19

Dec 20

Antofagasta

FTSE All-Share

EMIX Global Mining

pay policies. Further detail on the Group’s 
workforce engagement mechanisms is set out 
on pages 110-111.

During 2020 the Committee oversaw an exercise 
performed by the HR team and management to 
review the reward and remuneration structure 
of the business to review market pressures and 
business interactions and whether the current 
processes and structures should change in order 
to better meet the needs of the business. As part 
of the review the HR team sought engagement 
with employee stakeholders, through leadership 
and senior management interviews, and focus 
groups with employees from across the business 
ensuring a full range of views from our diverse 
employees were represented. As a consequence 
of this engagement, the Committee endorsed, 
for Board approval, the Group’s New Ways of 
Working project which will facilitate permanent 
flexible on-site, home-based and hybrid working 
arrangements following the pandemic with the 
goal of creating a more flexible and adaptable 
organisation. This initiative is in response to 
the demands of our office-based workforce 
and allows the Group to take advantage of the 
positive elements of the working arrangements 
that were implemented on a temporary basis 
during the year to provide a more flexible 
working pattern which will allow us to attract, 
recruit, motivate, reward and retain diverse talent 
for the future. This applies to the CEO, executives 
and employees. Further details on the project are 
set out on page 111.

Review of CEO base salary in 2021
At the beginning of 2021, the Committee and 
the Board reviewed the operation of the CEO’s 
remuneration policy taking into account the 
internal and external factors described above, the 
Group’s performance under the CEO’s leadership 
over the last five years, the Board’s current 
strategy and vision and external benchmarks, 
deciding to increase the CEO’s base salary 
(which is paid in Chilean pesos) from April 2021. 
Further information is set out on page 150.

Corporate governance
Building on the work in 2019 to align the 
Committee’s terms of reference (available on 
the Company’s website) with the 2018 Corporate 
Governance Code, the Committee received 
feedback from shareholders ahead of the 2020 
AGM and sought specialist external advice on the 
impact of COVID-19 on executive pay decisions 
during the year. The Committee has a broad 
remit, covering the Executive Committee and the 
key HR policies for the Group and the decisions 
made by the Committee during the year are 
aligned with the Company’s share price 
performance during the year.

Talent management and 
succession planning
Oversight of talent management and 
succession planning are an important part of 
the Committee’s responsibilities and directly 
relate to the Group’s ability to achieve long-term 
sustainable success. As well as reviewing 
succession plans for the Executive Committee 
during the year, with its advisers, the Committee 
reviewed market practice and considered the 
developing environment for talent and the needs 
of the business before making proposals to the 
Committee across a number of areas impacting 
the reward and talent proposition for employees. 
The proposals sought to continue to maximise 
value and increase the overall employee 
experience and ensure that the Group remains 
a world class employer attracting and retaining 
the best mining talent to succeed.

I hope that this report demonstrates the 
importance that we place on transparency of the 
decisions we make and how they are arrived at 
and I look forward to meeting shareholders at 
our AGM, even if only virtually, when I will be 
available to answer questions.

Francisca Castro
Chair of the Remuneration and Talent 
Management Committee

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2020 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration Report

2020 Directors’ and CEO 
Remuneration Report

Statement of shareholder voting
The tables below show the voting results on the 
2019 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration Report 
and 2020 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration 
Policy at the 2020 AGM:

Resolution to approve 
the 2019 Directors’ and 
CEO Remuneration Report

Votes for

Votes against

Votes cast as a percentage 
of issued share capital
Votes withheld

1,066,559,474
98.64%
14,695,976
1.36%

91.18%
1,344,538

Resolution to approve the 2020 
Directors’ and CEO Remuneration Policy

Votes for

Votes against

Votes cast as a percentage 
of issued share capital
Votes withheld

1,062,750,494
98.17%
19,832,684
1.83%

91.29%
16,811

The considerable vote in favour of both the 
2019 Directors’ Remuneration Report and 
2020 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration 
Policy confirms the strong support received 
from shareholders for the Group’s 
remuneration arrangements.

Review of remuneration ahead of 
the 2021 AGM
As noted in the Chair of the Remuneration and 
Talent Management Committee’s statement, the 
implementation of the European Shareholders’ 
Rights Directive II required disclosure of 
the remuneration policy for the CEO for the 
first time in 2019. This policy was approved 
by shareholders at the 2020 Annual General 
Meeting on 20 May 2020 and is available on the 
Company’s website at www.antofagasta.co.uk/
media/3910/2020-directors-and-ceo-
remuneration-policy.pdf.

In the spirit of transparency with our 
shareholders and for the purposes of providing 
shareholders with an opportunity to review and 
comment on the Company’s pay arrangements, 
we have disclosed the CEO’s remuneration on a 
voluntary basis for a number of years prior to it 
becoming mandatory from this year.

This section of the Report therefore provides 
information on:

The CEO’s pay comprises the following 
main elements:

•  Fixed pay – base salary of $663,908 (as at 
31 December 2020) and benefits including 
amounts paid to maintain life and health 
insurance policies. According to Chilean 
law, all employees are required to pay 
their own pension contribution and therefore 
no Company pension contributions are made. 
As noted in the Chair’s introduction, the 
Committee and the Board decided to increase 
the CEO’s base salary from April 2021. Further 
information is set out on page 150.

•  Annual bonus – maximum of 200% of salary 
with payout dependent on annual performance 
against Group (70%) and personal (30%) 
performance targets set at the beginning 
of each year. This is paid in cash following 
the end of the performance period.

•  Long-term incentive plan – maximum of 

200% of salary (325% of salary in exceptional 
circumstances) comprising two main elements:
i.  Performance Awards (70% of overall 
award) – based on three-year Group 
performance measures.

ii.  Restricted Awards (30% of overall 

award) – one-third vest each year over 
a three-year period following grant.

Until recently, share awards were taxed in full at 
grant in Chile with the consequence that awards 
have been made in the form of cash-settled 
phantom share awards to ensure a link to 
share price. No holding period applies.

When reviewing our approach to remuneration, 
the Committee considers practices at global 
mining peers, UK listed companies and in Chile.

While we acknowledge that there are some 
differences between our approach and typical UK 
practice, we have sought to operate a structure 
that is appropriate for the Chilean market where 
almost all of our employees are based and 
enables us to attract and retain talent there 
rather than one that may work for our mining 
peers who operate across a number of 
geographies including the US, Australia 
and Canada.

•  how we propose to implement our 
Remuneration Policy for 2021 for 
Directors and the CEO; and

•  how Directors and the CEO were remunerated 

for the year ending 31 December 2020.

As noted in the Chair’s introduction, ahead of 
the Policy being tabled for shareholder approval 
at the 2020 AGM, a review of the Group’s 
remuneration structures was conducted 
considering a number of reference points 
including strategy, Group performance, external 
market practice, peer practices and the evolving 
UK regulatory and governance landscape. The 
review covered Directors, all of whom are 
Non-Executive, the CEO and the executive team.

As a Remuneration and Talent Management 
Committee, the Committee also has oversight 
of the approach to remuneration for the wider 
workforce and receives regular updates on 
workforce policies and practices. Further 
details on the specific activities undertaken 
by the Committee in 2020 are on page 134.

Furthermore, the Committee plays an important 
role in ensuring that the views of the Group’s 
workforce are represented in the boardroom. 
A description of the Board’s workforce 
engagement mechanisms is on pages 110-111.

As outlined in our Policy, our Directors are 
paid an annual fee and may receive a fee for 
additional Board responsibilities such as chairing 
a Board Committee. This structure continues to 
be appropriate. Fee levels were reviewed in 2021 
and although there was no change to Non-
Executive Director base fees, fees for additional 
Board responsibilities such as Committee roles 
have been increased with effect from 1 April 
2021 to reflect the considerable additional time 
commitments and responsibilities attached to 
those roles, which have continued to grow in 
recent years. Further information is provided 
on page 152.

Iván Arriagada is the CEO and is responsible for 
leading the senior management team and for the 
executive management of the Group. Members of 
the Executive Committee report to Mr Arriagada 
and are responsible for leading the day-to-day 
operation of the Group’s mining and transport 
businesses. No member of the Executive 
Committee, including the CEO, sits on the 
Board of the Company.

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139

Corporate Governance

2020 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration Report continued

We appreciate that share-based awards are 
common in the UK and considered this during 
our Policy review in 2019. Due to the taxation 
laws that have applied in Chile until recently, they 
are not common practice in the Chilean market. 
While a number of potential approaches for 
utilising shares were discussed, the Committee 
agreed to continue to use cash-based awards, 
linked to the Company’s share price movement 
prior to vesting. As such, we do not operate a 
shareholding guideline for our CEO, who is 
based in Chile.

As part of the Policy review in 2019, the 
Committee consulted with major shareholders 
and proxy agencies and actively took into 
account the feedback received during this 
process. Following the review of our Policy, 
the Committee has concluded that the overall 
structure has worked well and ensures that 
the CEO continues to focus on the delivery 
of sustained value for our shareholders. 
No changes are therefore proposed.

The Company’s approach results in remuneration 
which continues to be positioned in the lower 
quartile of the FTSE 100 and global mining peers 
while ensuring we can maintain competitiveness 
in both local Chilean and international markets 
and attract the talent needed to successfully 
implement our strategy.

The remuneration arrangements in place for 
the CEO are consistent with those in place 
for employees. The positioning and policy 
for the payment of base salary is consistent 
with conditions in Chile and aligned with the 
workforce. 70% of the CEO’s annual bonus is 
attributable to Group performance. All Group 
employees bonuses are linked to this measure. 
The LTI KPIs that apply to the CEO apply to all 
LTIP participants. As noted on page 138, the 
Committee reviews gender pay gap and CEO 
pay ratio figures for the Group in determining 
that the CEO’s pay is appropriate.

Implementation of the Directors’ 
Remuneration Policy in 2020
Remuneration arrangements for the Chairman 
and Non-Executive Directors were considered 
ahead of the 2020 AGM and it was agreed that 
they continued to be appropriate and therefore 
no changes were proposed.

Chairman
Jean-Paul Luksic’s total fee in 2020 was 
$1,005,000, (2019 – $1,005,000) comprising:

•  $730,000 per annum for his services as 

Chairman of the Board;

•  $15,000 per annum for his services as 

Chairman of the Nomination and Governance 
Committee; and

•  $260,000 per annum for his services as 

Chairman of the Antofagasta Minerals board.

This fee level reflects his responsibility, 
experience and time commitment to the role.

Non-Executive Directors
There has been no change to Non-Executive 
Director base fees since 2012. The base 
Non-Executive Director’s fee in respect of 
the Board remains $130,000 per annum. Given 
the core role which Antofagasta Minerals plays 
in the management of the mining operations and 
projects, all Directors also serve as directors of 
Antofagasta Minerals. The annual fee payable 
to directors of Antofagasta Minerals remains 
$130,000. Therefore, the combined base 
fees payable to Non-Executive Directors 
amount to $260,000 per annum.

The Board periodically reviews both the structure 
and levels of fees paid to Non-Executive Directors 
and will continue to review these fees from time 
to time, in accordance with the Directors’ 
Remuneration Policy.

Additional fees paid for additional Board responsibilities in 2020 are as set out in the table below:

Additional Director fees payable in 2020
Role

Senior Independent Director
Audit and Risk Committee Chair
Audit and Risk Committee member
Nomination and Governance Committee Chair
Nomination and Governance Committee member
Projects Committee Chair
Projects Committee member
Remuneration and Talent Management Committee Chair
Remuneration and Talent Management Committee member
Sustainability and Stakeholder Management Committee Chair
Sustainability and Stakeholder Management Committee member

Additional fees ($000)

20
25
12
15
6
21
12
21
12
21
12

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Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

antofagasta.co.uk

Audited single figure Directors’ total remuneration table
The remuneration of the Directors for 2020 (and 2019) is set out below in US dollars. Unless otherwise noted, amounts paid in Chilean pesos have 
been converted at the exchange rate on the first day of the month following the date of payment. Any additional fees payable for serving on subsidiary 
and joint venture company boards are also included in the amounts below.

As explained in the Directors’ Remuneration Policy, Directors do not receive pensions or performance-related pay and are not eligible to participate in 
the LTIP.

Chairman
Jean-Paul Luksic
Non-Executive Directors
Ollie Oliveira
Ramón Jara1
Juan Claro
Tim Baker (retired 20 May 2020)
Andrónico Luksic
Vivianne Blanlot
Jorge Bande
Francisca Castro
Michael Anglin (appointed 1 May 2019)
Tony Jensen (appointed 13 March 2020)
Total Board

Fees

2020
$000

2019
$000

Benefits2,3

2020
$000

2019
$000

Total4

2020
$000

2019
$000

1,005

1,005

332
904
272
116
260
306
296
293
284
198
4,266

332
945
272
293
260
305
296
290
181
–
4,180

12

7
5
4
4
4
4
4
9
10
–
61

9

1,017

1,014

73
5
10
69
3
7
10
13
41
–
239

339
910
276
120
264
309
300
302
294
198
4,327

405
950
282
362
263
312
306
303
222
–
4,418

1.  During 2020, remuneration of $597,335 (2019 – $649,000) for the provision of services by Ramón Jara was paid to Asesorías Ramón F Jara Ltda. The reported decrease in 2020 
is due to a decrease in the Ch$/USD exchange rate, partially offset by an annual adjustment for inflation in Chile. This amount is included in the amount attributable to Ramón Jara of 
$904,000 (2019 – $945,000).

2.  Amounts for Jean-Paul Luksic include the provision of life and health insurance. Amounts for Ramón Jara include the provision of life insurance. These insurances are not in place for 

other Directors.

3.  Except as described in footnote 3, all “benefits” amounts included in this table arose in connection with the fulfilment of Directors’ duties and, in particular, the cost of attending Board 
meetings. These calculations have been based on what the Company believes would be deemed by HMRC to be taxable benefits in the UK for the Non-Executive Directors as well as 
the costs of attending board meetings in Santiago, Chile with associated travel, hotel and subsistence expenses, along with any additional expenses occurred in the Non-Executive 
director’s home location. Given these expenses are incurred by Directors in connection with the fulfilment of their director duties, the Company also pays the professional fees incurred 
to complete individual tax returns and the actual tax incurred by Directors on these expenses, the latter of which has led to the higher reported figures for certain Directors. Figures 
are reported in the year that they are paid, or would be payable, by the Company.

4.  Totals reflect the total fixed remuneration for each Director. Directors did not receive any variable remuneration in 2019 or 2020.

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141

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Corporate Governance

2020 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration Report continued

Audited statement of Directors’ and 
CEO’s shareholding and share interests
The Directors who held office at 31 December 
2020 had the following interests in the ordinary 
shares of the Company:

Ordinary shares of 5p each

  31 December 2020

1 January 2020

Jean-Paul 
Luksic1
Ollie Oliveira
Ramón Jara2
Juan Claro
Andrónico Luksic 
C
Vivianne Blanlot
Jorge Bande
Francisca Castro
Michael Anglin
Tony Jensen

41,963,110
–
5,260
–

41,963,110
–
5,260
–

–
–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–
–

1.  Jean-Paul Luksic’s interest relates to shares held 
by Aureberg Establishment, an entity that he 
ultimately controls.

2.  Ramón Jara’s interest relates to shares held by a 

close family member.

There have been no changes to the Directors’ 
interests in the shares of the Company between 
31 December 2020 and the date of this report.

The Directors and CEO had no interests in 
the shares of the Company during the year 
other than those set out above or on page 154. 
No Director had any material interest in any 
contract (other than a service contract in the 
case of Ramón Jara) with the Company or its 
subsidiary undertakings during the year other 
than in the ordinary course of business.

Directors’ shareholding guidelines
The Group does not have shareholding guidelines 
or requirements for Directors, all of whom 
are Non-Executive.

The Chairman Mr Luksic and Non-Executive 
Director Andrónico Luksic C are members of 
the Luksic family. Members of the Luksic family 
are interested in the E. Abaroa Foundation 
which controls Metalinvest Establishment and 
Kupferberg Establishment (which, in aggregate, 
hold approximately 60.66% of the Company’s 
ordinary shares and approximately 94.12% of 
the Company’s preference shares). In addition, 
Mr Luksic controls the Severe Studere 
Foundation which, in turn, controls Aureberg 
Establishment (which holds approximately 
4.26% of the Company’s ordinary shares). 
This creates significant alignment between 
these members of the Board and shareholders.

During the period, no Non-Executive Director 
was eligible for any short-term or long-term 
incentive awards and no Non-Executive Director 
owns any shares as a result of the achievement 
of performance conditions.

CEO shareholding guidelines
Until recently, share awards have been taxed in 
full at grant in Chile, making it unattractive for the 
Company to operate a share-based LTIP. Instead, 
awards are granted as phantom shares which 
are linked to the share price and are satisfied in 
cash. The Company does not therefore currently 
have any shareholding guidelines for the CEO 
or Executive Committee members, all of whom 
are based in Chile.

The Committee has carefully considered whether 
in the absence of shareholding guidelines the 
CEO’s incentives are sufficiently aligned with the 
long-term interests of shareholders. However, as 
the Company has a majority shareholder who is 
represented on the Board, the Committee and 
the Board believe that the long-term interests of 
shareholders are monitored and protected without 
the need for CEO shareholding guidelines.

External appointments for Executives
The Board would consider any proposal for an 
executive to serve as a non-executive director 
of another company on a case-by-case basis. 
The Board would carefully consider the time 
commitments of the proposed role, the industry 
of the company, whether it is a supplier, 
customer or competitor, and whether it 
would be appropriate for the executive 
to retain remuneration for the position.

Letters of appointment
Each Non-Executive Director has a letter of 
appointment from the Company. The Company 
has a policy of putting all Directors forward for 
re-election at each AGM, in accordance with 
the UK Corporate Governance Code. Under the 
terms of the letters, if a majority of shareholders 
do not confirm a Director’s appointment, the 
appointment will terminate with immediate effect. 
In other circumstances, the appointment may 
be terminated by either party on one month’s 
written notice.

There is a contract between Antofagasta 
Minerals and Asesorías Ramón F Jara Ltda dated 
2 November 2004 for the provision of advisory 
services by Ramón Jara. This contract does not 
have an expiry date but may be terminated by 
either party on one month’s notice.

No other Director is party to a service contract 
with the Group.

Payments to past Directors (audited)
No payments were made to past Directors, 
however the Company paid professional fees for 
Gonzalo Menendez and William Hayes in 2020 
to complete tax returns in relation to fees paid to 
them in their roles as Directors of the Company 
in 2019 as well as the actual tax incurred in 
relation to these professional fees resulting 
in 2020 benefits (as calculated in accordance 
with footnote 3 of the audited single figure total 
remuneration table on page 141) in an amount 
of $3,500 for Mr Menendez and $3,500 
for Mr Hayes.

Other information
As described in this report, Directors are not 
entitled to payments for loss of office and do not 
receive pension benefits and no such payments 
were made, or benefits received, during 2020. 
No payments were made to past Directors.

142

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

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2020 CEO Remuneration Report

Audited CEO single figure total remuneration table

 CEO (not on the Board)
Iván Arriagada1 2020 $000
Iván Arriagada1 2019 $000

Salary

589
640

Benefits2

Annual bonus3

24
67

1,235
890

LTIP

Restricted 
Awards4,5

Performance 
Awards5,6

372
405

1,720
456

Total

3,939
2,458

Total fixed 
remuneration

Total variable 
remuneration

613
707

3,326
1,751

1.  No pension contributions are payable to or for Iván Arriagada. Mr Arriagada is paid in Chilean pesos and amounts reported in US dollars also reflect exchange rate movements during 

the year.

2.  The benefits expense represents the provision of life and health insurance and apart from these insurances all “benefits” amounts have been based on what the Company believes 

would be deemed by HMRC to be taxable benefits in the UK. Given these expenses are incurred by Mr Arriagada in connection with the fulfilment of his duties, the Company also pays 
the professional fees incurred to complete individual tax returns and the actual tax incurred by him on these expenses. Figures are reported in the year that they are paid, or would be 
payable, by the Company. 2019 amounts have been re-stated in accordance with this methodology.

3.  The annual bonus paid to Iván Arriagada in 2019 is reported based on the exchange rate as at 1 April 2020. In the 2019 Remuneration Report a higher figure of $1,012,000 was 

reported, which reflected the anticipated exchange rate at the date the 2019 Remuneration Report was published. Iván Arriagada’s 2020 annual bonus will be paid following the date 
of publication of this report and the exchange rate used to calculate this figure is as at 4 January 2021 and is calculated as shown on page 146. As noted in the Committee Chair’s 
introduction on page 137 and on page 145, the Committee exercised its discretion to adjust the 2020 annual bonus outcome related to the Group’s performance which accounts for 
$97,595 in respect of Mr. Arriagada’s 2020 annual bonus. This adjustment was unrelated to share price movements.

4.  As explained on page 147, awards granted pursuant to the LTIP are split between Restricted Awards and Performance Awards. Restricted Award amounts are reported in the year 

of grant based on the face value of the awards on the date of the grant. Performance Awards are reported in the year the performance period ends.

5.  The 2019 amounts payable to Iván Arriagada under the LTIP relate to Restricted Awards granted in 2019 and Performance Awards granted in 2017. The performance period for 

Performance Awards granted in 2017 concluded on 31 December 2019 and those awards vested on 30 March 2020. In the 2019 Remuneration Report, a higher figure of $669,000 
was reported because the Performance Awards granted in 2017 had not yet vested and were estimated using the exchange rate and KPI outcome assumptions set out in the 2019 
Remuneration Report. Specifically, it was estimated that the total shareholder return KPI for the Performance Awards granted in 2017 would vest at 33%, however the eventual 
outcome was below the benchmark with the consequence that the vesting for this KPI was 0. The 2019 Performance Award amount therefore reflects the actual amount paid to 
Iván Arriagada and the share price of £7.46 and the USD/GBP exchange rate of 1.24 at the vesting date.

6.  The 2020 amounts payable to Iván Arriagada under the LTIP relate to Restricted Awards granted in 2020 and Performance Awards granted in 2018. The performance period for 
three of the four KPIs for the Performance Awards granted in 2018 concluded on 31 December 2020, however the Total Sharholder Return KPI, which accounts for 50% of the 
performance score, vests three years after the grant date. Therefore the Performance Awards will not vest until on or after 29 March 2021 and the figure included in the table is an 
estimate as at the date of this report. Because the Performance Awards granted in 2018 have not yet vested, the amounts attributable to these awards have been estimated by applying 
the 98.8% of maximum overall performance score at vesting as described in more detail on page 149, using the average share price in US dollars for the last three months of 2020 
of $15.90. The value of the amounts payable under the LTIP for 2020 attributable to an increase in the Company’s share price is $267,273. This figure has been calculated using 
the market value on the date of grant of the award versus the average share price in US dollars for the last three months of 2020. As noted on page 147, LTIP participants receive 
conditional rights to receive a cash payment by reference to a specified number of the Company’s shares (“phantom share awards”). Participants are not compensated for dividends 
paid by the Company between the date of grant and vesting. As explained on page 147, Mr Arriagada received an exceptional LTI grant of 325% of base salary in 2018 which is 
reflected in the increased amount reported in respect of 2020 Performance Awards versus 2019.

Indexed Total Shareholder Return
The following graph shows the Company’s performance compared with the performance of the FTSE All-Share Index and the EMIX Global Mining 
Index over a 10-year period, measured by total shareholder return (as defined below). The FTSE All-Share Index has been selected as an appropriate 
broad equity market index benchmark as it is the most broadly-based index to which the Company belongs and relates to the London Stock Exchange, 
where the Company’s ordinary shares are traded. The EMIX Global Mining Index is also shown because this index has been determined to be the most 
appropriate specific comparator group for the Company, and total shareholder return performance, in comparison with the EMIX Global Mining Index, 
is one of the performance criteria in the Group’s LTIP as set out on page 149.

200

150

100

50

0

Dec 10

Dec 11

Dec 12

Dec 13

Dec 14

Dec 15

Dec 16

Dec 17

Dec 18

Dec 19

Dec 20

Antofagasta

FTSE All-Share

EMIX Global Mining

Total shareholder return is calculated to show a theoretical change in the value of a shareholding over a period, assuming that dividends are reinvested to 
purchase additional shares at the closing price applicable on the ex-dividend date. Total shareholder return for the FTSE All-Share Index and the EMIX 
Global Mining Index are calculated by aggregating the returns of all individual constituents of those indices over a 10-year period.

antofagasta.co.uk

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143

Corporate Governance

2020 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration Report continued

Lead executive remuneration for the last 10 years
The total remuneration of the lead executives in the Group for the past 10 years is as follows:

Single figure of remuneration for
the Group’s lead executive $000

Chairman – Jean-Paul Luksic
CEO – Diego Hernández
CEO – Iván Arriagada
Total
Proportion of maximum annual 
bonus paid to the CEO
Proportion of maximum LTIP 
awards vesting in favour of 
the CEO5

2011

3,521
–
–
3,521

–

–

2012

3,598
–
–
3,598

–

–

2013

3,615
–
–
3,615

–

–

201411,2

2,196
688
–
2,884

2015

–
2,445
–
2,445

20163

–
1,525
681
2,206

2017

–
–
1,790
1,790

2018

–
–
2,513
2,513

20194

–
–
2,458
2,458

2020

–
–
3,939
3,939

69%

39%

61%

79%

66%

83%

93%

76%

16%

–

85%

60%

65%

99%

1.  The single figure remuneration for the Group’s lead executive in 2014 comprises Jean-Paul Luksic’s remuneration until 1 September 2014 (when he became Non-Executive Chairman) 

and Diego Hernández’s remuneration from 1 September 2014.

2.  The Chairman was not eligible for variable remuneration and the 2014 percentage figures therefore only relate to the 2014 annual bonus and LTIP awards vesting to the CEO.
3.  The single figure remuneration for the Group’s lead executive in 2016 comprises Diego Hernández’s remuneration until 8 April 2016 (when he stepped down as CEO) and Iván 

Arriagada’s remuneration from 8 April 2016 (when he became CEO).

4.  2019 figures have been restated to reflect actual 2019 outcomes as explained in the CEO single figure remuneration table on page 143.
5.  No Performance Awards vested to the CEO in 2016. As Restricted Awards do not have a performance element, they are not included in these calculations.

Relative importance of 
remuneration spend
The table below shows the total expenditure 
on employee remuneration, the distributions 
to shareholders and the tax expense in 2019 
and 2020.

Employee 
remuneration1
Distributions to 
shareholders2
Taxation3

2019 

2020

Percentage
change

439.8

453.8

3.2%

175.5
354.4

539.3
515.3

207.3%
45.4%

1.  Employee remuneration includes salaries and 

social security costs, as set out in Note 9 to the 
financial statements.

2.  Distributions to shareholders represent the dividends 
proposed and approved for payment in relation to the 
year as set out in Note 14 to the financial statements.
3.  Tax has been included because it provides an indication 
of the Group’s tax contribution, almost all of which is 
paid by the Group’s operations in Chile to the Chilean 
state. The tax expense represents the current 
tax charge in respect of corporate tax, mining tax 
(royalty) and withholding tax, as set out in Note 11 
to the financial statements.

Relative change in remuneration
Almost all the Group’s employees, including the 
CEO, are paid in Chilean pesos. The Chilean peso 
depreciated against the US dollar during 2019 
and this depreciation is reflected in the following 
figures which are reported in US dollars.

The total remuneration paid to Iván Arriagada 
in 2020 was 60.2% higher than in 2019. This 
included a 8% decrease in base salary (due to 
exchange rate fluctuation when reporting in 
$US), a 64.7% decrease in benefits and a 
38.8% increase in annual bonus.

The equivalent average percentage increase in 
total remuneration for Mining Division employees 
as a whole in 2020 was 1.7%. This comprised a 
9.8% decrease in salaries, a 10.1% decrease in 
benefits and a 7.0% increase in annual bonus. 
It is common for employment contracts in Chile 
to include a quarterly adjustment for Chilean 
inflation and most Chilean employees’ base 
salaries are adjusted in this way.

The table opposite compares the changes 
from 2019 to 2020 in base salary, benefits 
and annual bonus paid to Directors, the CEO 
and Group employees in US dollars. The 
underlying elements of Directors’ remuneration 
are calculated using the values reported in the 
single figure remuneration table on page 141 
and the underlying elements of the CEO’s 
pay are calculated using the values reported in 
the single figure remuneration table on page 143.

Percentage 
change in 
fees/base 
salary 

Percentage 
change in 
benefits

Percentage 
change in 
annual 
bonus

–
–
-4.3%
–

-0.4%
–
0.2%
–
1.0%

Non-Executive Directors1
Jean-Paul Luksic
Ollie Oliveira
Ramón Jara
Juan Claro
Tim Baker (retired 
20 May 2020)
Andrónico Luksic
Vivianne Blanlot
Jorge Bande
Francisca Castro
Michael Anglin 
(appointed 
1 May 2019)
Tony Jensen 
(appointed 13 
March 2020)
CEO
Company 
Employees2
Mining Division 
Employees3

–
-8.0%

0.6%

1.8%

28%
-91%
17%
-64%

-94%
23%
-45%
-63%
-29%

-75%

–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–

–

–

–
-65% 38.8%

19.9%

7.5%

-9.8% -10.1%

7.0%4

1.  The percentage change in fees for Directors who served 
for only part of a comparator year has been annualised.

2.  The Company has fewer than 10 employees. The 
reporting of these figures is mandatory and the 
Company does not consider this to be an appropriate 
comparator group.

3.  Mining division employees are considered to be a 

relevant comparator group because the Mining division 
accounts for more than 97% of the Group’s revenue 
and the Annual Bonus Plan that applies to the Executive 
Committee is the same plan that applies to Mining 
division employees at the management and 
professional level.

4.  This figure relates to the percentage change in the 

average annual bonus for Mining division employees and 
does not include any one-off bonuses paid to employees 
as a result of the conclusion of collective bargaining 
agreements with labour unions at Los Pelambres, 
Antucoya and Zaldívar in 2019 and at Zaldívar and 
Centinela in 2020.

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Annual bonus

Employees are eligible to receive cash bonuses 
under the Annual Bonus Plan, based on Group 
and individual performance. The Annual Bonus 
Plan focuses on the delivery of annual financial 
and non-financial targets designed to align 
remuneration with the Group’s strategy 
and create a platform for sustainable 
future performance.

Individual award levels are calibrated at the 
conclusion of each annual performance period to 
ensure that performance targets remain stretching 

and that high or maximum payments under the 
plan are received only for exceptional performance.

Annual bonus payout – Group 
performance (70%)
For 2020, the bonus payable to the CEO and 
members of the Executive Committee was 70% 
attributable to the performance of the Group and 
30% to personal performance, according to 
measures and targets set at the beginning of 
the year. The Group performance criteria for 
the Annual Bonus Plan and the individual 
performance criteria for the CEO are set 

annually by the Committee and the Board. The 
personal performance criteria for the Executive 
Committee are set by the CEO and reviewed by 
the Committee.

Group performance under the 2020 Annual 
Bonus Plan is shown in the table below. The 
choice of these criteria, and their respective 
weightings, reflects the Committee’s belief that 
any incentive compensation should be tied both 
to the overall performance of the Group and to 
those areas of the business that the relevant 
individual can directly influence.

Weighting  Objective

2020
Threshold 90 
(0% vesting)

2020
Target 100
(50% vesting) 

2020
Maximum 110 
(100% vesting)

2020
Outcome

2020 
Performance 
score1

2020 
vesting 
(% of maximum)

Measure

60%
15%

25%
20%

20%
12%
4%
4%

Core business
EBITDA – Mining division2

$m

2,272

kt

Copper production3
Costs4
Cash costs before by-product credits (17%)
Corporate expenditure (3%)
Business development – Growth and innovation projects execution 
Growth projects – construction execution5
Exploration programme6
Innovation and Digital Transformation Projects7

$/lb
$m

2,524
720.4-
742.7

1.61
109.3

2,777

2,676

765.0

733.9

1.51
103.9

1.56
104.6

698.0

1.71
114.8

Measured according to the schedule and budget 
as described in more detail in the footnotes

Sustainability and organisational capabilities
Safety – Mining division8
People – Diversity and Inclusion Strategy9
Environmental performance10
Social performance11

20%
5%
5%
5%
5%
Total – pre-adjustments

Adjustment for meeting zero fatality target12
Board discretion applied13

Total – post-adjustments

Measured according to the KPIs and milestones 
as described in more detail in the footnotes

103
106

100
106
105
109
101
99
105
105

108
110
108
103
110
103.8
2.1
2.1
108.0

65%
80%

50%
80% 
75%
95%
55%
45%
75%
75%

90%
100%
90%
65%
100%
69%
10.5%
10.5%
90%

1.  Performance score range is 90-110 where 90 = threshold (0% bonus), 100 = target (50% bonus) and 110 = maximum (100% bonus).
2.  The threshold, target and maximum target figures for EBITDA were adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations, copper price fluctuations, the impact of hedging arrangements, diesel price fluctuations, expenses relating to the 
Group’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of one-off bonuses paid as part of labour negotiations at Centinela and Zaldívar, which were not included in the Group’s budget and were not included in the 
figures disclosed in the 2019 Annual Report due to their commercial sensitivity.

3.  100% basis, except for Zaldívar (50%).
4.  The threshold, target and maximum target figures for cash costs were adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations, diesel price fluctuations, expenses relating to the Group’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 

impact of one-off bonuses paid as part of labour negotiations at Centinela and Zaldívar. These were not included in the Group’s budget and were not included in the figures disclosed in the 2019 Annual Report due to their 
commercial sensitivity. The figures for corporate expenditure were adjusted for the exchange rate fluctuations and the difference between budget annual bonus payments and actual bonus payments made to employees.

5.  Split between the Los Pelambres Expansion project (8%) and the Zaldívar Chloride Leach project (4%). Targets for the Los Pelambres Expansion project related to execution progress and ensuring that there were no 
material environmental incidents. Targets for the Zaldívar Chloride Leach project were based on execution progress and the cost of the project versus budget. The outcome was 99 (45% of maximum) comprising 98 
(40% of maximum) for the Los Pelambres Expansion project, and 100 (50% of maximum) for the Zaldívar Chloride Leach project. The specific threshold, target and maximum KPIs continue to be commercially sensitive.

6.  Maximum and target were defined according to the progress of execution of planned exploration programmes for two targets previously discovered to have potential mineralisation and the consolidation of exploration 
ownership interests, including infill drilling campaigns, increasing the potential mineral inventory against three specific KPIs for each target with a weighting of 70% for the first target and 30% for the second target. 
The specific threshold, target and maximum KPIs continue to be commercially sensitive. The outcome was 105 (75% of maximum) comprising 105 for the KPIs for the first target (75% of maximum) and 105 for the 
KPIs for the second target (75% of maximum).

7.  Split between implementation of the Group’s Digital Transformation Programme (70%) and the implementation of the Group’s Digital Academy (30%). Targets for the Group’s Digital Transformation Programme related 
to implementation progress with threshold at 60% progress, target at 100% progress and maximum for 100% progress plus the implementation of key change management milestones for each initiative that improves 
adoption of technologies in each business unit. Targets for the Group’s Digital Academy related to the implementation progress with threshold at 70% implementation, target at 90% implementation and maximum at 
95% implementation. The outcome was 105 (75% of maximum) comprising 105 (75% of maximum) for the Group’s Digital Transformation Programme and 105 (75% of maximum) for the Group’ Digital Academy.
8.  Performance against a target for reducing high potential accidents versus the recorded high potential accidents in 2019, with threshold at no reduction, target a 10% reduction and maximum a 15% reduction. Outcome 

was 110 (100% of maximum) based on a 63% reduction versus 2019.

9.  Performance against targets set at the beginning of 2020 for implementation of the Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. Split between the results of an evaluation of the Group culture in supporting the expected maturity of 

the Group’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (50%) with threshold at no improvement in culture, target of an expected improvement in culture and maximum for an improvement in culture above expectations based on the 
Committee’s approval of an evaluation overseen by the the CEO and Vice President of Operations and an increase in the percentage of female employees (50%) with threshold at 10.3%, target at 13.2% and maximum at 
13.9% at 31 December 2020. The outcome was 108 (90% of maximum) compromising 105 (75% of maximum) for the cultural evaluation and 110 (100% of maximum) for the percentage of female employees which stood 
at 14.7% at 31 December 2020.

10. The control of risks relating to environmental performance across all companies measured against KPIs relating to compliance with an internal plan for the implementation of controls for high and moderate environmental 

risks and a reduction in the Group’s overall consumption of CO2 emissions versus budget for the year with threshold at 70% implementation of the internal plan and or any environmental incident with an impact on 
production or reputation, target at 100% implementation of the plan and no environmental incident with an impact on production or reputation, with a negative adjustment of 15% for failure to achieve the CO2 emission 
budget for the year and maximum at compliance with the target KPIs plus a 5% reduction in CO2 emissions versus budget for the year. The outcome was 103 (65% of maximum) based on the achievement of KPIs and 
a 1.63% reduction in CO2 emissions versus budget.

11.  Performance against the planned execution of social initiatives (50%) and a planned programme to measure the impact of initiatives (50%) with threshold at 70% implementation for each plan, target at 95-100% 
implementation for each plan and maximum at full implementation of the execution plans plus a 3% saving versus budget and an agreed action plan defined to address any gaps in the impact measurement plan. 
The outcome was 110 (100% of maximum).

12. A standalone adjustment trigger amounting to 15% of the formulaic performance score outcome applies to the Annual Bonus Plan – upwards if there are no fatalities during the year and downwards if there are one or 

more fatalities during the year. This resulted in an automatic increase of 2.1 points (ie 15% of 103.8 – 90) to the final Group performance score for 2020.

13.  As noted in the Committee Chair’s introduction on page 137, the Group faced unforeseen circumstances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic during the year. The Board believes that the Group’s employees, led by the 

CEO, handled these circumstances in an exceptional manner, and exercised its discretion to increase by 2.1 points the formulaic outcome of the Group’s performance scores, at each of the individual operations, as well as 
at the Group level, resulting in an increase under the Group’s 2020 Annual Bonus Plan score from 105.9 to 108 (from 80% of maximum to 90%). This decision confirmed alignment between the discretion applied to the 
performance scores for the individual operations and at Group level, which impacts senior management and the CEO’s pay, recognising the significant difficulty of successfully continuing operating during the COVID-19 
pandemic as well as the outstanding management performance in the face of such unprecedented challenges.

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145

Corporate Governance

2020 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration Report continued

Annual bonus payout – individual performance (30%)
The Committee, based on individual feedback received from each DIrector, assessed Iván Arriagada’s performance against his individual objectives as 
110 within a range of 90 (Threshold 0% vesting) to 110 (Maximum 100% vesting) for his individual contribution to the business during the year. This 
performance score reflects exceptional performance during the year, in which all his individual objectives were met or exceeded and counts towards 
30% of his annual bonus. Iván Arriagada’s performance against his individual objectives is summarised below:

Key Goals

Performance

Maintaining a strong relationship with 
the Board throughout the year in 
communication and implementing 
strategic initiatives

•  Strong communication throughout the year through fortnightly Board update meetings during the 
pandemic and ensuring regular communication between Board meetings to ensure that Directors 
were apprised of important developments.

•  Receptive to Board input and feedback, ensuring that Board perspectives, ideas and feedback were 

Demonstration of leadership in relation to 
the Group’s core values and development 
of a culture of excellence
Demonstration of a well defined strategy for 
environment, social and governance (ESG) 
matters and strategic vision for the Group’s 
long-term sustainable success

Implementation of succession planning 
and talent development initiatives and 
performance management
Evaluation of business development 
opportunities and successful 
implementation of the Group’s 
exploration programme during the year
Ensuring the Group has the requisite 
expertise and ability to work with 
stakeholders and local communities and 
improvement of the Group’s reputation 
with external stakeholders during the year
Effective management of the business 
challenges arising from the COVID-19 
pandemic, improvements relating to the 
Group’s diversity and inclusion strategy and 
environmental performance for the year

shared and implemented throughout the Group.

•  Strong leadership and behaviour representative of the Group’s core values before all stakeholders.
•  Leadership continued to develop a corporate culture of excellence.

•  Demonstrated strong strategic alignment and planning, leading the management team in prioritising 

work in accordance with the Group’s long-term strategy.

•  Presentation and development of a well defined strategy on ESG matters.
•  Progressed the Group’s digital transformation and innovation initiatives to ensure the long-term 

success of the Group.

•  Strong progress on the development of internal talent evidenced by the internal promotion of Zaldívar 

General Manager Julio César Castillo.

•  Led the development of the New Ways of Working project.
•  Progress of the Group’s exploration programme despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
•  Business development opportunities thoroughly evaluated throughout the year.

•  Outstanding Group health and safety performance.
•  Outstanding stakeholders management in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

•  Outstanding leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated by the Group’s outstanding results.
•  Diversity and inclusion performance above stretch targets for the year.
•  Strong environmental performance.

Total bonus in respect of 2020 (audited)
For 2020, Iván Arriagada’s actual bonus was 186% of base salary and the average bonus for the Executive Committee members (excluding 
Mr Arriagada) was approximately 55% of base salary.

A critical issue for a mining company is the copper price and the impact of changes in the price on our long-term and annual performance targets is 
carefully reviewed to ensure there is a fair opportunity for achievement under each metric.

Based on performance achieved against targets during the 2020 financial year, the Committee determined that Mr Arriagada would receive a bonus 
payment of $1,234,869 for 2020. This figure was determined as follows:

Overall performance score
(as a percentage of Maximum) 
Gross annual bonus

(70% x 90) + (30% x 100) = 93% of maximum
93% of $1,327,816
= $1,234,869

Calculated in US dollars using the exchange rate as at 4 January 2021 of $1 = Ch$711.

Because the annual bonus is calculated and paid in Chilean pesos, it is subject to exchange rate movements when reported annually in US dollars.

The amount of bonus paid was not linked to share price appreciation.

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LTIP awards

Eligibility to participate in the LTIP is determined 
by the Committee each year on an individual 
basis and the CEO and all members of the 
Executive Committee currently participate. 
Awards are normally granted annually, and 
the Directors are not eligible to participate.

Under the LTIP, participants receive a conditional 
right to receive a cash payment by reference to 
a specified number of the Company’s ordinary 
shares (“phantom share awards”), which 
are paid in cash upon vesting based on the 
Company’s share price at the time of vesting.

The Committee considers cash-based awards 
appropriate because they have been used for a 
number of years and are well understood by plan 
participants. Independent advice was sought by 
the Committee on the viability of granting shares, 
rather than cash-based awards and this subject 
was re-visited during the most recent Policy 
review in 2019. On balance, the Committee 
determined that it remains appropriate to 
continue to use cash-based awards, however, 
the Committee will continue to monitor 
this position.

LTIP awards are split between Restricted 
Awards and Performance Awards. Restricted 
Awards vest only if the relevant employee 
remains employed by the Group on the vesting 
date. Performance Awards vest subject to both 
the satisfaction of performance conditions and 
the relevant employee remaining employed by 
the Group on the vesting date. The same 
performance criteria apply to all participants 
in the LTIP and are designed to link business 
objectives, shareholder value and senior 
management rewards.

Performance Awards reward performance over 
three years. There is no additional holding period 
before these amounts are paid.

Restricted Awards vest one-third in each year 
over a three-year period following the grant of 
the award.

The number of Performance Awards and 
Restricted Awards granted to each member 
of the Executive Committee is calculated as 
a percentage of salary up to a limit of 200% 
of base salary or 325% of base salary if 
the Committee determines that exceptional 
circumstances apply. The market value of shares 

in relation to which the award is to be granted 
is equal to the closing price on the dealing day 
before the grant, or, if the Committee determines, 
the average closing price during a period set by 
the Committee not exceeding five dealing days 
ending with the last dealing day before the grant.

LTIP awards are subject to malus provisions 
under the LTIP rules. These allow the Committee 
to, at its discretion, reduce the number of shares 
to which an award relates or to cancel an award 
as a result of:

•  actions by a participant that, in the reasonable 
opinion of the Committee, amount to gross 
misconduct that has or may have a material 
effect on the value or reputation of the 
Company or any of its subsidiaries

•  a materially adverse error in the consolidated 
financial statements of the Group during the 
performance period

•  any reasonable circumstance that the 

Committee determines in good faith to have 
resulted in an unfair benefit to the participant.

Clawback has not been introduced due to 
uncertainty around its legal validity in Chile.

Iván Arriagada’s LTIP awards (audited)
The following LTIP awards with one or more outstanding tranches have been granted to Mr Arriagada. The number of shares to which each grant relates 
is determined based on the limits set out in the LTIP rules, consideration around retention and the share price at the time of grant.

Year of grant
20184

Award type

Number of 
shares to 
which the 
grant relates

Performance Awards
Restricted Awards

109,397
46,885

Performance Awards
Restricted Awards

77,516
33,222

2019

2020

Date of 
grant

Vesting 
dates

28–Mar–18 28–Mar–21
28–Mar–18 28–Mar–19
28–Mar–20
28–Mar–21

29–Mar–19
29–Mar–19 29–Mar–20
29–Mar–21
29–Mar–22

Face value 
of award 
(using market 
price at date of 
grant) ‘$000

Market 
price at 
the date 
of grant 
‘$1

End of 
performance 
period

% of award 
receivable 
if Threshold 
performance 
achieved2

% of award 
receivable 
if Target 
performance 
achieved3

% of award 
receivable 
if Maximum 
performance 
achieved

1,470 
630

13.44 31–Dec–20
N/A
13.44

945
405

868
372

12.19 31–Dec–21
N/A
12.19

8.24 31–Dec–22
N/A
8.24

0%
100%

0%
100%

0%
100%

48%
100%

48%
100%

48%
100%

100%
100%

100%
100%

100%
100%

Performance Awards
Restricted Awards

105,295 27–Mar–20

45,126 27–Mar–20 27–Mar–21
27–Mar–22
27–Mar–23

1.  The market price used at the date of grant was the average closing share price on the five dealing days ending on the last dealing day before the grant, converted into US dollars using 

the exchange rate on the date of grant.

2.  Restricted Awards are subject to continued employment at the vesting date. Upon cessation of employment, any Restricted Awards which have not then vested shall lapse immediately.
3.  The % of Performance Awards receivable if Target performance is achieved is calculated as the weighted average of the amount receivable for Target performance for each of the 

KPIs in the applicable plan.

4.  Mr Arriagada received an exceptional LTIP grant of 325% of base salary in 2018. This is explained in more detail in the 2018 Directors’ Remuneration Report.

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Corporate Governance

2020 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration Report continued

Performance measures for 2020
The performance measures and targets applying to the Performance Awards granted in 2020 are as follows:

Weighting 

Objective

Measure

50%

Relative total shareholder return Comparison against EMIX Global Mining Index with 0% vesting at performance below the index during 

25%

Mineral resources increase

12.5%

Projects’ performance 

12.5%

Environmental and 
Social performance

the three-year period, 33% vesting at performance equal to the index and 100% vesting at performance 
equal to or greater than the index plus 5% during the three-year period from the date of grant.
Tonnes of contained copper at the end of 2022 with 100% vesting if mineral resources of 87.4 million 
tonnes of contained copper is achieved, 50% vesting if mineral resources of 86.0 million tonnes of 
contained copper is achieved and 0% vesting if mineral resources of 84.6 million tonnes of contained 
copper or less is achieved.
Relates to the Group’s priority projects at Los Pelambres and Zaldívar. Maximum is achievable if 
commissioning has been achieved for the Los Pelambres Expansion project (70%) and the Zaldívar 
Chloride Leach project (20%) before the end of 2022 and the Environmental Impact Study for Phase 2 of 
the Los Pelambres Expansion project has been submitted by the end of 2021 (10%). Target (75% vesting) 
is 75% progress against the maximum objective for each goal and Threshold (0% vesting) is 50% 
progress against the maximum objective for each goal.
Maximum is achievable if 85% of agreed actions under agreements with communities surrounding all 
of the Group’s operations have been implemented (80%) and achieving a Mining division CO2 emission 
reduction target of 300,000t CO2e and transitioning mining operating companies away from coal-based 
long-term power purchase agreements (20%).

Performance measures for 2019
The performance measures and targets applying to the Performance Awards granted in 2019 are as follows:

Weighting 

Objective

Measure

50%

Relative total shareholder return Comparison against EMIX Global Mining Index with 0% vesting at performance below the index during 

25%

Mineral resources increase

12.5%

Project portfolio progress

12.5%

Social and environmental 
performance

the three-year period, 33% vesting at performance equal to the index and 100% vesting at performance 
equal to or greater than the index plus 5% during the three-year period from the date of grant.
Tonnes of contained copper at the end of 2021 with 100% vesting if mineral resources of 84.2 million 
tonnes of contained copper is achieved, 50% vesting if mineral resources of 83.0 million tonnes of 
contained copper is achieved and 0% vesting if mineral resources of 81.8 million tonnes of contained 
copper or less is achieved.
Relates to the Group’s priority projects at Los Pelambres and Zaldívar. Maximum is achievable if 
construction of the Los Pelambres Expansion project reaches 85% progress (70%), the Zaldívar Chloride 
Leach project is in construction (20%) and achievement of feasibility level advancement of Phase 2 of 
the Los Pelambres Expansion project by the end of 2021 (10%). Target (75% vesting) is 75% progress 
against the maximum objective for each goal and Threshold (0% vesting) is 50% progress against the 
maximum objective for each goal.
100% vesting if 100% compliance is achieved with historical commitments and agreements with 
communities surrounding Los Pelambres (80%) and concluding Zaldívar’s renewable energy power 
supply agreements and progressing energy efficiency projects for the reduction of CO2e in accordance 
with the forecasts set on the grant date (20%). Target (50% vesting) is 75% progress against the 
maximum objective for each goal and Threshold (0% vesting) is 50% progress or less against the 
maximum objective for each goal.

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LTIP awards vesting in respect of 2020 – anticipated Group performance under the 2018 LTIP
As noted in the single figure remuneration table on page 143, performance against the Performance Awards granted in 2018 will not be finally 
determined by the Committee until after the date of this report, once the Group’s 2020 results have been released to the market. The performance 
criteria attaching to these Performance Awards and the anticipated performance against these criteria, based on estimates as at the date of this report, 
are as follows:

Weighting

Objective

Threshold (0%)

Target (see below)

Maximum (100%)

Anticipated performance

0% vesting at 
performance below 
the index during the 
three-year period 
from the date 
of grant

0% vesting at 
82.7 million tonnes 
of contained copper 
or below as at 
31 December 2020
0% vesting if 
50% progress 
or less against the 
maximum objective 
for each goal.

50%

Relative total 
shareholder return2

25%

Mineral resources 
increase

12.5%

Los Pelambres and 
Zaldívar priority 
projects portfolio 
progress2

12.5%

Environmental 
performance 

33% vesting at performance 
equal to the index during 
the three-year period 
from the date of grant

100% vesting at performance 
equal to or greater than the 
index plus 5% during the 
three-year period from 
the date of grant

50% vesting at 84.7 million 
tonnes of contained copper 
as at 31 December 2020

100% vesting at 85.7 million 
tonnes of contained copper 
as at 31 December 2020

75% vesting if progress 
against the maximum 
objective for each goal. 0% 
vesting if 50% progress or 
less against the maximum 
objective for each goal.

0% vesting where 
non-compliance 
with a plan to meet 
commitments 
for the Group’s 
environmental 
permits connected 
with environmental 
impact assessments.

75% vesting where 100% 
compliance with a plan to 
meet commitments for the 
Group’s environmental 
permits connected with 
environmental impact 
assessments is achieved.

100% vesting if construction 
of each of the Los Pelambres 
Expansion project (77%) and 
the Zaldívar Chloride Leach 
project (23%) meet their 
respective construction plans 
approved by the Board at the 
time of approving execution 
of the project. 
100% vesting where 100% 
compliance is achieved with a 
plan to meet commitments for 
the Group’s environmental 
permits and other 
environmental permits not 
connected with environmental 
impact assessments.

Anticipated 
achievement1

100%

100%

90.5%

This KPI will vest on or 
after 29 March 2021. 
The anticipated 
achievement is based 
on performance of 
25% greater than 
the index as of 
1 March 2021.
Resources 
increased to 
86.7 million tonnes 
of contained copper as 
at 31 December 2020
Performance for 
the Los Pelambres 
Expansion project is 
anticipated to be 88%. 
Performance for the 
Zaldívar Chloride 
Leach project is 
anticipated to be 99%.

All goals achieved.

100%

Total

98.8%3

1.  Anticipated achievement is based on estimates made as at the date of this report. These awards will not vest until after the Group’s 2020 results have been released to the market.
2.  The Company’s total shareholder return is calculated to show a theoretical change in the value of a shareholding over a specified period. Total shareholder return for the EMIX Global 
Mining Index is calculated by aggregating the returns of all individual constituents of that index and, for the purposes of comparison with the Company’s share performance, taking an 
average of the index over the three months before the beginning and the end of the period respectively.

3.  The impact of this vesting level on the CEO’s 2020 remuneration is set out in footnote 6 of the CEO single figure total remuneration table on page 143.

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2020 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration Report continued

Implementation of the Directors’ 
and CEO’s remuneration policy 
in 2021

A significant proportion of the remuneration 
available to the CEO is dependent on the 
performance of the Group and in 2021 his 
total remuneration will consist of the same 
elements as it did in 2020.

The chart opposite outlines the CEO’s total 
potential remuneration in 2021 under different 
performance scenarios.

The figures are based on the assumptions below.

Minimum

Target

Maximum

Max + 50% share 
price growth

100%

$0.67m

29%

29%

42%

$2.32m

18%

37%

17%

35%

45%

48%

$3.63m

$3.82m

FIXED PAY

ANNUAL BONUS

LTIP

Description

Minimum

Target

Maximum 

LTIP awards of 200% of salary, 325% in exceptional circumstances 
(30% Restricted Awards, 70% Performance Awards)

No payout 

Annual bonus, maximum opportunity of 200% of base salary

No payout 

100% of Restricted 
Awards, 48% of maximum 
Performance Awards

50% of maximum 
bonus opportunity

100% of Restricted Awards, 100% 
of maximum Performance Awards

100% of maximum bonus opportunity

Annual base salary of Ch$472,005,528 ($663,908) as at 
1 January 2021, plus benefits

Base salary plus benefits only. Excludes adjustments for inflation and the base salary increase from 
April 2021 described in more detail below. Restricted Awards are not included on the basis that they 
are subject to continued employment at the vesting date and lapse immediately upon the cessation of 
employment prior to vesting.

All elements are estimated using an exchange 
rate of $1 = Ch$711 and are therefore subject 
to exchange rate fluctuations during the year.

The Committee is confident that the Policy 
operates as intended and no changes 
are necessary.

Base salary and benefits
The CEO’s salary as at 1 January 2021 was 
$663,908 (2020: $613,629). The difference 
between the 2020 and 2021 figures is due to 
appreciation of the Chilean peso versus the 
US dollar during 2020 and to a lesser extent, 
inflation adjustments which automatically apply 
to the CEO’s and employees’ base salaries in 
line with the wider workforce.

As noted in the Chair’s introduction, at the 
beginning of 2021, the Committee and the Board 
reviewed the operation of the CEO’s pay policy 
using internal and external measures, deciding to 
increase the CEO’s base salary from April 2021. 
The specific factors that were taken into account 
in this decision included:

•  the Group’s performance under the 

CEO’s leadership over the last five years: 
the CEO has provided outstanding leadership, 
implementing the Group’s culture and values, 
attracting and retaining key talent that works 
together effectively as a team, delivering on 
environmental, social and sustainability goals 
and delivering robust financial performance.
•  the position of the Group and the Board’s 

current strategy and vision: the organisation 
faces challenging operational and strategic 
goals that need to be delivered at a time when 
agility and continuity of leadership are required 

to meet the challenges of the continuing 
COVID-19 pandemic and social reform in Chile. 
Our CEO has a fundamental role in supporting 
the Group through that process.

•  external benchmarking exercises showed 
the CEO’s remuneration to be below the 
appropriate positioning determined by the 
Committee and the Board: The CEO’s relative 
pay position has been consistently below global 
and FTSE 100/FTSE 100 mining benchmark 
packages and given the recent depreciation of 
the Chilean peso, this positioning has moved 
away from the Committee and the Board’s 
desired positioning. The Committee and the 
Board also considered the relative position 
in Chile to ensure that this decision reflects 
the appropriate position for the CEO in Chile.
•  structural depreciation in the Chilean peso/
US dollar exchange rate: there has been a 
structural depreciation in the long term Chilean 
peso/US dollar exchange rate over the last 
five years. The Chilean peso has depreciated 
versus the US dollar leading to a decrease 
in the CEO’s total US dollar pay and relative 
competitiveness in recent years. For example, 
the value of the Chilean peso to the US dollar 
in 2020 compared with 2017 has devalued 
by around 20%. While the Chilean peso to 
US dollar exchange rate will continue to be 
volatile, the effective increase in base pay for 
the CEO in US dollar terms compared with 
2017 is approximately 5%. All employees are 
subject to annual merit reviews and similar 
merit increases have been made throughout 
the Group in recent years to ensure levels 
of remuneration remain competitive.

Consequently, the Committee and the Board 
have decided to increase base salary payments 
in Chilean pesos under the CEO’s Chilean 
employment contract by 25%. The impact of 
this increase in US dollar terms will be reported 
in the Company’s 2021 Remuneration Report.

Benefits payable to Iván Arriagada reflect 
amounts paid to maintain life and health 
insurance policies.

According to Chilean law, all employees are 
required to pay their own pension and compulsory 
health insurance contributions and no additional 
contributions are made by the Group.

Annual bonus
The maximum bonus opportunity for the CEO for 
2021 will remain unchanged at 200% of salary.

The annual bonus focuses on the delivery 
of annual financial and non-financial targets 
designed to align remuneration with the Group’s 
strategy and create a platform for sustainable 
future performance. The Board has agreed 
Group performance criteria for the 2021 
plan as set out in the table below.

The number of KPIs and weightings attributable 
to each component of the 2021 Annual Bonus 
Plan is the same as in 2020 and reflects the 
Committee’s view of the balance required to 
successfully implement the Group’s strategy in 
2021. 70% of the CEO and Executive Committee’s 
2021 annual bonus will be calculated based on 
the Group’s performance against these criteria 
in 2021, with the remaining 30% based on 
personal performance.

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Weighting  Objective

Measure

Threshold

Target

60%
15%

Core business
EBITDA – Mining division1

$m ≤–10%

25%
20%

20%
13%
3%
4%
20%
5%
5%
5%
5%

kt

699.9

$/lb 
$m

 172.9
128.5

Copper production2
Costs3
Cash costs before by-product credits3 (17%)
Corporate expenditure4 (3%)
Business development – Growth and innovation projects execution
Growth projects5
Exploration programmes6
Innovation and Digital Transformation projects7
Sustainability and organisational capabilities
Safety – Mining division8
People – Diversity and Inclusion Strategy9
Environmental performance10
Social performance11

Maximum

≥+10%

766.9

153.3
116.3

The Group’s future metals price assumptions are commercially 
sensitive and therefore the target for EBITDA will not be disclosed 
in advance. However, the Company will disclose the 2021 target 
and outcome in the 2021 Annual Report.
722.2 – 744.6

163.1
122.4

Measured according to the schedule and budget as described 
in more detail in the footnotes.

Measured according to the KPIs and milestones as described 
in more detail in the footnotes.

1.  The threshold, target and maximum target figures for EBITDA will be adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations, the impact of hedging arrangements, copper price fluctuations and the 

impact of any one-off bonuses paid as part of labour negotiations during the year.

2.  100% basis, except for Zaldívar (50%).
3.  The threshold, target and maximum target figures for cash costs will be adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations, key input price deviations above 20% during the year and the impact 

of any one-off bonuses paid as part of labour negotiations.

4.  The figures for corporate expenditure will be adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations and the difference between budget annual bonus payments and actual bonus payments made 

to employees for the year.

5.  Split between the Los Pelambres Expansion project (6%) and the Zaldívar Chloride Leach project (1.5%), Zaldívar Environmental Impact Assessment (1.5%) and Centinela Second 

Concentrator project (4%).

6.  Maximum and target are defined according to the progress of execution of a planned exploration programme one target previously discovered to have potential mineralisation 
and the consolidation of exploration ownership interests, including infill drilling campaigns, increasing the potential mineral inventory against three specific KPIs for each target.

7.  Split between KPIs for the implementation of the autonomous truck fleet for Centinela (33.3%), the implementation of Centinela’s Remote Operations Centre (33.3%) and 

implementation of the New Ways of Working project (33.3%).

8.  Performance against a target for reducing high potential accidents versus the recorded high potential accidents in 2020, with threshold at no reduction, target of a 10% reduction 

and maximum of a 15% reduction.

9.  Performance against targets set at the beginning of 2021 for implementation of the Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. Split between the results of an evaluation of the Group culture 

in supporting the expected maturity of the Group’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (50%) with threshold at no improvement in culture, target of an expected improvement in culture 
and maximum for an improvement in culture above expectations based on the Committee’s approval of an evaluation overseen by the CEO and Vice President of Operations and an 
increase in the percentage of female employees (50%) with threshold at 14.7%, target at 16.4% and maximum of 17.2% at 31 December 2021.

10. The control of risks relating to environmental performance across all companies measured against KPIs relating to compliance with an internal plan for the implementation of 

controls for high and moderate environmental risks, a reduction in the Group’s overall CO2 emissions with threshold at 80% implementation of the internal plan for the control of high 
and moderate environmental risks and no reduction in CO2 emissions, target at 100% implementation of the internal plan for the implementation of controls for high and moderate 
environmental risks and 100% achievement of the CO2 emissions budget for scope 1 and scope 2 emissions for the year and Centinela and Zaldívar registered with The Copper Mark 
before the end of the year and maximum at compliance with the target KPIs plus more than a 3.5% reduction in CO2 emissions versus budget for the year, the establishment of a goal 
in 2022 for a reduction in scope 3 emissions and Centinela and Zaldívar registered with The Copper Mark before 30 September 2021.

11. Performance against the planned execution of social initiatives, improvements in measured social programmes and the control of risks relating to social incidents performance within 
the budget across all companies where maximum is achievable with the implementation of all planned initiatives and no social incidents impacting production or the Group’s reputation 
and with costs incurred 3% below budget.

Full disclosure on the targets and performance against them will be provided in the 2021 Remuneration Report.

Performance adjustments and discretion
As has been the case for a number of years, the 
final performance score under the 2021 Annual 
Bonus Plan will be subject to a 15% adjustment 
upwards if there are no fatalities and 15% 
downwards if there are one or more fatalities, 
during 2021.

The final performance score for the “core 
business” component of the annual bonus score, 
comprising 60% of the Group performance 
score, will also automatically be adjusted to 90 
(0% bonus) when applied to the 2021 annual 
bonus for the Executive Committee if the Group 
does not record a profit after tax (excluding 
extraordinary non-cash items and changes to 
legislation or accounting rules and calculated 
using the statutory nominal tax rate) in 2021.

The Committee maintains discretion to adjust the 
final performance score within a range of three 
points. However, use of this adjustment must be 
approved by the Board.

Following the Committee’s review, the 
maximum opportunity for 2021 will remain 
unchanged at 200% of salary (325% of salary 
in exceptional circumstances).

2021 LTIP awards
The Committee carefully considered the design of 
the LTIP including the vesting and holding periods 
for Restricted Awards and Performance Awards 
and the mix of awards that are granted to 
participants in the LTIP. It confirmed that the 
current design continues to be appropriate, taking 
into account the overall quantum of remuneration 
available to the CEO and the Executive Committee 
and remuneration structures typically used in the 
market in Chile.

The LTIP will continue to comprise two elements 
as follows:

•  Restricted Awards (30% of overall award) 

– vest one-third each year over a three-year 
period following grant.

•  Performance Awards (70% of overall award) 
– awards subject to a three-year performance 
period with no holding period. The measures 
for 2021 awards are shown at the top of the 
following page. 

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Corporate Governance

2020 Directors’ and CEO Remuneration Report continued

Weighting  Objective

Measure

50%

Relative total 
shareholder return

25%

Mineral resources 
increase
12.5% Project’s 

performance

12.5% Environmental and 
social commitments

Comparison against Global X Copper Miners ETF (CopX Index) with 0% vesting at performance below the index during the 
three-year period, 33% vesting at performance equal to the index and 100% vesting at performance equal or greater than 
the index plus 5% during the three-year period from the date of grant.
Maximum is expected to be 86.6 million tonnes of contained copper, with target and threshold of 85.6 and 82.6 million 
tonnes of contained copper respectively as at 31 December 2023.
Maximum is achievable if the feasibility studies for the Concentrate Transportation System (35%) and Desalination Plant 
Expansion (30%) projects are completed, and Centinela’s Second Concentrator project meets its respective budget and 
construction plans approved by the Board (35%).
This KPI comprises two parts:

1. Social Management Plan (40%)
Maximum is achievable for 100% compliance with initiatives included in the Group’s social management plan, including 
initiatives existing as of 31 March 2021 and added thereafter until 31 December 2023, on time and on budget with target 
(0% vesting) at 85% compliance with the initiatives. The final score is calculated as the average score of all initiatives.

2. Climate change and environment (60%)
Maximum is achievable for compliance with the Group’s emissions budget according to the emissions reduction goal of 
900,000t CO2e by 2023, 100% compliance with the climate change strategy roadmap and 100% compliance with the 
internal plan to address regulatory requirements.

Implementation of the Directors’ 
Remuneration Policy in 2021
Directors will be paid fees in 2021 in accordance 
with the same roles as in 2020 as set out on 
page 140. These fees were reviewed against 
relevant benchmarks at the beginning of 2021 
and based on this exercise, the Board agreed to 
keep Non-Executive Director fees unchanged but 
to increase the fees payable for Committee roles 
and the role of Senior Independent Director to 
bring these fees closer to levels observed in the 
market and to reflect the considerable additional 
time commitments and responsibilities attached 
to these roles, which has continued to grow in 
recent years.

Benefits that were reported in 2020 will continue 
to apply. Directors are not expected to receive 
any other remuneration in 2021.

The fees payable for Committee roles and 
the role of Senior Independent Director from 
1 April 2020 are set out below:

Committee and arrangements in place 
with advisers
The names of the members of the Remuneration 
and Talent Management Committee are set 
out on page 134 which forms part of the 
Remuneration Report.

During the year, the Committee reappointed 
remuneration consultants Willis Towers 
Watson to provide advice to the Committee on 
compensation benchmarking, regulatory and 
corporate governance developments and market 
practice. This reappointment was based on the 
Committee’s satisfaction with the quality of 
advice received in previous years.

The Committee noted that except as highlighted 
below Willis Towers Watson had no other 
connection with the Company, and is satisfied 
that the advice provided by Willis Towers Watson 
in 2020 was objective and independent and that 
no conflict of interest arose as a result of these 
services. Willis Towers Watson’s fees for this 
work were charged in accordance with time 
and materials and amounted to £145,130.

Additional Director fees payable from 1 April 2021

Role

Additional fees ($000)

Senior Independent Director
Audit and Risk Committee Chair
Audit and Risk Committee member
Nomination and Governance Committee Chair
Nomination and Governance Committee member
Projects Committee Chair
Projects Committee member
Remuneration and Talent Management Committee Chair
Remuneration and Talent Management Committee member
Sustainability and Stakeholder Management Committee Chair
Sustainability and Stakeholder Management Committee member

33
42
20
25
10
35
20
35
20
35
20

Willis Towers Watson also provided advice and 
support during the year to management, primarily 
covering a review of remuneration policies and 
practices throughout the organisation that was 
undertaken by a specialist team on an independent 
basis. The outcomes of this work were tabled for 
the Committee’s review and the Committee was 
satisfied that the advice received was objective 
and independent.

In determining that advice received was 
independent, the Committee took into account 
that Willis Towers Watson is an independent 
global professional services firm that is a 
signatory to, and adheres to, the Code of Conduct 
for Remuneration Consultants. This can be found 
at www.remunerationconsultantsgroup.com.

The Committee also received assistance from 
the Chairman, Jean-Paul Luksic, the CEO, 
Iván Arriagada, the Vice President of Human 
Resources, Ana Maria Rabagliati and the Company 
Secretary, Julian Anderson, during 2020, none 
of whom participated in discussions relating to 
their own remuneration.

The Committee Chair and the Committee 
regularly speak with advisers without 
management present, to provide a forum for 
open discussion and the sharing of views and 
opinions on compensation issues. Additionally, 
part of each Committee meeting is held without 
management present to ensure that individual 
views or areas of concern can be debated 
between Committee members.

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Directors’ Report

Directors’ 
Report

Directors
Directors who have served during the year 
and summaries of current Directors’ key skills 
and experience are set out in the Corporate 
Governance Report on pages 112-114.

Post-balance sheet events
There have been no post-balance sheet events.

Financial risk management
Details of the Company’s policies on financial 
risk management are set out in Note 25 to the 
financial statements.

Results and dividends
The consolidated profit before tax has increased 
from $1,349.2 million in 2019 to $1,413.1 million 
in 2020.

The Board has recommended a final dividend of 
48.5 cents per ordinary share (2019 – 7.1 cents). 
An interim dividend of 6.2 cents was paid on 
2 October 2020 (2019 interim dividend – 
10.7 cents). This gives total dividends per 
share proposed in relation to 2020 of 54.7 
cents (2019 – 17.8 cents) and a total dividend 
amount in relation to 2019 of $539.3 million 
(2019 – $175.5 million).

Preference shares carry the right to a 
fixed cumulative dividend of 5% per annum. 
The preference shares are classified within 
borrowings and preference dividends are 
included within finance costs. The total cost 
of dividends paid on preference shares and 
recognised as an expense in the income 
statement was $0.1 million (2019 – $0.1 million). 
Further information relating to dividends 
is set out in the Financial review on page 91 
and in Note 14 to the financial statements.

Political contributions
The Group did not make political donations during 
the year ended 31 December 2020 (2019 – nil).

Auditor
The Company’s auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers 
LLP, has indicated its willingness to continue in 
office and a resolution seeking its reappointment 
will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting.

Disclosure of information to auditors
The Directors in office at the date of this report 
have each confirmed that:

•  so far as they are aware, there is no relevant 
audit information of which the Group’s auditor 
is unaware; and

•  they have taken all the steps that they ought 
to have taken as Directors in order to make 
themselves aware of any relevant audit 
information and to establish that the Group’s 
auditor is aware of that information.

Capital structure
Details of the authorised and issued ordinary 
share capital are shown in Note 30 to the 
financial statements. The Company has one 
class of ordinary shares, which carry no right 
to fixed income. Each ordinary share carries 
one vote at any general meeting of the Company.

Details of the preference share capital are shown 
in Note 23 to the financial statements. The 
preference shares are non-redeemable and are 
entitled to a fixed cumulative dividend of 5% per 
annum. Each preference share carries 100 votes 
on a poll at any general meeting of the Company.

When the preference shares were issued, they 
each carried one vote at any general meeting of 
the Company in parity with the ordinary shares 
in issue at that time. The number of ordinary 
shares in issue has increased since then through 
stock splits and bonus issues and because the 
preference shares were not split at the same 
time as the ordinary shares. In order to maintain 
proportionate voting rights attaching to the 
preference shares, the voting rights attaching to 
preference shares have increased to 100 votes 
on a poll at any general meeting of the Company.

There are no specific restrictions on the transfer 
of shares or on their voting rights beyond those 
standard provisions set out in the Company’s 
Articles of Association and other provisions 
of applicable law and regulation (including, 
in particular, following a failure to provide the 
Company with information about interests in 
shares as required by the Companies Act 2006). 
The Company is not aware of any agreements 
between holders of the Company’s shares that 
may result in restrictions on the transfer of 
securities or on voting rights.

With regard to the appointment and replacement 
of Directors, the Company is governed by, and 
has regard to, its Articles of Association, the 
UK Corporate Governance Code 2018, the 
Companies Act 2006 and related legislation. 
The Articles of Association may be amended 
by special resolution of the shareholders. 
There are no significant agreements in place 
that take effect, alter or terminate upon a 
change of control of the Company. There are 
no agreements in place between the Company 
and its Directors or employees that provide for 
compensation for loss of office or employment 
resulting from a change of control of the Company.

The percentages of the total nominal share 
capital of the Company represented by each 
class of share are:

Class

Ordinary 
shares of 
5p each
Preference 
shares of 
£1.00 each

Number 
in issue

Nominal 
value 
per share

Percentage 
of capital

985,856,695

5p

96.10%

2,000,000

£1

3.90%

Authority to issue shares and 
authority to purchase own shares
At the 2020 AGM, held on 20 May 2020, 
authority was given to the Directors to allot 
unissued relevant securities in the Company up 
to a maximum amount equivalent to two-thirds of 
the ordinary shares in issue (of which one-third 
may only be offered by way of rights issue). This 
authority expires on the date of this year’s AGM, 
scheduled to be held on 12 May 2021. No shares 
have been issued as at the date of this report or 
during the year. The Directors propose to seek 
renewal of this authority at this year’s AGM.

A further special resolution passed at the 2020 
AGM granted authority to the Directors to allot 
equity securities in the Company for cash up 
to an aggregate nominal amount of £2,464,641, 
without regard to the pre-emption provisions 
of the Companies Act 2006. This authority also 
expires on the date of this year’s AGM and the 
Directors will seek to renew this authority by 
way of two separate resolutions, in line with 
the Investment Association’s guidance and the 
Pre-Emption Group’s Statement of Principles.

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Corporate Governance

Directors’ Report continued

The Company was also authorised by a 
shareholders’ resolution passed at the 2020 
AGM to purchase up to 10% of its issued ordinary 
share capital. Any shares bought back may be 
held as treasury shares or, if not so held, must 
be cancelled immediately upon completion of the 
purchase, thereby reducing the amount of the 
Company’s issued and authorised share capital. 
This authority will expire at this year’s AGM 
and a resolution to renew the authority for a 
further year will be proposed. No shares were 
purchased by the Company during the year.

Directors’ interests and indemnities
Details of Directors’ contracts and letters of 
appointment, remuneration and emoluments, and 
their interests in the shares of the Company as at 
31 December 2020, are given in the Directors’ 
Remuneration Report. No Director had any 
material interest in a contract of significance 
(other than a service contract – see page 142) 
with the Company or any subsidiary company 
during the year.

In accordance with the Company’s Articles of 
Association and to the extent permitted by the 
laws of England and Wales, Directors are granted 
an indemnity from the Company in respect of 
liabilities personally incurred as a result of their 
office. The Company also maintained a Directors’ 
and Officers’ liability insurance policy throughout 
the financial year. A new policy has been entered 
into for the current financial year.

Conflicts of interest
Each year, the Directors complete a form 
identifying interests that may constitute a conflict 
of interest, including, for example, directorships 
in other companies. Directors are also required 
to notify the Company during the year of any 
relevant changes in those positions or situations.

The Board, with assistance from the Nomination 
and Governance Committee, considers the 
potential and actual conflict situations and 
decides in relation to each situation the steps, 
if any, which need to be taken to manage it.

The authorisation process is not regarded as 
a substitute for managing an actual conflict of 
interest if one arises, and the monitoring, and, if 
appropriate, authorisation of actual and potential 
conflicts of interest is an ongoing process.

Substantial shareholdings
As at 31 December 2019, the following significant 
holdings of voting rights in the share capital of 
the Company had been disclosed to the Company 
under Disclosure and Transparency Rule 5:

Shareholder

1. Metalinvest 
Establishment
2. Kupferberg 
Establishment
3. Aureberg 
Establishment

Ordinary 
share capital 
%

Preference 
share capital 
%

Total share 
capital 
%

50.72

94.12

58.04

9.94

4.26

–

–

8.27 

3.54

Metalinvest Establishment and Kupferberg 
Establishment are both controlled by the 
E. Abaroa Foundation (“Abaroa”), in which 
members of the Luksic family are interested. As 
explained in Note 37 to the financial statements, 
Metalinvest Establishment is the immediate 
Parent Company of the Group and the E. Abaroa 
Foundation is the Ultimate Parent Company. 
Aureberg Establishment is controlled by the 
Severe Studere Foundation that, in turn, is 
controlled by Jean-Paul Luksic, the Chairman 
of the Company.

No interests have been disclosed to the Company 
between 31 December 2020 and the date of 
this report.

Exploration and research 
and development
The Group’s subsidiaries carry out exploration 
and research and development activities that 
are necessary to support and expand 
the Group’s operations.

Going concern
The Directors, having made appropriate 
enquiries, have satisfied themselves that it 
is appropriate to adopt the going concern 
basis of accounting in preparing the financial 
statements, as detailed in Note 1 to the financial 
statements. Additionally, the Directors have 
considered longer-term viability, as described 
in their statement on page 30.

Business relationships with suppliers, 
customers and others
A statement of how the Directors have had 
regard to the need to foster the Company’s 
business relationships with suppliers, customers 
and others and the effect of that regard, including 
on the principal decisions made by the Company 
during the year, are set out on pages 34-61 of 
the Strategic Report and pages 108-109 of the 
Corporate Governance Report.

Other statutory disclosures
The Corporate Governance Report on 
pages 94-152, the Statement of Directors’ 
responsibilities on page 155 and Note 25 to the 
financial statements are incorporated into this 
Directors’ Report by reference.

Other information can be found in the following 
sections of the Strategic Report:

Future developments in the 
business of the Group
Viability statement
Subsidiaries, associates and 
joint ventures 
Employee engagement
Greenhouse gas emissions
Streamlined energy and 
carbon reporting 

Location in 
Strategic Report

Pages 64-83
Page 30

Pages 64-83
Pages 42-44
Page 53

Pages 52-53

Disclosures required pursuant to Listing Rule 
9.8.4R can be found on the following pages of 
the Annual Report:

Location in 
Annual Report

See Notes 6, 10 
and 16 to the 
financial statements 
on pages 178-181, 
186 and 189.

Page 103

Statement of interest 
capitalised by the Group 
(LR 9.8.4(1))

Relationship agreement 
(LR 9.8.4(14))

By order of the Board

Julian Anderson
Company Secretary

15 March 2021

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Statement of Directors’ responsibilities in respect of the financial statements 

Statement of Directors’ 
responsibilities 

In the case of each director in office at the date 
the directors’ report is approved:

•  so far as the director is aware, there is 

no relevant audit information of which the 
group’s and parent company’s auditors are 
unaware; and

•  they have taken all the steps that they ought 
to have taken as a director in order to make 
themselves aware of any relevant audit 
information and to establish that the group’s 
and parent company’s auditors are aware of 
that information.

By order of the Board

Jean-Paul Luksic
Chairman

15 March 2021

Ollie Oliveira
Senior Independent 
Director

The Directors are responsible for preparing the 
Annual Report and the financial statements in 
accordance with applicable law and regulation.

Company law requires the Directors to prepare 
financial statements for each financial year. 
Under that law the Directors have prepared the 
group financial statements in accordance with 
international accounting standards in conformity 
with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 
and international financial reporting standards 
adopted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 
as it applies in the European Union and parent 
company financial statements in accordance with 
United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting 
Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards, 
comprising FRS 101 “Reduced Disclosure 
Framework”, and applicable law).

Under company law, directors must not approve 
the financial statements unless they are satisfied 
that they give a true and fair view of the state of 
affairs of the group and parent company and of 
the profit or loss of the group for that period. In 
preparing the financial statements, the directors 
are required to:

•  select suitable accounting policies and then 

apply them consistently

•  state whether applicable international 

accounting standards in conformity with the 
requirements of the Companies Act 2006 
and international financial reporting standards 
adopted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 
1606/2002 as it applies in the European 
Union have been followed for the group 
financial statements and United Kingdom 
Accounting Standards, comprising FRS 101 
have been followed for the parent company 
financial statements, subject to any material 
departures disclosed and explained in the 
financial statements;

•  make judgements and accounting estimates 

that are reasonable and prudent; and
•  prepare the financial statements on the 

going concern basis unless it is inappropriate 
to presume that the group and parent 
company will continue in business.

The directors are also responsible for 
safeguarding the assets of the group and parent 
company and hence for taking reasonable steps 
for the prevention and detection of fraud and 
other irregularities.

The directors are responsible for keeping 
adequate accounting records that are sufficient 
to show and explain the group’s and parent 
company’s transactions and disclose with 
reasonable accuracy at any time the financial 
position of the group and parent company 
and enable them to ensure that the financial 
statements and the Directors’ Remuneration 
Report comply with the Companies Act 2006.

The directors are responsible for the 
maintenance and integrity of the parent 
company’s website. Legislation in the United 
Kingdom governing the preparation and 
dissemination of financial statements may 
differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Directors’ confirmations
The directors consider that the annual report 
and accounts, taken as a whole, is fair, balanced 
and understandable and provides the information 
necessary for shareholders to assess the group’s 
and parent company’s position and performance, 
business model and strategy.

Each of the directors, whose names and functions 
are listed in the Corporate Governance Report, 
confirm that, to the best of their knowledge:

•  the group financial statements, which have 

been prepared in accordance with international 
accounting standards in conformity with the 
requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and 
international financial reporting standards 
adopted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 
1606/2002 as it applies in the European 
Union, give a true and fair view of the assets, 
liabilities, financial position and profit of 
the group;

•  the parent company financial statements, 
which have been prepared in accordance 
with United Kingdom Accounting Standards, 
comprising FRS 101, give a true and fair view 
of the assets, liabilities, financial position and 
profit of the parent company; and

•  the Strategic Report includes a fair review 
of the development and performance of the 
business and the position of the group and 
parent company, together with a description 
of the principal risks and uncertainties that 
it faces.

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Financial 
statements

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Financial statements
Independent auditors’ report
Consolidated income statement
Consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income
Consolidated statement of changes in 
equity
Consolidated balance sheet
Consolidated cash flow statement
Notes to the financial statements
Parent company financial statements

158
165

166

166
167
168
169
212

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Independent auditors’ report to the members of Antofagasta plc 

Report on the audit of the financial statements 

Opinion 
In our opinion: 

•  Antofagasta plc’s Group financial statements and Parent Company financial statements (the “financial statements”) give a true and fair view of the state of 
the Group’s and of the Parent Company’s affairs as at 31 December 2020 and of the Group’s profit and the Group’s cash flows for the year then ended; 
•  the Group financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with international accounting standards in conformity with the requirements of 

the Companies Act 2006; 

•  the Parent Company financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United 

Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising FRS 101 “Reduced Disclosure Framework”, and applicable law); and 

•  the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. 

We have audited the financial statements, included within the Annual Report and Financial Statements 2020 (the “Annual Report”), which comprise: the 
consolidated and Parent Company balance sheets as at 31 December 2020; the consolidated income statement, the consolidated statement of comprehensive 
income, the consolidated cash flow statement, and the consolidated and Parent Company statements of changes in equity for the year then ended; and the 
notes to the financial statements, which include a description of the significant accounting policies. 

Our opinion is consistent with our reporting to the Audit and Risk Committee. 

Separate opinion in relation to international financial reporting standards adopted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 as it applies 
in the European Union 
As explained in note 1 to the Group financial statements, the Group, in addition to applying international accounting standards in conformity with the 
requirements of the Companies Act 2006, has also applied international financial reporting standards adopted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 as it 
applies in the European Union. 

In our opinion, the Group financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with international financial reporting standards adopted pursuant to 
Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 as it applies in the European Union. 

Basis for opinion 
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (“ISAs (UK)”) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under ISAs (UK) 
are further described in the Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We believe that the audit evidence we have 
obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. 

Independence 
We remained independent of the Group in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, which 
includes the FRC’s Ethical Standard, as applicable to listed public interest entities, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with 
these requirements. 

To the best of our knowledge and belief, we declare that non-audit services prohibited by the FRC’s Ethical Standard were not provided to the Group. 

Other than those disclosed in note 8 to the financial statements, we have provided no non-audit services to the Group in the period under audit. 

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Our audit approach 
Context 
The most significant impact on the audit for the year ended 31 December 2020 was the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of COVID-19, Chile and the United 
Kingdom were both placed under government lockdowns for large parts of our 2020 audit cycle, which impacted the way we conducted our work, with more 
procedures being performed remotely, including the Group team’s direction and oversight of our component teams. The impacts of the pandemic, both from a 
financial reporting perspective and as it related to delivering the audit largely remotely, were continuously re-evaluated throughout the year, including the 
impact of the pandemic on our risk assessment. 

Overview 
Audit scope 
•  We identified two components (2019: two) as individually financially significant components, which required an audit of their complete financial information 
due to their financial significance to the Group, and a further three components (2019: three) where we concluded that a full scope audit of the component 
financial information was warranted.   

•  We also determined that specified procedures were necessary in respect of certain balances within the corporate segment and transport division to ensure 

that we had sufficient coverage from our audit work over each line of the Group’s financial statements.   
•  Taken together, the components at which audit work was performed accounted for 97% of Group revenue. 

Key audit matters 
•  Assessment of indicators of impairment for the Antucoya and Centinela cash generating units (Group) 
•  COVID-19 (Group and Parent Company) 

Materiality 
•  Overall Group materiality: $64 million (2019: $70 million) based on approximately 5% of three year average profit before tax adjusted for one-off items. 
•  Overall Parent Company materiality: $22 million (2019: $13 million) based on 1% of total assets. 
•  Performance materiality: $48 million (Group) and $16.5 million (Parent Company). 

The scope of our audit 
As part of designing our audit, we determined materiality and assessed the risks of material misstatement in the financial statements. 

Capability of the audit in detecting irregularities, including fraud 
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined in the 
Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The 
extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below. 

Based on our understanding of the Group and industry, we identified that the principal risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations related to breaches 
of safety and environmental regulations and unethical and prohibited business practices, and we considered the extent to which non-compliance might have a 
material effect on the financial statements. We also considered those laws and regulations that have a direct impact on the preparation of the financial 
statements such as the Companies Act 2006. We evaluated management’s incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements 
(including the risk of override of controls), and determined that the principal risks were related to the posting of inappropriate journal entries to increase 
revenue or reduce expenditure, and management bias in accounting estimates. The Group engagement team shared this risk assessment with the component 
auditors so that they could include appropriate audit procedures in response to such risks in their work. Audit procedures performed by the Group 
engagement team and/or component auditors included: 

•  Inquiries with management, including the Group’s Vice President of Legal and the Head of Internal Audit, regarding their consideration of known or 

suspected instances of non-compliance with laws and regulation, fraud, and breaches of applicable environmental regulations; 

•  Obtaining legal letters from the Group’s external legal advisers in respect of litigation and claims and other such matters, where considered necessary; 
•  Evaluation of management’s controls designed to prevent and detect irregularities, in particular their anti-bribery controls; 
•  Challenging assumptions and judgements made by management in respect of critical accounting judgements and significant accounting estimates, in 

particular in relation to impairment indicator assessments at Antucoya and Centinela (see related key audit matter below); and 

•  Identifying and testing journal entries, in particular any journal entries posted with certain unusual account combinations. 

There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above. We are less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance with laws and 
regulations that are not closely related to events and transactions reflected in the financial statements. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement 
due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or 
intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion. 

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Independent auditors’ report to the members of Antofagasta plc continued 

Key audit matters 
Key audit matters are those matters that, in the auditors’ professional judgement, were of most significance in the audit of the financial statements of the 
current period and include the most significant assessed risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to fraud) identified by the auditors, including 
those which had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy; the allocation of resources in the audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement team. 
These matters, and any comments we make on the results of our procedures thereon, were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements 
as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters. 

This is not a complete list of all risks identified by our audit. 

COVID-19 is a new key audit matter this year. Provisions for decommissioning and restoration, which was a key audit matter last year, is no longer included 
because of the reduced audit risk given the absence of both significant cost estimate updates and also any mandatory reviews by the Chilean regulator of the 
cost estimate in the current year. Otherwise, the key audit matters below are consistent with last year. 

Key audit matter 

How our audit addressed the key audit matter 

Assessment of indicators of impairment for the Antucoya 
and Centinela cash generating units (Group) 
In accordance with IAS 36 ‘Impairment of assets’, the Directors 
are required to perform an impairment assessment of long-
lived assets at any time an indicator of impairment exists. The 
Directors considered various external and internal factors, as 
set out in IAS 36, in assessing whether an impairment indicator 
existed as at 31 December 2020, such as short- and long-term 
forecast copper prices, the operational performance of these 
mines and indicative estimates of movements in value during 
the year based on the latest Life of Mine plans. The Directors 
concluded that no impairment indicators existed as at 31 
December 2020 in respect of either Antucoya or Centinela and, 
therefore, no detailed impairment tests were performed.   

This assessment required judgement on the part of the 
Directors in determining whether an impairment trigger existed 
and was, therefore, considered a key audit matter. There is a 
heightened level of potential impairment risk at Antucoya, given 
its relatively high cost base, and at Centinela given its sensitivity 
to changes in the long-term copper price. 

Refer to note 5 to the financial statements and the Audit and 
Risk Committee’s views set out on page 125. 

COVID-19 (Group and Parent Company) 
Management has undertaken an assessment of the impact of 
COVID-19 on the Group and Parent Company financial 
statements focusing on the potential impact of the pandemic on 
the Group’s accounting estimates and judgements. The areas 
where management has given greatest attention to the 
accounting and disclosure implications of COVID-19 are as 
follows:   

•  The Group’s going concern assessment (note 1 to the 

financial statements);   

•  Impairment considerations, including asset sensitivities (note 

5 to the financial statements); 

•  Net realisable value of inventories (note 20 to the financial 

statements; and 

•  Recoverability of trade receivables (note 21 to the financial 

statements).   

We focused on the impact of COVID-19 on the Group and 
Parent Company financial statements as its impact may be 
significant and pervasive, both in terms of the impact on a range 
of the Group’s accounting judgements and estimates, including 
but not limited to impairment, and in terms of the related 
disclosures in the Annual Report. Refer also to the Audit and 
Risk Committee’s views set out on page 125. 

In addition, restrictions on travel and office closures limited our 
ability to access mine sites and resulted in a large proportion of 
the audit being delivered remotely. 

We assessed management’s conclusion that there were no impairment indicators as at 31 
December 2020.   

Our procedures included evaluating management’s assessment of impairment indicators, 
including evaluating the completeness of the assessment by reference to both internal and 
external factors, including but not limited to the impact of COVID-19, operational 
performance in the year, macro-economic factors including forecast copper prices, foreign 
currency exchange rates and market interest rates, climate change, and expected future 
production profiles and capital expenditure as included in the latest Life of Mine plan for 
each operation. 

In addition, we evaluated management’s quantitative impairment indicator assessments, 
and the process by which they were drawn up, including verifying the mathematical 
accuracy of the cash flow models and agreeing future capital and operating expenditure to 
the latest Board approved budgets and the latest approved Life of Mine plans. We assessed 
the reasonableness of the expected capital and operating expenses in light of their historical 
levels and recent operational performance, and considered the competence and objectivity 
of management’s internal technical experts who prepared the Life of Mine plans. We 
evaluated the appropriateness of key market related assumptions in the indicative valuation 
models, including the copper prices, discount rates and foreign currency exchange rates, 
with the support of our valuation experts. We performed sensitivity analysis around the key 
assumptions within the cash flow forecasts, using both lower long-term copper prices and 
a stronger Chilean peso. In light of the above, we assessed the appropriateness of the 
related disclosures in note 5 to the financial statements, including the sensitivities provided. 
Overall, we identified no material issues in our work. 

We issued specific audit instructions to component teams, requesting additional risk 
assessments to be performed on the impact of COVID-19 locally, and directed component 
auditors to perform further procedures to address the additional areas that may be subject 
to significant estimates or judgements to ensure the appropriateness and completeness of 
our audit risk assessment and planned audit response.   

We assessed our ability to execute the audit when operating under lockdown and the 
related international travel restrictions. We implemented alternative communication and 
review protocols with management and with our component auditors. We also held a 
planning meeting involving management and our component auditors, and agreed ways to 
facilitate a remote audit, including determining how we could ensure appropriate access to 
relevant documentation that we needed for our audit. We increased the frequency and 
extent of our direction and oversight of our component audit teams, using more frequent 
video conferencing and more extensive remote working paper reviews, to satisfy ourselves 
as to the appropriateness of audit work performed by our component teams based in 
Santiago. 

With the support of our component teams where necessary, we evaluated management’s 
accounting estimates in light of COVID-19. We considered its impact on impairment and we 
have reported a separate key audit matter in respect of the assessment of indicators of 
impairment at Antucoya and Centinela. Our procedures and conclusions in respect of going 
concern are set out separately within the Conclusions relating to going concern section of 
this report. 

We assessed management’s disclosures in the Annual Report in relation to the impact of 
COVID-19, considering whether the disclosures were consistent with our underlying audit 
procedures both at the Group and at the component level. Overall, we identified no material 
issues from our work. 

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How we tailored the audit scope 
We tailored the scope of our audit to ensure that we performed enough work to be able to give an opinion on the financial statements as a whole, taking into 
account the structure of the Group and the Parent Company, the accounting processes and controls, and the industry in which they operate. 

The core mining business comprises four mining operations: Los Pelambres; Centinela; Antucoya and Zaldívar, a joint venture with Barrick Gold Corporation 
operated by the Group. These mines produce copper cathodes, copper concentrates and significant volumes of by-products. 

In addition to mining, the Group has a transport division that provides rail and road cargo services in northern Chile, predominantly to mining customers, 
including to the Group’s own operations. 

All of the above operations are located in Chile. In addition, the Group has corporate head offices located in both Santiago, Chile (Antofagasta Minerals S.A.) 
and London, UK (Antofagasta plc). The Group also has exploration projects in various countries. 

In establishing the overall approach to the Group audit, we determined the type of work that needed to be performed at each of the four mine sites and the 
corporate offices in Chile, by us, as the Group engagement team and by component auditors from PwC Chile operating under our instruction. Los Pelambres 
and Centinela were considered to be financially significant components of the Group, due to their contribution towards Group profit before tax, and so required 
audits of their complete financial information. Antucoya and Zaldívar, as well as the Parent Company Antofagasta plc, were also subject to an audit of their 
complete financial information. We also requested that component auditors perform specified procedures over the corporate offices in Chile, and specific line 
items of other entities within the Group (including the transport division) to ensure that we had sufficient coverage from our audit work over each line of the 
Group’s financial statements. The Group engagement team also performed specified procedures in respect of the recoverability of the intangible asset 
associated with the Twin Metals’ mining licences, held within the corporate segment. For all other components, the Group team performed analytical review 
procedures. 

Where work was performed by component auditors, we determined the level of involvement we needed to have in the audit work to be able to conclude 
whether sufficient appropriate audit evidence had been obtained as a basis for our opinion on the Group financial statements as a whole. 

A UK staff member was seconded to PwC Chile to be an integral part of the team for part of the year. The Group team also reviewed the component auditor 
working papers and reviewed other communications dealing with significant accounting and auditing issues. 

Materiality 
The scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. We set certain quantitative thresholds for materiality. These, together with qualitative 
considerations, helped us to determine the scope of our audit and the nature, timing and extent of our audit procedures on the individual financial statement 
line items and disclosures and in evaluating the effect of misstatements, both individually and in aggregate on the financial statements as a whole. 

Based on our professional judgement, we determined materiality for the financial statements as a whole as follows: 

Overall materiality 

How we determined it 

Rationale for benchmark 
applied 

Financial statements – Group 
$64 million (2019: $70 million) 

Financial statements – Parent Company 
$22 million (2019: $13 million) 

Approximately 5% of three year average profit before tax 
adjusted for one-off items 

1% of total assets 

For the Parent Company materiality, we determined our 
materiality based on total assets, which is more applicable 
than a performance-related measure as the company is an 
investment holding company for the Group. 

For overall Group materiality, we chose to use an 
underlying earnings measure as the benchmark because 
an underlying measure removes the impact of material 
items that do not recur from year to year or otherwise 
significantly affect the underlying trend of performance 
from continuing operations. The adoption of a multi-year 
average benchmark for materiality responds to longer 
term trends in commodity markets and reduces volatility 
in the measure year-on-year. Using our professional 
judgement, we determined materiality for this year at 
$64 million, which equates to approximately 4.3% of the 
current year’s profit before tax adjusted for one-off 
items. 

For each component in the scope of our Group audit, we allocated a materiality that is less than our overall Group materiality. The range of materiality 
allocated across components was between $6 million and $45 million. 

We use performance materiality to reduce to an appropriately low level the probability that the aggregate of uncorrected and undetected misstatements 
exceeds overall materiality. Specifically, we use performance materiality in determining the scope of our audit and the nature and extent of our testing of 
account balances, classes of transactions and disclosures, for example in determining sample sizes. Our performance materiality was 75% of overall 
materiality, amounting to $48 million for the Group financial statements and $16.5 million for the Parent Company financial statements. 

In determining the performance materiality, we considered a number of factors – the history of misstatements, risk assessment and aggregation risk and the 
effectiveness of controls – and concluded that an amount at the upper end of our normal range was appropriate. 

We agreed with the Audit and Risk Committee that we would report to them misstatements identified during our audit above $3.2 million (Group audit) (2019: 
$3.5 million) and $1.1 million (Parent Company audit) (2019: $650,000) as well as misstatements below those amounts that, in our view, warranted reporting 
for qualitative reasons. 

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161

 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Independent auditors’ report to the members of Antofagasta plc continued 

Conclusions relating to going concern 
Our evaluation of the Directors’ assessment of the Group’s and the Parent Company’s ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting 
included: 

•  Obtaining and examining management’s base case forecasts and downside scenarios, checking that the forecasts have been subject to board review and, 

in the case of the base case, approval;   

•  Considering the historical reliability of management forecasting by comparing budgeted results with actual performance; 
•  Assessing the future cash flows included in the base case to ensure that these were consistent with our understanding from work performed over other 

key accounting estimates in the financial statements such as the impairment indicator assessment; 

•  Performing our own sensitivity analysis to understand the impact of changes in cash flows and net debt on the resources available to the Group; 
•  Assessing the covenants applicable to the Group’s borrowings and considering whether the forecasts supported ongoing compliance with the covenants; 

and   

•  Reading management’s paper to the Audit and Risk Committee in respect of going concern, and agreeing the forecasts set out in this paper to the 

underlying base case cash flow model.   

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may 
cast significant doubt on the Group’s and the Parent Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the 
financial statements are authorised for issue. 

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial 
statements is appropriate. 

However, because not all future events or conditions can be predicted, this conclusion is not a guarantee as to the Group’s and the Parent Company’s ability 
to continue as a going concern. 

In relation to the Parent Company’s reporting on how they have applied the UK Corporate Governance Code, we have nothing material to add or draw 
attention to in relation to the Directors’ statement in the financial statements about whether the Directors considered it appropriate to adopt the going concern 
basis of accounting. 

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report. 

Reporting on other information 
The other information comprises all of the information in the Annual Report other than the financial statements and our auditors’ report thereon. The Directors 
are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, accordingly, we do not express an 
audit opinion or, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in this report, any form of assurance thereon. 

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other 
information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If 
we identify an apparent material inconsistency or material misstatement, we are required to perform procedures to conclude whether there is a material 
misstatement of the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that 
there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report based on these responsibilities. 

With respect to the Strategic report and Directors’ report, we also considered whether the disclosures required by the UK Companies Act 2006 have 
been included. 

Based on our work undertaken in the course of the audit, the Companies Act 2006 requires us also to report certain opinions and matters as described below. 

Strategic Report and Directors’ Report 
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit, the information given in the Strategic report and Directors’ report for the year ended 
31 December 2020 is consistent with the financial statements and has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. 

In light of the knowledge and understanding of the Group and Parent Company and their environment obtained in the course of the audit, we did not identify 
any material misstatements in the Strategic report and Directors’ report. 

Directors’ Remuneration 
In our opinion, the part of the Directors’ and CEO remuneration report to be audited has been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006. 

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Corporate governance statement 
The Listing Rules require us to review the Directors’ statements in relation to going concern, longer-term viability and that part of the corporate governance 
statement relating to the Parent Company’s compliance with the provisions of the UK Corporate Governance Code specified for our review. Our additional 
responsibilities with respect to the corporate governance statement as other information are described in the Reporting on other information section of this 
report. 

Based on the work undertaken as part of our audit, we have concluded that each of the following elements of the corporate governance statement is 
materially consistent with the financial statements and our knowledge obtained during the audit, and we have nothing material to add or draw attention to in 
relation to: 

•  The Directors’ confirmation that they have carried out a robust assessment of the emerging and principal risks; 
•  The disclosures in the Annual Report that describe those principal risks, what procedures are in place to identify emerging risks and an explanation of how 

these are being managed or mitigated; 

•  The Directors’ statement in the financial statements about whether they considered it appropriate to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in 

preparing them, and their identification of any material uncertainties to the Group’s and Parent Company’s ability to continue to do so over a period of at 
least twelve months from the date of approval of the financial statements; 

•  The Directors’ explanation as to their assessment of the Group’s and Parent Company’s prospects, the period this assessment covers and why the period 

is appropriate; and 

•  The Directors’ statement as to whether they have a reasonable expectation that the Parent Company will be able to continue in operation and meet its 

liabilities as they fall due over the period of its assessment, including any related disclosures drawing attention to any necessary qualifications or 
assumptions. 

Our review of the Directors’ statement regarding the longer-term viability of the Group was substantially less in scope than an audit and only consisted of 
making inquiries and considering the Directors’ process supporting their statement; checking that the statement is in alignment with the relevant provisions of 
the UK Corporate Governance Code; and considering whether the statement is consistent with the financial statements and our knowledge and understanding 
of the Group and Parent Company and their environment obtained in the course of the audit. 

In addition, based on the work undertaken as part of our audit, we have concluded that each of the following elements of the corporate governance statement 
is materially consistent with the financial statements and our knowledge obtained during the audit: 

•  The Directors’ statement that they consider the Annual Report, taken as a whole, is fair, balanced and understandable, and provides the information 

necessary for the members to assess the Group’s and Parent Company’s position, performance, business model and strategy; 
•  The section of the Annual Report that describes the review of effectiveness of risk management and internal control systems; and 
•  The section of the Annual Report describing the work of the Audit and Risk Committee. 

We have nothing to report in respect of our responsibility to report when the Directors’ statement relating to the Parent Company’s compliance with the Code 
does not properly disclose a departure from a relevant provision of the Code specified under the Listing Rules for review by the auditors. 

Responsibilities for the financial statements and the audit 
Responsibilities of the Directors for the financial statements 
As explained more fully in the Statement of Directors’ responsibilities, the Directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in 
accordance with the applicable framework and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view. The Directors are also responsible for such internal 
control as they determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud 
or error. 

In preparing the financial statements, the Directors are responsible for assessing the Group’s and the Parent Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, 
disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Directors either intend to liquidate the 
Group or the Parent Company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. 

Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements 
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to 
fraud or error, and to issue an auditors’ report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an 
audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are 
considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of 
these financial statements. 

Our audit testing might include testing complete populations of certain transactions and balances, possibly using data auditing techniques. However, it typically 
involves selecting a limited number of items for testing, rather than testing complete populations. We will often seek to target particular items for testing based 
on their size or risk characteristics. In other cases, we will use audit sampling to enable us to draw a conclusion about the population from which the sample 
is selected. 

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the FRC’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. 
This description forms part of our auditors’ report. 

Use of this report 
This report, including the opinions, has been prepared for and only for the Parent Company’s members as a body in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of 
the Companies Act 2006 and for no other purpose. We do not, in giving these opinions, accept or assume responsibility for any other purpose or to any other 
person to whom this report is shown or into whose hands it may come save where expressly agreed by our prior consent in writing. 

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163

 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Independent auditors’ report to the members of Antofagasta plc continued 

Other required reporting 

Companies Act 2006 exception reporting 
Under the Companies Act 2006 we are required to report to you if, in our opinion: 

•  we have not obtained all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or 
•  adequate accounting records have not been kept by the Parent Company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not 

visited by us; or 

•  certain disclosures of Directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or 
•  the Parent Company financial statements and the part of the Directors’ and CEO remuneration report to be audited are not in agreement with the 

accounting records and returns. 

We have no exceptions to report arising from this responsibility. 

Appointment 
Following the recommendation of the Audit and Risk Committee, we were appointed by the members on 20 May 2015 to audit the financial statements for the 
year ended 31 December 2015 and subsequent financial periods. The period of total uninterrupted engagement is 6 years, covering the years ended 31 
December 2015 to 31 December 2020. 

Simon Morley (Senior Statutory Auditor) 
for and on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors 
London 

15 March 2021 

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Consolidated income statement 
For the year ended 31 December 2020 

Group revenue 
Total operating costs 
Operating profit from subsidiaries 
Net share of results from associates and joint ventures 
Impairment of investment in associate 
Total profit from operations, associates and joint ventures 
Investment income 
Interest expense 
Other finance items 
Net finance expense 
Profit before tax 
Income tax expense 
Profit from continuing operations 
Profit from discontinued operations 
Profit for the year 

Attributable to: 
Non-controlling interests 
Profit attributable to the owners of the parent 

Basic earnings per share 
From continuing operations 
From discontinued operations 
Total continuing and discontinued operations 

Notes 

6,7 

6,8 
6,18 
3 
8 

10 
6 
11 
6 
12 

31 
13 

13 

Excluding 
exceptional items
2020
$m 

Exceptional Items 
2020 
$m 

 5,129.3 
 (3,537.1)
 1,592.2 
 5.1 
–
 1,597.3 
 18.9 
 (77.1)
 (45.2)
 (103.4)
 1,493.9 
 (546.2)
 947.7 
 7.3 
 955.0 

– 
– 
– 
– 
 (80.8) 
 (80.8) 
– 
– 
– 
– 
 (80.8) 
 19.7  
 (61.1) 
– 
 (61.1) 

2020
$m 

 5,129.3 
 (3,537.1)
 1,592.2 
 5.1 
 (80.8)
 1,516.5 
 18.9 
 (77.1)
 (45.2)
 (103.4)
 1,413.1 
 (526.5)
 886.6 
 7.3 
 893.9 

 408.4 
 546.6 

 (20.9) 
 (40.2) 

 387.5 
 506.4 

 54.7 
 0.7 
 55.4 

 (4.1) 
– 
 (4.1) 

 50.6 
 0.7 
 51.3 

2019
$m 

 4,964.5 
 (3,588.7)
 1,375.8 
 24.4 
– 
 1,400.2 
 47.1 
 (111.1)
 13.0 
 (51.0)
 1,349.2 
 (506.1)
 843.1 
– 
 843.1 

 341.7 
 501.4 

US cents 

 50.9 
– 
 50.9 

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165

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Consolidated statement of comprehensive income 
For the year ended 31 December 2020 

Profit for the year 
Items that may be or were subsequently reclassified to profit or loss:  

(Losses)/gains on cash flow hedges – time value 
Losses on cash flow hedges – intrinsic value 
Losses/(gains) in fair value of cash flow hedges transferred to the income statement 
Deferred tax effects arising on cash flow hedges deferred in reserves 
Currency translation adjustment 
Total items that may be or were subsequently reclassified to profit or loss 

Items that will not be subsequently reclassified to profit or loss: 
Actuarial gains/(losses) on defined benefit plans 
Tax on items recognised through Other Comprehensive income/(expense) which will not be reclassified to 
profit or loss in the future 
Gains in fair value of equity investments 
Share of other comprehensive losses of equity accounted units, net of tax 
Total items that will not be subsequently reclassified to profit or loss 

Total other comprehensive expense 
Total comprehensive income for the year 

Attributable to: 
Non-controlling interests 
Equity holders of the Company 

Total comprehensive income for the year – continuing operations 
Total comprehensive income for the year – discontinued operations 

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity 
For the year ended 31 December 2020 

Note 

6 

25 
25 

27 

19 

31 

2020
$m 

 893.9

 (19.2)
 (12.9)
 3.4 
2.4 
0.9
 (25.4)

 9.8 

 (2.6)
 5.5 
–
 12.7 

 (12.7)
881.2 

383.2
498.0

2020
$m 

 873.9
7.3

 881.2

2019
$m 

 843.1 

 0.4 
 (7.7)
(0.8)
 2.0 
– 
 (6.1)

 (4.7)

 0.9 
 0.3 
 (0.3)
 (3.8)

(9.9)
833.2 

 338.6 
 494.6 

2019
$m 

 833.2 
– 

833.2 

At 1 January 2019 
Profit for the year 
Other comprehensive expense for the year 
Dividends 
At 31 December 2019 
Capital increases from non-controlling interest 
(Note 23) 1 
Profit for the year 
Other comprehensive expense for the year 
Dividends 
At 31 December 2020 

Share capital 
$m 

Share premium
$m 

89.8 
– 
– 
– 
 89.8  

– 
– 
– 
– 
 89.8  

199.2 
– 
– 
– 
 199.2 

– 
– 
– 
– 
 199.2 

Other 
reserves 
(Note 30)
$m 

(14.5)
– 
 (3.6)
– 
 (18.1)

– 
– 
 (12.5)
– 
 (30.6)

Retained 
earnings 
(Note 30)
$m 

7,084.9 
 501.4 
 (3.2)
 (470.3)
 7,112.8 

– 
 506.4 
 4.1 
 (131.1)
 7,492.2 

Equity  
attributable  
to equity  
owners of  
the parent 
$m 

7,359.4 
 501.4  
 (6.8) 
 (470.3) 
 7,383.7  

– 
 506.4  
 (8.4) 
 (131.1) 
 7,750.6  

Non-controlling 
interests
$m 

2,078.7 
 341.7 
 (3.1)
 (400.0)
 2,017.3 

 210.0 
 387.5 
 (4.3)
 (280.0)
 2,330.5 

Total 
equity
$m 

9,438.1
 843.1 
 (9.9)
 (870.3)
 9,401.0 

 210.0 
 893.9 
 (12.7)
 (411.1)
 10,081.1 

1.  A capital contribution of $210 million was received from Marubeni, the minority partner at Antucoya, in order to replace part of Antucoya’s subordinated debt financing with equity (see Notes 

23 and 31).

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Consolidated Balance sheet 
As at 31 December 2020 

Non-current assets 
Intangible assets 
Property, plant and equipment 
Other non-current assets 
Inventories 
Investment in associates and joint ventures  
Trade and other receivables 
Derivative financial instruments 
Equity investments 
Deferred tax assets 

Current assets 
Inventories 
Trade and other receivables 
Current tax assets 
Derivative financial instruments 
Liquid investments 
Cash and cash equivalents 

Total assets 
Current liabilities 
Short-term borrowings 
Derivative financial instruments 
Trade and other payables 
Short-term decommissioning and restoration provisions 
Current tax liabilities 

Non-current liabilities 
Medium and long-term borrowings 
Derivative financial instruments 
Trade and other payables 
Liabilities in relation to joint venture 
Post-employment benefit obligations 
Decommissioning and restoration provisions 
Deferred tax liabilities 

Total liabilities 
Net assets 

Equity 
Share capital 
Share premium 
Other reserves 
Retained earnings 
Equity attributable to equity owners of the parent 
Non-controlling interests 
Total equity 

Note 

2020
$m 

2019
$m 

15 
16 

20 
18 
21 
25 
19 
28 

20 
21 

25 
22 
22 

23 
25 
24 
29 

23 
25 
24 
18 
27 
29 
28 

30 

30 
30 

31 

 150.1 
 9,851.9 
 2.6 
 278.1 
 914.6 
 55.9 
 0.3 
 11.1 
 6.4 
 11,271.0 

 592.7 
 1,016.9 
 49.8 
 1.1 
 2,426.0 
 1,246.8 
 5,333.3 
 16,604.3 

 (603.4)
 (37.4)
 (808.8)
 (22.2)
 (153.9)
 (1,625.7)

 (3,151.4)
–
 (11.0)
 (1.1)
 (123.2)
 (498.0)
 (1,112.8)
 (4,897.5)
 (6,523.2)
 10,081.1 

 89.8 
 199.2 
 (30.6)
 7,492.2 
 7,750.6 
 2,330.5 
 10,081.1 

 150.1 
 9,556.7 
 2.1 
 208.0 
 1,024.8 
 48.2 
 1.7 
 5.1 
 8.2 
 11,004.9 

 586.4 
 682.4 
 140.2 
 3.1 
 1,539.7 
 653.7 
 3,605.5 
 14,610.4 

 (723.9)
 (9.6)
 (750.6)
(22.0)
 (42.8)
 (1,548.9)

 (2,032.9)
 (2.5)
 (8.2)
 (1.8)
 (118.7)
 (391.2)
 (1,105.2)
 (3,660.5)
 (5,209.4)
 9,401.0 

89.8 
199.2 
(18.1)
7,112.8 
7,383.7 
2,017.3 
9,401.0 

The financial statements on pages 165-211 were approved by the Board of Directors on 15 March 2021 and signed on its behalf by 

Jean-Paul Luksic 
Chairman   

Ollie Oliveira 
Senior Independent Director 

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167

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Consolidated Cash Flow Statement 
For the year ended 31 December 2020 

Cash flow from continuing operations 
Interest paid 
Income tax paid 
Net cash from operating activities 
Investing activities 
Capital contributions to joint ventures 
Dividends from associates 
Acquisition of mining properties 
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 
Purchases of property, plant and equipment 
Net increase in liquid investments  
Interest received 
Net cash used in investing activities  
Financing activities 
Dividends paid to equity holders of the Company  
Dividends paid to preference shareholders of the Company 
Dividends paid to non-controlling interests 
Capital increase from non-controlling interest 1 
Proceeds from issue of new borrowings 
Repayments of borrowings 
Principal elements of lease payments 
Net cash from/(used in) financing activities 
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year 
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year 

Notes 

32 

18 
18 

22 

14 
14 
31 

32 
32 
32 

32 
32 
22,32 

2020
$m 

 2,431.1 
 (52.7)
 (319.7)
 2,058.7 

 (7.2)
–
 (1.5)
 0.8 
 (1,305.9)
 (886.3)
 12.6 
 (2,187.5)

 (131.1)
 (0.1)
 (280.0)
 210.0 
 2,398.6 
 (1,393.8)
 (86.5)
717.1
588.3
 653.7 
 588.3 
 4.8 
1,246.8

2019
$m 

 2,570.7 
 (76.3)
 (403.6)
 2,090.8 

 (1.8)
 58.0 
 (5.2)
 1.9 
 (1,073.6)
 (676.5)
 41.0 
 (1,656.2)

 (470.3)
 (0.1)
 (400.0)
– 
741.4 
 (588.1)
 (92.5)
 (809.6)
 (375.0)
 1,034.4 
 (375.0)
 (5.7)
653.7 

1.  A capital contribution of $210 million was received from Marubeni, the minority partner at Antucoya, in order to replace part of Antucoya’s subordinated debt financing with equity  

(see Notes 23 and 31). 

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Notes to the financial statements  

1  Basis of preparation 
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with both 
international accounting standards in conformity with the requirements  
of the Companies Act 2006 and international financial reporting standards 
adopted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 as it applies in the 
European Union.The financial statements have been prepared on the going 
concern basis.  

Going concern 
The Group’s business activities, together with those factors likely to affect  
its future performance, are set out in the Strategic Report, and in particular 
within the Operating Review. Details of the cash flows of the Group during 
the period, along with its financial position at the period-end, are set out in 
the Financial Review. The financial statements include details of the Group’s 
cash, cash equivalents and liquid investment balances in Note 22, and details 
of borrowings are set out in Note 23. 

When assessing the going concern status of the Group the Directors have 
considered in particular its financial position, including its significant balance 
of cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments and the borrowing facilities 
in place, including their terms and remaining durations. The Group had a 
strong financial position as at 31 December 2020, with combined cash, cash 
equivalents and liquid investments of $3,672.8 million. Total borrowings were 
$3,754.8 million, resulting in a net debt position of just $82.0 million. Of the 
total borrowings, only 16% is repayable within one year, and 14% repayable 
between one and two years. 43% of the borrowings are repayable after 
more than 5 years. 

When assessing the prospects of the Group, the Directors have considered 
the Group’s copper price forecasts, the Group’s expected production levels, 
operating cost profile, and capital expenditure. This analysis has focused  
on the existing asset base of the Group, without factoring in potential 
development projects, which is considered appropriate for an assessment  
of the Group’s ability to manage the impact of a depressed economic 
environment. The analysis has only included the draw-down of existing 
committed borrowing facilities, and has not assumed that any new borrowing 
facilities will be put in place. The Directors have assessed the principal risks 
which could impact the prospects of the Group over the going concern 
period and consider the most relevant to be risks to the copper price outlook. 
Robust down-side sensitivity analyses have been performed, assessing the 
impact of: 

•  A significant deterioration in the copper price outlook over the going concern 

period; 

•  A shut-down of the Group’s operations for several months as the result of 

COVID-19 related issues; and 

•  The occurrence of several of the Group’s most significant potential risks 

within a single year, such as temporary shut-downs or operational disruption 
due to issues such as labour strikes or water availability. 

These stress-tests all indicated results which could be managed in the 
normal course of business. Based on their assessment of the Group’s 
prospects and viability, the Directors have formed a judgement, at the time  
of approving the financial statements, that there are no material uncertainties 
that cast doubt on the Group’s going concern status and that there is a 
reasonable expectation that the Group has adequate resources to continue  
in operational existence for at least twelve months from the date of approval 
of the financial statements. The Directors therefore consider it appropriate  
to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing its financial 
statements. 

Company structure 
Antofagasta plc is a company limited by shares, incorporated and  
domiciled in the United Kingdom at Cleveland House, 33 King Street,  
London SW1Y 6RJ. 

The immediate parent of the Group is Metalinvest Establishment, which is 
controlled by E. Abaroa Foundation, in which members of the Luksic family  
are interested. 

The nature of the Group entities’ operations is mainly related to mining and 
exploration activities and the transport of rail and road cargo.  

A)  Adoption of new accounting standards 
The following accounting standards, amendments and interpretations 
became effective in the current reporting period: 

•  Amendments to References to the Conceptual Framework in IFRS Standards 
•  Definition of a Business (Amendments to IFRS 3) 
•  Definition of Material (Amendments to IAS 1 and IAS 8) 
•  Interest Rate Benchmark Reform (Amendments to IFRS 9, IAS 39 and  

IFRS 7) 

•  Covid-19-Related Rent Concessions (Amendment to IFRS 16) 

The application of these standards and interpretations effective for the  
first time in the current year has had no significant impact on the amounts 
reported in these financial statements.  

B)  Accounting standards issued but not yet effective  
At the date of authorisation of these financial statements, the following 
standards and interpretations, which have not been applied in these  
financial statements, were in issue but not yet effective: 

•  IFRS 17, Insurance Contracts 
•  Classification of Liabilities as Current or Non-Current (Amendments to IAS 1) 
•  Reference to the Conceptual Framework (Amendments to IFRS 3) 
•  Property, Plant and Equipment – Proceeds before Intended Use 

(Amendments to IAS 16) 

•  Onerous Contract – Cost of Fulfilling a Contract (Amendments to IAS 37) 
•  Annual Improvements to IFRS Standards 2018-2020 (Amendments to IFRS 

1, IFRS 9, IFRS 16 and IAS 41)  

The item which is expected to have most relevance to the Group is the 
amendment to IAS 16 Property, Plant and Equipment – Proceeds before 
intended use. Currently the Group deducts amounts received from the sale  
of products during the initial ramp-up of new projects, before commercial 
production is achieved, from the capital cost of the project. Under the 
amendment to IAS 16 such amounts will instead be recognised as revenue  
in the income statement along with a corresponding allocation of related 
operating expenses, which is likely to result in increased revenue and 
operating expenses and a higher initial capitalised amount. 

2  Principal accounting policies 
A)  Accounting convention 
These financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost 
convention as modified by the use of fair values to measure certain financial 
instruments, principally provisionally priced sales as explained in Note 2(F) 
and financial derivative contracts as explained in Note 2(W). 

B)  Basis of consolidation 
The financial statements comprise the consolidated financial statements  
of Antofagasta plc (“the Company”) and its subsidiaries (collectively  
“the Group”). 

Subsidiaries – A subsidiary is an entity over which the Group has control, 
which is the case when the Group is exposed to, or has rights to, variable 
returns from its involvement with the entity and has the ability to affect those 
returns through its power over the entity. The consolidated financial 
statements include all the assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and cash 
flows of the Company and its subsidiaries after eliminating inter-company 
balances and transactions. For partly-owned subsidiaries, the net assets and 
profit attributable to non-controlling shareholders are presented as “Non-
controlling interests” in the consolidated balance sheet and consolidated 
income statement. 

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

2  Principal accounting policies continued 
Non-controlling interests that are present ownership interests and entitle  
their holders to a proportionate share of the entity’s net assets in the event  
of liquidation may be initially measured either at fair value or at the non-
controlling interests’ proportionate share of the recognised amounts of  
the acquiree’s identifiable net assets. The choice of measurement basis is 
made on an acquisition-by-acquisition basis. Other types of non-controlling 
interests are measured at fair value or, when applicable, on the basis 
specified in another IFRS. Subsequent to acquisition, the carrying amount of 
non-controlling interests is the amount of those interests at initial recognition  
plus the non-controlling interests’ share of subsequent changes in equity. 
Total comprehensive income is attributed to non-controlling interests even  
if this results in the non-controlling interests having a deficit balance. 

Changes in the Group’s ownership interests in subsidiaries that do not  
result in the Group losing control over the subsidiaries are accounted for  
as equity transactions. The carrying amounts of the Group’s interests and  
the non-controlling interests are adjusted to reflect the changes in their 
relative interests in the subsidiaries. Any difference between the amount  
by which the non-controlling interests are adjusted and the fair value of  
the consideration paid or received is recognised directly in equity and 
attributed to owners of the Company. 

When the Group loses control of a subsidiary, a gain or loss is recognised  
in profit or loss and is calculated as the difference between (i) the aggregate 
of the fair value of the consideration received and the fair value of any 
retained interest and (ii) the previous carrying amount of the assets 
(including goodwill), and liabilities of the subsidiary and any non-controlling 
interests. When assets of the subsidiary are carried at revalued amounts  
or fair values and the related cumulative gain or loss has been recognised  
in other comprehensive income and accumulated in equity, the amounts 
previously recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated  
in equity are accounted for as if the Group had directly disposed of the 
relevant assets (ie reclassified to profit or loss or transferred directly to 
retained earnings as specified by applicable IFRSs). The fair value of any 
investment retained in the former subsidiary at the date when control is  
lost is regarded as the fair value on initial recognition for subsequent 
accounting under IFRS 9 Financial Instruments: Recognition and 
Measurement or, when applicable, the cost on initial recognition of an 
investment in an associate or a joint venture. 

Acquisitions and disposals are treated as explained in Note 2(G) relating  
to business combinations and goodwill. 

Investments in associates 

C) 
An associate is an entity over which the Group is in a position to exercise 
significant influence, but not control or joint control, through the power  
to participate in the financial and operating policy decisions of that entity.  
The results and assets and liabilities of associates are incorporated in these 
consolidated financial statements using the equity method of accounting.  
This requires recording the investment initially at cost to the Group and then, 
in subsequent periods, adjusting the carrying amount of the investment to 
reflect the Group’s share of the associate’s results less any impairment and 
any other changes to the associate’s net assets such as dividends. When  
the Group loses control of a former subsidiary but retains an investment in 
associate in that entity the initial carrying value of the investment in associate 
is recorded at its fair value at that point. When the Group’s share of losses  
of an associate exceeds the Group’s interest in that associate the Group 
discontinues recognising its share of further losses. Additional losses  
are recognised only to the extent that the Group has incurred legal or 
constructive obligations or made payments on behalf of the associate. 

D)  Joint arrangements 
A joint arrangement is an arrangement of which two or more parties have 
joint control. Joint arrangements are accounted depending on the nature  
of the arrangement. 

i)  Joint ventures – are accounted for using the equity method in accordance 

with IAS 28 Investment in Associates and Joint Ventures  
as described in Note 18. 

ii)  Joint operations – are accounted for recognising directly the assets, 
obligations, revenues and expenses of the joint operator in the joint 
arrangement. The assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses are  
accounted for in accordance with the relevant IFRS.  

When a Group entity transacts with its joint arrangements, profits and losses 
resulting from the transactions with the joint arrangements are recognised in 
the Group’s consolidated financial statements only to the extent of interests in 
the joint arrangements that are not related to the Group. 

E)  Currency translation 
The functional currency for each entity in the Group is determined as  
the currency of the primary economic environment in which it operates. 
Transactions in currencies other than the functional currency of the entity  
are translated at the exchange rate ruling at the date of the transaction. 
Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the 
functional currency are retranslated at year-end exchange rates. Gains  
and losses on retranslation are included in net profit or loss for the period 
within other finance items. 

The presentational currency of the Group and the functional currency of  
the Company is the US dollar. On consolidation, income statement items  
for entities with a functional currency other than the US dollar are translated 
into US dollars at average rates of exchange. Balance sheet items are 
translated at period-end exchange rates. Exchange differences on translation 
of the net assets of such entities are taken to equity and recorded in a 
separate currency translation reserve. Cumulative translation differences 
arising after the transition date to IFRS are recognised as income or as 
expenses in the income statement in the period in which an operation is 
disposed of. 

On consolidation, exchange gains and losses which arise on balances 
between Group entities are taken to reserves where that balance is, in 
substance, part of the net investment in a foreign operation, ie where 
settlement is neither planned nor likely to occur in the foreseeable future. 
All other exchange gains and losses on Group balances are dealt with in 
the income statement. 

Fair value adjustments and any goodwill arising on the acquisition of  
a foreign entity are treated as assets of the foreign entity and translated  
at the period-end rate. 

F)  Revenue recognition 
Revenue represents the value of goods and services supplied to third parties 
during the year. Revenue is measured at the fair value of consideration 
received or receivable, and excludes any applicable sales tax.  

Revenue is recognised when the Group satisfies a performance obligation by 
transferring a promised good or service (ie an asset) to a customer. An asset 
is transferred when (or as) the customer obtains control of that asset. 

For the Group’s mining products the customer generally gains control over 
the material when it has been loaded at the port of loading, and so this is the 
point of revenue recognition. The Group sells a significant proportion of its 
products on Cost, Insurance & Freight (CIF) Incoterms, which means that the 
Group is responsible for shipping the product to a destination port specified 
by the customer. The shipping service represents a separate performance 
obligation, and is recognised separately from the sale of the material over 
time as the shipping service is provided, along with the associated costs. 
Shipment revenue is recognised at the contracted price as this reflects the 
standalone selling price. 

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Revenue from mining activities is recorded at the invoiced amounts with an 
adjustment for provisional pricing at each reporting date, as explained below. 
For copper and molybdenum concentrates, which are sold to smelters and 
roasting plants for further processing, the invoiced amount is the market 
value of the metal payable by the customer, net of deductions for tolling 
charges. Revenue includes amounts from the sale of by-products. 

Copper and molybdenum concentrate sale agreements and copper cathode 
sale agreements generally provide for provisional pricing of sales at the time 
of shipment, with final pricing based on the monthly average London Metal 
Exchange (“LME”) copper price or the monthly average market molybdenum 
price for specified future periods. This normally ranges from one to four 
months after delivery to the customer. For sales contracts, which contain 
provisional pricing mechanisms, the total receivable balance is measured  
at fair value through profit or loss. Gains and losses from the marking-to 
market of open sales are recognised through adjustments to other income  
as part of revenues in the income statement and to trade receivables in  
the balance sheet. The fair value calculations are based on forward prices  
at the period end for copper concentrate and cathode sales, and period-end 
average prices for molybdenum concentrate sales due to the absence of  
a futures market. 

For the Transport division, revenue in respect of its transportation and 
ancillary services are recognised in line with the performance of those 
services.  

Other Income 
Interest income is accrued on a time basis, by reference to the principal 
outstanding and the effective interest rate applicable, which is the rate that 
exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts through the expected life  
of the financial asset to that asset’s net carrying amount. 

Dividend income from equity investments, associates and joint ventures is 
recognised when the shareholders’ right to receive payment has been 
established. For associates and joint ventures, it is recorded as a decrease  
of the investment. 

G)  Business combinations and goodwill 
Acquisitions of businesses are accounted for using the acquisition method. 
The consideration transferred in a business combination is measured at fair 
value, which is calculated as the sum of the acquisition-date fair values of  
the assets transferred by the Group, liabilities incurred by the Group to the 
former owners of the acquiree and the equity interests issued by the Group 
in exchange for control of the acquiree. The results of businesses acquired 
during the year are brought into the consolidated financial statements  
from the effective date of acquisition. The identifiable assets, liabilities and 
contingent liabilities of a business, which can be measured reliably, are 
recorded at their provisional fair values at the date of acquisition. Provisional 
fair values are finalised within 12 months of the acquisition date. Acquisition-
related costs are expensed as incurred. 

When the consideration transferred by the Group in a business combination 
includes assets or liabilities resulting from a contingent consideration 
arrangement, the contingent consideration is measured at its acquisition-date 
fair value and included as part of the consideration transferred in a business 
combination. Changes in the fair value of the contingent consideration that 
qualify as measurement period adjustments are adjusted retrospectively, 
with corresponding adjustments against goodwill. Measurement period 
adjustments are adjustments that arise from additional information obtained 
during the “measurement period” (which cannot exceed one year from  
the acquisition date) about facts and circumstances that existed at the 
acquisition date. 

The subsequent accounting for changes in the fair value of the contingent 
consideration that do not qualify as “measurement period” adjustments 
depends on how the contingent consideration is classified. Contingent 
consideration that is classified as equity is not remeasured at subsequent 
reporting dates and its subsequent settlement is accounted for within equity. 
Contingent consideration that is classified as an asset or a liability is 
remeasured at subsequent reporting dates in accordance with IFRS 9. 

When a business combination is achieved in stages, the Group’s previously 
held equity interest in the acquiree is remeasured to fair value at the 
acquisition date (ie the date when the Group obtains control) and the 
resulting gain or loss, if any, is recognised in profit or loss. Amounts arising 
from interests in the acquiree prior to the acquisition date that have 
previously been recognised in other comprehensive income are reclassified 
to profit or loss where such treatment would be appropriate if that interest 
were disposed of. 

If the initial accounting for a business combination is incomplete by the end  
of the reporting period in which the combination occurs, the Group reports 
provisional amounts for the items for which the accounting is incomplete. 
Those provisional amounts are adjusted during the measurement period  
(see above), or additional assets or liabilities are recognised, to reflect new 
information obtained about facts and circumstances which existed at the 
acquisition date that, if known, would have affected the amounts recognised  
at that date. 

Goodwill arising in a business combination is measured as the excess of  
the sum of the consideration transferred, the amount of any non-controlling 
interest in the acquiree and the fair value of the acquirer’s previously held 
equity interest in the acquiree (if any) over the net identifiable assets 
acquired and liabilities assumed. Any goodwill on the acquisition of 
subsidiaries is separately disclosed, while any goodwill on the acquisition  
of associates and joint ventures is included within investments in equity 
accounted entities. Internally generated goodwill is not recognised. Where  
the fair values of the identifiable net assets acquired exceed the sum of the 
consideration transferred, the surplus is credited to the profit or loss in the 
period of acquisition as a bargain purchase gain. 

The Group sometimes enters into earn-in arrangements whereby the  
Group acquires an interest in a project company in exchange for funding  
exploration and evaluation expenditure up to a specified level of expenditure  
or a specified stage in the life of the project. Funding is usually conditional  
on the achievement of key milestones by the partner. Typically there is no 
consideration transferred or funding liability on the effective date of 
acquisition of the interest in the project company and no goodwill is 
recognised on this type of transaction. 

The results of businesses sold during the year are included in the 
consolidated financial statements for the period up to the effective date  
of disposal. Gains or losses on disposal are calculated as the difference 
between the sales´ proceeds (net of expenses) and the net assets attributable 
to the interest which has been sold. Where a disposal represents a separate 
major line of business or geographical area of operations, the net results 
attributable to the disposed entity are shown separately in the income 
statement as a discontinued operation. 

H)  Exploration and evaluation expenditure 
Exploration and evaluation costs, other than those incurred in acquiring 
exploration licences, are expensed in the year in which they are incurred. 
When a mining project is considered to be commercially viable (normally 
when the project has completed a pre-feasibility study, and the start  
of a feasibility study has been approved) all further directly attributable  
pre-production expenditure is capitalised. Capitalisation of pre-production 
expenditure ceases when commercial levels of production are achieved.  

Costs incurred in acquiring exploration and mining licences are classified  
as intangible assets when construction of the related mining operation  
has not yet commenced. When construction commences the licences are 
transferred from intangible assets to the mining properties category within 
property, plant and equipment. 

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

2  Principal accounting policies continued 
I)  Stripping costs 
Pre-stripping and operating stripping costs are incurred in the course  
of the development and operation of open-pit mining operations. 

Pre-stripping costs relate to the removal of waste material as part of the  
initial development of an open-pit, in order to allow access to the ore body. 
The capitalised costs are depreciated once production commences on a unit 
of production basis, in proportion to the volume of ore extracted in the year 
compared with total proven and probable reserves for that pit at the 
beginning of the year.  

Operating stripping costs relate to the costs of extracting waste material  
as part of the ongoing mining process. The ongoing mining and development 
of the Group’s open-pit mines is generally performed via a succession of 
individual phases. The costs of extracting material from an open-pit mine  
are generally allocated between ore and waste stripping in proportion to  
the tonnes of material extracted. The waste stripping costs are generally 
absorbed into inventory and expensed as that inventory is processed and 
sold. Where the stripping costs relate to a significant stripping campaign 
which is expected to provide improved access to an identifiable component  
of the ore body (typically an individual phase within the overall mine plan), the 
costs of removing waste in order to improve access to that part of the ore 
body will be capitalised within property, plant and equipment. The capitalised 
costs will then be amortised on a unit of production basis, in proportion to  
the volume of ore extracted compared with the total ore contained in the 
component of the pit to which the stripping campaign relates.  

Intangible assets 

J) 
Intangible assets with finite useful lives that are acquired separately are 
carried at cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment 
losses. Exploration and mining licences are classified as intangible assets 
when construction of the related mining operation has not yet commenced. 
When construction commences the licences are transferred from intangible 
assets to the mining properties category within property, plant and 
equipment. Amortisation is recognised on a straight-line basis over the 
estimated useful lives of the intangible assets. The estimated useful life  
and amortisation method are reviewed at the end of each reporting period, 
with the effect of any changes in estimate being accounted for on a 
prospective basis.  

Intangible assets acquired in a business combination and recognised 
separately from goodwill are initially recognised at their fair value at  
the acquisition date (which is regarded as their cost). 

Subsequent to initial recognition, intangible assets acquired in a business 
combination are reported at cost less accumulated amortisation and 
accumulated impairment losses, on the same basis as intangible assets  
that are acquired separately. 

An intangible asset is derecognised on disposal, or when no future economic 
benefits are expected from use. Gains or losses arising from derecognition  
of an intangible asset, measured as the difference between the net disposal 
proceeds and the carrying amount of the asset, are recognised in profit or 
loss when the asset is derecognised. 

K)  Property, plant and equipment 
The costs of mining properties and leases, which include the costs of 
acquiring and developing mining properties and mineral rights, are capitalised 
as property, plant and equipment in the year in which they are incurred, 
when a mining project is considered to be commercially viable (normally 
when the project has completed a pre-feasibility study, and the start of a 
feasibility study has been approved). The cost of property, plant and 
equipment comprises the purchase price and any costs directly attributable 
to bringing the asset to the location and condition necessary  
for it to be capable of operating in the manner intended. Once a project has 
been established as commercially viable, related development expenditure  
is capitalised. This includes costs incurred in preparing the site for mining 
operations, including pre-stripping costs. Capitalisation ceases when the mine 

is capable of commercial production, with the exception of development  
costs which give rise to a future benefit. 

Interest on borrowings related to construction or development of projects  
is capitalised, until such time as the assets are substantially ready for their 
intended use or sale which, in the case of mining properties, is when they  
are capable of commercial production.  

L)  Depreciation of property, plant and equipment  
Depreciation of an asset begins when it is available for use, ie when it is in 
the location and condition necessary for it to be capable of operating in the 
manner intended. 

Property, plant and equipment is depreciated over its useful life, or over  
the remaining life of the operation if shorter, to residual value. The major 
categories of property, plant and equipment are depreciated as follows: 

(i)  Land – freehold land is not depreciated unless the value of the land is 
considered to relate directly to a particular mining operation, in which 
case the land is depreciated on a straight-line basis over the expected 
mine life. 

(ii)  Mining properties – mining properties, including capitalised financing 

costs, are depreciated on a unit of production basis, in proportion to  
the volume of ore extracted in the year compared with total proven  
and probable reserves at the beginning of the year. 

(iii)  Buildings and infrastructure – straight-line basis over 10 to 25 years. 

(iv)  Railway track (including trackside equipment) – straight-line basis over 

20 to 25 years. 

(v)  Wagons and rolling stock – straight-line basis over 10 to 20 years. 

(vi)  Machinery, equipment and other assets – are depreciated on a  
unit of production basis, in proportion to the volume of ore/material 
processed or on a straight-line basis over 5 to 20 years. 

(vii) Assets under construction – no depreciation until asset is available  

for use. 

(viii) Lease right-of-use assets – depreciated over the shorter of the 
asset’s useful life and the lease term on a straight-line basis. 

(ix)  Stripping cost – The capitalised costs will then be amortised on a  

unit of production basis, in proportion to the volume of ore extracted 
compared with the total ore contained in the component of the pit to 
which the stripping campaign relates (Note 16). 

Residual values and useful lives are reviewed, and adjusted if appropriate,  
at least annually, and changes to residual values and useful lives are 
accounted for prospectively. 

M)  Impairment of property, plant and equipment and 
intangible assets  
Property, plant and equipment and finite life intangible assets are reviewed  
for impairment if there is any indication that the carrying amount may not  
be recoverable. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the 
asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment (if any). 
Where the asset does not generate cash flows that are independent from 
other assets, the Group estimates the recoverable amount of the cash-
generating unit to which the asset belongs. Any intangible asset with an 
indefinite useful life is tested for impairment annually and whenever there  
is an indication that the asset may be impaired.  

Recoverable amount is the higher of fair value less costs of disposal and 
value in use. Fair value less costs of disposal reflects the net amount the 
Group would receive from the sale of the asset in an orderly transaction 
between market participants. For mining assets this would generally be 
determined based on the present value of the estimated future cash flows 
arising from the continued use, further development or eventual disposal  
of the asset. The estimates used in determining the present value of those 
cash flows are those that an independent market participant would consider 

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appropriate. Value in use reflects the expected present value of the future 
cash flows which the Group would generate through the operation of  
the asset in its current condition, without taking into account potential 
enhancements or further development of the asset. The fair value less  
costs of disposal valuation will normally be higher than the value in use 
valuation, and accordingly the Group typically applies this valuation  
estimate in its impairment assessments. 

If the recoverable amount of an asset or cash-generating unit is estimated  
to be less than its carrying amount, the carrying amount is reduced to the 
recoverable amount. An impairment charge is recognised in the income 
statement immediately. Where an impairment subsequently reverses, the 
carrying amount is increased to the revised estimate of recoverable amount, 
but so that the increased carrying amount does not exceed the carrying value 
that would have been determined if no impairment had previously been 
recognised. A reversal is recognised in the income statement immediately. 

N)  Inventory 
Inventory consists of raw materials and consumables, work-in-progress and 
finished goods. Work-in-progress represents material that is in the process  
of being converted into finished goods. The conversion process for mining 
operations depends on the nature of the copper ore. For sulphide ores, 
processing includes milling and concentrating and results in the production  
of copper concentrate. For oxide ores, processing includes leaching of 
stockpiles, solvent extraction and electrowinning and results in the production 
of copper cathodes. Finished goods consist of copper concentrate containing 
gold and silver at Los Pelambres and Centinela and copper cathodes at 
Centinela and Antucoya. Los Pelambres and Centinela also produce 
molybdenum as a by-product. 

Inventory is valued at the lower of cost, on a weighted average basis, and  
net realisable value. Net realisable value represents estimated selling price 
less all estimated costs of completion and costs to be incurred in marketing, 
selling and distribution. Cost of finished goods and work-in-progress is 
production cost and for raw materials and consumables it is purchase  
price. Production cost includes: 

•  labour costs, raw material costs and other costs directly attributable  

to the extraction and processing of ore; 

•  depreciation of plant, equipment and mining properties directly involved  

in the production process; and 

•  an appropriate portion of production overheads. 

Stockpiles represent ore that is extracted and is available for further 
processing. Costs directly attributable to the extraction of ore are generally 
allocated as part of production costs in proportion to the tonnes of material 
extracted. Operating stripping costs are generally absorbed into inventory,  
and therefore expensed as that inventory is processed and sold. If ore is  
not expected to be processed within 12 months of the statement of financial 
position date it is included within non-current assets. If there is significant 
uncertainty as to when any stockpiled ore will be processed it is expensed  
as incurred. 

O)  Taxation 
Tax expense comprises the charges or credits for the year relating to both 
current and deferred tax. 

Current tax is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit may differ 
from net profit as reported in the income statement because it excludes 
items of income or expense that are taxable and deductible in different years 
and also excludes items that are not taxable or deductible. The liability for 
current tax is calculated using tax rates for each entity in the consolidated 
financial statements which have been enacted or substantively enacted at  
the balance sheet date. 

Deferred tax is the tax expected to be payable or recoverable on temporary 
differences (ie differences between the carrying amount of assets and 
liabilities in the financial statements and the corresponding tax basis used  
in the computation of taxable profit). Deferred tax is accounted for using  
the balance sheet liability method and is provided on all temporary 
differences with certain limited exceptions as follows: 

(i)  

tax payable on undistributed earnings of subsidiaries, associates and 
joint ventures is provided except where the Group is able to control the 
remittance of profits and it is probable that there will be no remittance  
of past profits earned in the foreseeable future; 

(ii)  deferred tax is not provided on the initial recognition of an asset or 

liability in a transaction that does not affect accounting profit or taxable 
profit and is not a business combination; nor is deferred tax provided on 
subsequent changes in the carrying value of such assets and liabilities, 
for example where they are depreciated; and 

(iii) 

the initial recognition of any goodwill. 

Deferred tax assets are recognised only to the extent that it is probable that 
they will be recovered through sufficient future taxable profit. The carrying 
amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each balance sheet date. 

Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the 
period when the liability is settled or the asset is realised. Deferred tax is 
charged or credited in the income statement, except when it relates to items 
charged or credited directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also 
taken directly to equity. 

P)  Provisions 
Provisions are recognised when the Group has a present obligation (legal or 
constructive) as a result of a past event, it is probable that the Group will be 
required to settle the obligation and a reliable estimate can be made of the 
amount of the obligation. 

The amount recognised as a provision is the best estimate of the 
consideration required to settle the present obligation at the end of the 
reporting period, taking into account the risks and uncertainties surrounding 
the obligation. When a provision is measured using the cash flows estimated 
to settle the present obligation, its carrying amount is the present value of 
those cash flows (when the effect of the time value of money is material). 

When some or all of the economic benefits required to settle a provision are 
expected to be recovered from a third party, a receivable is recognised as  
an asset if it is virtually certain that reimbursement will be received and the 
amount of the receivable can be measured reliably. 

Q)  Provisions for decommissioning and restoration costs 
An obligation to incur decommissioning and restoration costs occurs  
when environmental disturbance is caused by the development or ongoing 
production of a mining property. Costs are estimated on the basis of a formal 
closure plan and are subject to regular formal review. 

Such costs arising from the installation of plant and other site preparation 
work, discounted to their net present value, are provided and capitalised at  
the start of each project, as soon as the obligation to incur such costs arises. 
These decommissioning costs are charged against profit or loss over the life 
of the mine, through depreciation of the asset and unwinding or amortisation 
of the discount on the provision. Depreciation is included in operating costs 
while the unwinding of the discount is included within other finance 
expenses. Changes in the measurement of a liability relating to the 
decommissioning of plant or other site preparation work are added to, or 
deducted from, the cost of the related asset in the current year. 

The costs for restoration of site damage, which is created on an ongoing  
basis during production, are provided for at their net present values and 
charged against profit or loss as extraction progresses. Changes in the 
measurement of a liability relating to site damage created during production,  
which relate to changes in the estimate of the closure costs, are charged 
against operating profit, and changes relating to the discount rate and foreign 
exchange are recorded within other finance expenses. 

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

2  Principal accounting policies continued 
R)  Share-based payments 
For cash-settled share-based payments, a liability is recognised for  
the goods or services acquired, measured initially at the fair value of the 
liability. At the end of each reporting period until the liability is settled, and  
at the date of settlement, the fair value of the liability is remeasured, with  
any changes in fair value recognised in profit or loss for the year. The  
Group currently does not have any equity settled share-based payments  
to employees or third parties. 

S)  Post-employment benefits 
The Group operates defined contribution schemes for a limited number of 
employees. For such schemes, the amount charged to the income statement 
is the contributions paid or payable in the year. 

Employment terms may also provide for payment of a severance indemnity 
when an employment contract comes to an end. This is typically at the rate  
of one month for each year of service (subject in most cases to a cap as to 
the number of qualifying years of service) and based on final salary level.  
The severance indemnity obligation is treated as an unfunded defined benefit 
plan, and the calculation is based on valuations performed by an independent 
actuary using the projected unit credit method, which are regularly updated.  

The obligation recognised in the balance sheet represents the present  
value of the severance indemnity obligation. Actuarial gains and losses  
are immediately recognised in other comprehensive income. 

T)  Cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand, deposits held on call  
with banks, highly liquid investments that are readily convertible into known 
amounts of cash and which are subject to insignificant risk of changes in 
value, net of bank overdrafts which are repayable on demand. Cash and  
cash equivalents normally have a maturity period of 90 days or less. 

U)  Liquid investments 
Liquid investments represent highly liquid current asset investments such  
as term deposits and managed funds invested in high quality fixed income 
instruments. They do not meet the IAS 7 definition of cash and cash 
equivalents, normally because even if readily accessible, the underlying 
investments have an average maturity profile greater than 90 days from  
the date first entered into. These assets are designated as fair value through 
profit or loss.  

V)  Leases 
Leases are recognised as a right-of-use asset and a corresponding liability  
at the date at which the leased asset is available for use by the Group. Each 
lease payment is allocated between the liability and finance cost. The finance 
cost is charged to profit or loss over the lease period so as to produce a 
constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability for 
each period. The right-of-use asset is depreciated over the shorter of the 
asset’s useful life and the lease term on a straight-line basis. 

Assets and liabilities arising from a lease are initially measured on a present 
value basis. Lease liabilities include the net present value of the following 
lease payments: 

•  fixed payments (including in-substance fixed payments), less any lease 

incentives receivable 

•  variable lease payments that are based on an index or a rate  
•  amounts expected to be payable by the lessee under residual value 

guarantees  

•  the exercise price of a purchase option if the lessee is reasonably certain  

to exercise that option, and 

•  payments of penalties for terminating the lease, if the lease term reflects  

the lessee exercising that option. 

The lease payments are discounted using the interest rate implicit in the 
lease. If that rate cannot be readily determined, the lessee’s incremental 
borrowing rate is used, being the rate that the lessee would have to pay to 
borrow the funds necessary to obtain an asset of similar value in a similar 
economic environment with similar terms and conditions. 

Right-of-use assets are measured at cost comprising the following:  

•  the amount of the initial measurement of the lease liability  
•  any lease payments made at or before the commencement date less any 

lease incentives received  
•  any initial direct costs, and 
•  restoration costs. 

W)  Other financial instruments 
Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised on the Group’s balance 
sheet when the Group becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the 
instrument. Financial assets are derecognised when the contractual rights to 
the cash flows from the financial asset expire or the Group has transferred 
the asset to another party. Financial liabilities are removed from the Group’s 
balance sheet when they are extinguished – ie when the obligation specified 
in the contract has been discharged, cancelled or expired. 

(i) 

Investments – Equity investments which are not subsidiaries, 
associates or joint ventures are recognised at fair value. The Group 
generally applies an irrevocable election for each equity investment to 
designate them as Fair Value through Other Comprehensive Income 
(FVOCI). Dividends from equity investments are recognised in the 
income statement when the right to receive payment is established. 

(ii)  Trade and other receivables – As explained above, for sales contracts 
which contain provisional pricing mechanisms the total receivable 
balance is measured at fair value through profit or loss. Other 
receivable balances are recognised at amortised cost. 

(iii)  Trade and other payables – Trade and other payables are generally  
not interest-bearing and are normally stated at their nominal value. 

(iv)  Borrowings (loans and preference shares) – Interest-bearing loans 
and bank overdrafts are initially recorded at fair value which is typically 
equal to the proceeds received, net of direct issue costs. They are 
subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest 
method, with interest expense recognised on an effective yield basis. 
The effective interest method is a method of calculating the amortised 
cost of a financial liability and of allocating interest expense over the 
relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly 
discounts estimated future cash payments through the expected life of 
the financial liability, or, where appropriate, a shorter period. Finance 
charges, including premiums payable on settlement or redemption and 
direct issue costs, are accounted for on an accruals basis using the 
effective interest rate method. Amounts are either recorded as 
financing costs in profit or loss or capitalised in accordance with the 
accounting policy set out in Note 2(K). Finance charges are added to the 
carrying amount of the instrument to the extent that they are not settled 
in the period in which they arise.  

The Sterling-denominated preference shares issued by the Company 
carry a fixed rate of return without the right to participate in any 
surplus. They are accordingly classified within borrowings and 
translated into US dollars at period-end rates of exchange.  
Preference share dividends are included within finance costs. 

(v)  Equity instruments – Equity instruments issued are recorded at  

the proceeds received, net of direct issue costs. Equity instruments  
of the Company comprise its Sterling-denominated issued ordinary 
share capital and related share premium. As explained in Note 2(E),  
the presentational currency of the Group and the functional currency  
of the Company is US dollars, and ordinary share capital and share 
premium are translated into US dollars at historical rates of exchange 
based on dates of issue. 

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(vi)  Derivative financial instruments – As explained in Note 25(D), the 
Group periodically uses derivative financial instruments to reduce 
exposure to foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity price 
movements. The Group does not use such derivative instruments  
for trading purposes. The Group has applied the hedge accounting 
provisions of IFRS 9 Financial Instruments. The effective portion of 
changes in the fair value of derivative financial instruments that are 
designated and qualify as hedges of future cash flows have been 
recognised directly in equity, with such amounts subsequently 
recognised in profit or loss in the period when the hedged item affects 
profit or loss. Any ineffective portion is recognised immediately in profit 
or loss. Realised gains and losses on commodity derivatives recognised 
in profit or loss are recorded within revenue. The time value element  
of changes in the fair value of derivative options is recognised within 
other comprehensive income.  

Financial assets with embedded derivatives are considered in their 
entirety when determining the appropriate classification and 
measurement. The treatment of embedded derivatives arising from 
provisionally priced commodity sales contracts is set out in further  
detail in Note 2(F) relating to revenue. Derivatives embedded in financial 
liabilities are treated as separate derivatives when their risks and 
characteristics are not closely related to those of the host contract and 
the host contract is not measured at fair value. Changes in fair value are 
reported in profit or loss for the year. 

(vii) Impairment of financial assets – The Group applies the forward-
looking expected credit loss model to its financial assets, other than 
those measured at fair value through profit or loss. The Group applies 
the IFRS 9 “simplified approach” to its trade receivables, measuring the 
loss allowance at the lifetime expected credit loss. For other financial 
assets, where the credit risk has not increased significantly since initial 
recognition, the loss allowance is measured at the 12 month expected 
credit loss. If there has been a significant increase in credit risk, the loss 
allowance is measured at the lifetime expected credit loss. Increases or 
decrease to the credit loss allowance are recognised immediately in 
profit or loss.  

X)  Exceptional items 
Exceptional items are material items of income and expense which are  
non-regular or non-operating and typically non-cash movements. Profit 
excluding exceptional items is considered to be a useful performance 
measure as it provides an indication of the underlying earnings of the 
Group’s operations, excluding these one-off items. 

Y)  Rounding 
All amounts disclosed in the financial statements and notes have been 
rounded off to the nearest million dollars unless otherwise stated. 

These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, 
unless otherwise stated.  

3  Critical accounting judgements and key  
sources of estimation uncertainty 
Determining many of the amounts included in the financial statements 
involves the use of judgement and/or estimation. These judgements and 
estimates are based on management’s best knowledge of the relevant facts 
and circumstances having regard to prior experience, but actual results may 
differ from the amounts included in the financial statements. Information 
about such judgements and estimates is included in the principal accounting 
policies in Note 2 or the other notes to the financial statements, and the key 
areas are set out below. 

A)  Judgements 
The following are the critical judgements, apart from those involving 
estimations (which are dealt with separately), that the Directors have made  
in the process of applying the Group’s accounting policies and that have the 
most significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements.  

(i)  Capitalisation of project costs within property, plant and  

equipment 
As explained in Note 2(K) the costs of developing mining properties  
are capitalised as property, plant and equipment when the mining 
project is considered to be commercially viable. Commercial viability  
is normally considered to be demonstrable when the project has 
completed a pre-feasibility study, and the start of a feasibility study has 
been approved. Management reviews amounts capitalised to ensure 
that the treatment of that expenditure as capital rather than operating 
expenditure is reasonable, in particular in respect of the commercial 
viability of the project. 

As at 31 December 2020 $ 23.0 million of feasibility study costs relating 
to projects which are still under evaluation and have not yet received 
final Board approval were capitalised within property, plant and 
equipment. Should the Group ultimately take the decision to abandon 
any of these projects, and not continue with their development, then it is 
likely that the corresponding element of the capitalised feasibility study 
costs would need to be impaired. 

The capitalisation of the construction and commissioning costs for a 
new mining operation ceases, and depreciation commences, when the 
operation is in the condition necessary for it to be capable of operating 
in the manner intended (which is termed as achieving commercial 
production). 

The determination of the commercial production date requires 
judgement which involves the consideration of a number of relevant 
factors, including the successful completion of commissioning tests and 
the processing and production levels achieved compared with expected 
design capacity. 

(ii)  Deferred taxation 

As explained in Note 2(O), deferred tax assets are recognised only  
to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered through 
sufficient future taxable profits. Generally under Chilean tax law  
most tax losses can be carried forward indefinitely, and so the expiry  
of tax losses is not generally an issue. The key assumptions to which 
the forecasts of the probable level of future taxable profits are  
most sensitive are future commodity prices, production levels and 
operating costs.  

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

3  Critical accounting judgements and key 
sources of estimation uncertainty continued 

(ii) 

As set out in Note 28, the Group has recognised $6.4 million of deferred 
tax assets as at 31 December 2020, with the majority of these deferred 
tax assets relating to short-term timing differences and provisions.  
The Group had unused tax losses of $599.4 million available for offset 
against future profits. Deferred tax assets of $5.3 million have been 
recognised in respect of $19.6 million of these losses, with no deferred 
tax assets recognised in respect of the remaining $579.8 million of tax 
losses. If the Group’s assessment as to the recoverability of those tax 
losses were to change, then potentially additional deferred tax assets  
of up to $157 million could be recognised. In determining that it is not 
currently appropriate to recognise these additional deferred tax assets 
the Group has taken into account that the entities involved have 
consistently generated taxable losses in recent years, and are currently 
forecast to continue generating taxable losses in forthcoming years. 

No deferred tax liability is recognised in respect of the undistributed 
earnings of subsidiaries where it is not likely that those profits will be 
distributed in the foreseeable future. When determining whether it is 
likely that distributions will be made in the foreseeable future, and what 
is the appropriate foreseeable future period for this purpose, the Group 
considers factors such as the predictability of the likely future Group 
dividends, taking into account the Group’s dividend policy and the level 
of potential volatility of the Group’s future earnings, as well as the 
current level of distributable reserves at the Antofagasta plc entity level. 
As set out in Note 28, at 31 December 2020 deferred withholding tax 
liabilities of $52.8 million have been recognised, which relate to 
undistributed earnings of subsidiaries where it is considered likely that 
the corresponding profits will be distributed in the foreseeable future. 
The value of the remaining undistributed earnings of subsidiaries 
for which deferred tax liabilities have not been recognised was 
$4,810 million. 

B)  Estimates 
The Group makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The 
resulting accounting estimates will, by definition, seldom equal the related 
actual results. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk  
of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and 
liabilities within the next financial year are addressed below. 

(i)  Non-financial assets impairment 

As explained in Note 2(M), the Group reviews the carrying value  
of its intangible assets and property, plant and equipment to determine 
whether there is any indication that those assets are impaired. In 
making assessments for impairment, assets that do not generate 
independent cash flows are allocated to an appropriate cash generating 
unit (“CGU”). The recoverable amount of those assets, or CGU, is 
measured at the higher of their fair value less costs of disposal and 
value in use.  

Details of the valuations and sensitivities of the Group’s mining 
operations are included in Note 5, including quantitative sensitivity 
analyses. 

Management necessarily applies its judgement in allocating assets to 
CGUs, in estimating the probability, timing and value of underlying cash 
flows and in selecting appropriate discount rates to be applied within the 
fair value less costs of disposal calculation. The key assumptions are set 
out in Note 2(M) and Note 5. Subsequent changes to CGU allocation, 
licensing status, reserves and resources, price assumptions or other 
estimates and assumptions in the fair value less cost to dispose 
calculation could impact the carrying value of the respective assets. 

Inventory valuation 
The valuation of work in progress inventories involves a number of 
estimates, including the average ore grade, volume and density of ore 
stockpiles, and the total recoveries and the speed of recovery in respect 
of material on the leach piles. Evaluating the net realisable value of the 
inventories also requires an estimate of the likely future copper price for 
the periods when it is expected that the inventories will be completed 
and sold. As set out in Note 20, the value of work in progress 
inventories at 31 December 2020 was $617.4 million. 

If the copper spot price at 31 December 2020 (used for forecasting  
the likely sales price of short-term inventories) had been 5% lower, this 
would have resulted in a net realisable value provision and charge to the 
Income Statement of approximately $9 million. 

(iii)  Useful economic lives of property, plant and equipment and  

ore reserves estimates 
As explained in Note 2(L), mining properties, including capitalised 
financing costs, are depreciated in proportion to the volume of ore 
extracted in the year compared with total proven and probable reserves 
at the beginning of the year. 

There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating ore reserves, 
and assumptions that were valid at the time of estimation may change 
when new information becomes available. These include assumptions 
as to grade estimates and cut-off grades, recovery rates, commodity 
prices, exchange rates, production costs, capital costs, processing and 
reclamation costs and discount rates. The actual volume of ore 
extracted and any changes in these assumptions could affect 
prospective depreciation rates and carrying values. 

The majority of other items of property, plant and equipment are 
depreciated on a straight-line basis over their useful economic lives. 
Management reviews the appropriateness of useful economic lives at 
least annually and, again, any changes could affect prospective 
depreciation rates and asset carrying values. 

The total depreciation and amortisation charge for 2020 was $1,048.7 
million, and so as a very simplistic sensitivity, a 10% adjustment to the 
useful economic lives of all of the Group’s property, plant and equipment 
would result in an impact of approximately $100 million on the annual 
depreciation charge.  

(iv)  Provisions for decommissioning and site restoration costs 

As explained in Note 2(Q), provision is made, based on net present 
values, for decommissioning and site rehabilitation costs as soon as the 
obligation arises following the development or ongoing production of a 
mining property. The provision is based on a closure plan prepared with 
the assistance of external consultants. 

Management uses its judgement and experience to provide for and  
(in the case of capitalised decommissioning costs) amortise these 
estimated costs over the life of the mine. The ultimate cost of 
decommissioning and site rehabilitation is uncertain and cost estimates 
can vary in response to many factors including changes to relevant  
legal requirements, the emergence of new restoration techniques or 
experience at other mine sites. 

The expected timing and extent of expenditure can also change, for 
example in response to changes in ore reserves or processing levels. 
As a result, there could be significant adjustments to the provisions 
established which would affect future financial results. 

Details of the decommissioning and restoration provisions are set out  
in Note 29. The total value of these provisions as at 31 December 2020 
was $520.2 million. 

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4  Exceptional items 
Exceptional items are material items of income and expense which are non-
regular or non-operating and typically non-cash movements. The exceptional 
items in 2020 and their impact on the results are set out below.  

On 31 March 2020 the Group agreed to dispose of its 40% interest in 
Hornitos coal-fired power station to ENGIE Energía Chile S.A. (“ENGIE”), the 
owner of the remaining 60% interest. This was part of the value accretive 
renegotiation of Centinela’s power purchase agreement which as a result will 
be wholly supplied from lower cost renewable sources from 2022. Under 
the terms of the agreement the Group will dispose of its investment to  
Engie in 2021 for a nominal consideration, and will not be entitled to receive 
any further dividend income from Hornitos from the date of the agreement. 
Accordingly, the Group no longer has any effective economic interest in  
the results or assets of Hornitos from 31 March 2020 onwards, and has 
therefore recognised an impairment of $80.8 million in respect of its 
investment in associate balance, and will no longer recognise any share of 
Hornitos’ results. The post-tax impact of the impairment is $61.1 million, of 
which $40.2 million is attributable to the equity owners of the Company. 

A long-term copper price of $3.10/lb has been used in the base valuations  
used in the impairment indicator assessment. As an additional down-side 
sensitivity a valuation was performed with a long-term copper price of 
$2.90/lb, reflecting the lower quartile price in the consensus of analyst 
forecasts used when assessing the appropriate long-term price. Los 
Pelambres, Centinela and Zaldivar still showed a positive headroom in this 
alternative down-side scenario, however the Antucoya valuation indicated  
a potential deficit of approximately $15million. This was a simple sensitivity 
exercise, looking at an illustrative change in the forecast long-term copper 
price in isolation. In reality, a deterioration in the long-term copper price 
environment is likely to result in corresponding improvements in a range of 
input cost factors. In particular, given that copper exports account for over 
50% of Chile’s exports, movements in the US dollar/Chilean peso exchange 
rate are highly correlated to the copper price, and a decrease in the copper 
price is likely to result in a weakening of the Chilean peso, with a resulting 
reduction in the Group’s operating costs and capital expenditure. These likely 
cost reductions, as well as potential operational changes which could be 
made in a weaker copper price environment, could partly mitigate the impact 
of the lower copper price modelled in these estimated potential sensitivities. 

There were no exceptional items in 2019. 

5  Asset sensitivities 
Other asset sensitivities 
Based on an assessment of both qualitative and quantitative factors,  
there were no indicators of potential impairment, or reversal of previous 
impairments, for the Group’s non-current assets associated with its mining 
operations at the 2020 year-end, and accordingly no impairment reviews 
have been performed. The quantitative element of the trigger assessment 
provides an indication of what the approximate recoverable amount of the 
Group’s operations would be, were a full impairment test under IAS 36  
to be performed. In order to provide an indication of the sensitivities of the 
approximate recoverable amount of the Group’s mining operations, sensitivity 
analysis has been performed on the preliminary valuation, prepared as part 
of the Group’s impairment indicator analysis. 

The COVID-19 situation is not expected to have a relevant negative impact on 
the future production, operating expenses or capital projects of the Group’s 
mining operations. 

The recoverable amount is the higher of fair value less costs of disposal  
and value in use. Fair value less costs of disposal reflects the net amount  
the Group would receive from the sale of the asset in an orderly transaction 
between market participants. For mining assets this would generally be 
determined based on the present value of the estimated future cash flows 
arising from the continued use, further development or eventual disposal of 
the asset. Value in use reflects the expected present value of the future cash 
flows which the Group would generate through the operation of the asset in 
its current condition, without taking into account potential enhancements or 
further development of the asset. The fair value less costs of disposal 
valuation will normally be higher than the value in use valuation, and 
accordingly the Group typically applies this valuation estimate in its 
impairment or valuation assessments. 

This impairment indicator valuation exercise demonstrated positive 
headroom for all of the Group’s mining operations, with the recoverable 
amount of the assets in excess of their carrying value.  

If a full IAS 36 impairment test were to be prepared, which was not the case 
as at 31 December 2020, the assumption to which the value of the assets  
is most sensitive is the future copper price. The copper price forecasts 
(representing the Group’s estimates of the assumptions that would be used 
by independent market participants in valuing the assets) are based on the 
forward curve for the short term and consensus analyst forecasts including 
both investment banks and commodity consultants for the longer term. 

In addition to the future copper price, the valuations are sensitive to the 
assumptions in respect of the discount rate used to determine the present 
value of the future cash flows, future operating costs, sustaining and 
development capital expenditure, and the US dollar/Chilean peso exchange 
rate. As an additional down-side sensitivity a valuation was performed  
with a 10% stronger long-term Chilean peso exchange rate assumption.  
Los Pelambres, Centinela, Antucoya and Zaldivar all still showed a positive 
headroom in this alternative down-side scenario. A real post-tax discount 
rate of 8% has been used in determining the present value of the forecast 
future cash flows from the assets as part of the impairment indicator 
assessment. 

Climate change aspects relevant to asset sensitivities 
The “Taskforce on Climate Related Financial Disclosures” (“TCFD”) section 
on pages 54-56 of the Annual Report provides detail of the Group’s on-going 
work to assess and reduce the Group’s exposure to climate risks, in line with 
the TCFD framework. During 2020 the Group conducted an initial qualitative 
assessment of the potential risks and opportunities and likely business 
impacts under two climate change scenarios, and during 2021 will select the 
most material risks and opportunities to undergo a quantitative scenario 
analysis in order to estimate in more detail the potential operational and 
financial impact to our operations. The following section provides a high-level 
summary of the way in which climate change related factors could be 
relevant to the sensitivities of the values of the Group’s mining operations, 
based on the Group’s existing analysis. 

Relevant aspects of the Group’s operations 
The following aspects of the Group’s mining operations are particularly 
relevant when looking at the potential impacts of climate change on the 
operational performance and value of the Group’s mining operations: 

•  The Group’s mining business is focused on copper. The transition to a low-

carbon economy requires many carbon reduction measures with two major 
drivers being the increased demand for renewable energy and the 
electrification of transportation systems. As copper is a primary component  
in these technologies, this is expected to have a positive impact on copper 
demand in the medium- to long-term. 

•  The Group has been working to eliminate its involvement with coal-fired 
electricity generation. The Group has electricity supply contracts in place 
which mean that from 2022 all of the mining operations’ electricity supply  
will be from renewable sources. 

•  The Group has also held a 40% interest in the Hornitos coal-fired power 

station in northern Chile. In March 2020 the Group agreed to dispose of this 
interest, recognising a full impairment of the carrying value of this investment. 

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

5  Asset sensitivities continued 
•  The Group’s sensitivity analysis has identified an increased risk of drought in 
the Coquimbo region where Los Pelambres is situated as one of the principal 
potential climate related physical risks for the Group. In the Atacama region 
where Antucoya, Centinela and Zaldivar are situated, water scarcity has 
always been acute and is expected to remain so. The Group has been focused 
on reducing its use of continental fresh water for a number of years, through 
the use of sea water and maximising the level of recycling of water in its 
operations. Centinela and Antucoya were designed to operate entirely with 
raw (i.e. non-desalinated) sea water. Los Pelambres is currently constructing 
a desalination plant, and by 2025 this will result in 95% of its water usage 
coming from desalinated sea water or recycled water. Zaldívar has submitted 
an Environmental Impact Assessment for an extension of its mine life to 2031 
and this includes an application to extend the mine’s water extraction rights 
from 2025, when they currently expire. 

Relevant aspects of the asset sensitivity and valuation analysis 
The nature of the asset sensitivity and valuation analysis described above 
means that some level of assessment of potential future climate-related  
risks should effectively already be incorporated into a number of the key 
assumptions used in this analysis. As explained above, the Group typically 
uses a “fair value less cost to dispose” methodology when performing this 
analysis, which reflects the price the Group could expect to receive from the 
sale of the asset to an external market participant. Accordingly, the Group 
uses assumptions which an external market participant could reasonably  
be expected to use when valuing the asset. Therefore, where possible the 
Group uses assumptions which are supported by external market data –  
in particular, in respect of the forecasts for the future copper price, the  
future US dollar / Chilean peso exchange rate and the discount rate. This 
market data should reflect the market’s current best estimate of the risks  
and opportunities impacting, for example, the future copper price or 
comparable mining assets etc – including within those overall risks and 
opportunities the market’s current assessment of the probable impact of 
climate-related factors. 

6  Segment information 
The Group’s reportable segments are as follows: 

•  Los Pelambres 
•  Centinela 
•  Antucoya 
•  Zaldívar 
•  Exploration and evaluation 
•  Corporate and other items 
•  Transport division 

For management purposes, the Group is organised into two business 
divisions based on their products – Mining and Transport. The Mining  
division is split further for management reporting purposes to show results 
by mine and exploration activity. Los Pelambres produces primarily copper 
concentrate, molybdenum, gold and silver as a by-product. Centinela 
produces copper concentrate containing gold and silver as a by-product, 
molybdenum concentrates and copper cathodes. Antucoya and Zaldívar 
produce copper cathodes. The Transport division provides rail cargo and 
road cargo transport together with a number of ancillary services. All the 
operations are based in Chile. The Exploration and evaluation segment incurs 
exploration and evaluation expenses. “Corporate and other items” comprises 
costs incurred by the Company, Antofagasta Minerals SA, the Group’s mining 
corporate centre and other entities, that are not allocated to any individual 
business segment. Consistent with its internal management reporting, the 
Group’s corporate and other items are included within the Mining division.  

The chief operating decision-maker (the Group’s Chief Executive Officer) 
monitors the operating results of the business segments separately for the 
purpose of making decisions about resources to be allocated and assesses 
performance. Segment performance is evaluated based on the operating 
profit of each of the segments. 

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A)  Segment revenues and results 
For the year ended 31 December 2020 

Revenue 
Operating cost excluding depreciation 
Depreciation and amortisation 
Loss on disposals 
Operating profit/(loss) 
Equity accounting results 
Impairment of investment in associate3 
Net share of results from associates 
and joint ventures 
Investment income 
Interest expense 
Other finance items 
Profit/(loss) before tax 
Tax 
Profit/(loss) for the year from 
continuing operations 
Profit for the period from discontinued 
operations 
Profit/(loss) for the year 
Non-controlling interests 
Profit/(losses) attributable to the 
owners of the parent 
EBITDA1 
Additions to non-current assets 
Capital expenditure 

Segment assets and liabilities 
Segment assets 
Deferred tax assets  
Investment in associates and joint venture
Segment liabilities 

Los Pelambres 
$m 

Centinela
$m 

 2,655.1  
 (992.1) 
 (252.6) 
 (2.5) 
 1,407.9  
– 
– 

– 
 4.7  
 (4.3) 
 (26.0) 
 1,382.3  
 (435.8) 

 1,844.5 
 (932.8)
 (662.9)
 (1.8)
 247.0 
–
 (95.6)

 (95.6)
 4.3 
 (24.9)
 (13.7)
 117.1 
 (23.0)

Antucoya
$m 

 480.3 
 (314.5)
 (94.6)
–
 71.2 
–
–

–
 0.8 
 (25.5)
 (4.0)
 42.5 
 (0.3)

Zaldívar
$m 

–
–
–
–
–
 12.2 
–

 12.2 
–
–
–
 12.2 
–

Exploration 
and
evaluation2 
$m 

Corporate  
and other 
items 
$m 

Mining 
$m 

–
 (85.1)
–
–
 (85.1)
–
–

–
–
–
–
 (85.1)
–

– 

 4,979.9   
 (66.2)   (2,390.7)  
 (1,017.9)  
 (4.3)  
 1,567.0   
 5.7   
 (95.6)  

 (7.8) 
– 
 (74.0) 
 (6.5) 
– 

 (6.5) 
 9.0  
 (20.7) 
 (5.5) 
 (97.7) 
 (59.2) 

 (89.9)  
 18.8   
 (75.4)  
 (49.2) 
 1,371.3  
 (518.3)  

Transport 
division
$m 

 149.4 
 (91.4)
 (30.8)
 (2.0)
 25.2 
 (0.6)
 14.8 

 14.2 
 0.1 
 (1.7)
 4.0 
 41.8 
 (8.2)

Total
$m 

 5,129.3 
 (2,482.1)
 (1,048.7)
 (6.3)
 1,592.2 
 5.1 
 (80.8)

 (75.7)
 18.9 
 (77.1)
 (45.2)
 1,413.1 
 (526.5)

 946.5  

 94.1 

 42.2 

 12.2 

 (85.1)

 (156.9) 

 853.0   

 33.6 

 886.6 

– 
 946.5  
 371.5  

–
 94.1 
 12.9 

–
 42.2 
 3.1 

 575.0  
 1,663.0  

 81.2 
 911.7 

 39.1 
 165.8 

–
 12.2 
–

 12.2 
 95.5 

–
 (85.1)
–

 (85.1)
 (85.1)

 7.3  
 (149.6) 
– 

 7.3  
 860.3   
 387.5  

–
 33.6 
–

 7.3 
 893.9 
 387.5 

 (149.6) 
 (72.7) 

 472.8   
 2,678.2   

 33.6 

 506.4 

 61.0 

 2,739.2 

 827.3  

 441.8 

 44.6 

–

 5,475.9  
– 
– 
 (2,700.1) 

 5,898.8 
–
–
 (1,823.2)

 1,641.5 
–
–
 (702.5)

–
–
 909.0 
–

–

–
–
–
–

 8.4  

 1,322.1   

 26.2 

 1,348.3 

 2,284.2 
 2.7  
– 

 15,300.4   
 2.7   
 909.0   
 (1,202.6)   (6,428.4)  

 382.9 
 3.7 
 5.6 
 (94.8)

 15,683.3
 6.4 
 914.6 
 (6,523.2)

1.  EBITDA refers to Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation. EBITDA is calculated by adding back depreciation, amortisation, profit or loss on disposals and impairment 

charges to operating profit. This comprises 100% of the EBITDA from the Group´s subsidiaries, and the Group´s proportional share of the EBITDA of its associates and joint ventures (Refer 
to the Alternative Performance Measures section on page 216). 

2.  Operating cash outflow in the exploration and evaluation segment was $43.1 million. 

3.  On 31 March 2020 the Group agreed to dispose of its 40% interest in Hornitos coal-fired power station to ENGIE Energía Chile S.A. (“ENGIE”), the owner of the remaining 60% interest. This 

has resulted in a $80.8 million impairment in respect of the Group’s investment in associate balance. 

antofagasta.co.uk

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179

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

6  Segment information continued 
For the year ended 31 December 2019 

Exploration 
and 
evaluation2  
$m 

Corporate  
and other  
items
$m 

Zaldívar
$m 

Revenue 
Operating cost excluding depreciation 
Depreciation and amortisation 
Loss on disposals 
Operating profit/(loss) 
Equity accounting results 
Investment income 
Interest expense 
Other finance items 
Profit/(loss) before tax 
Tax 
Profit/(loss) for the year from continuing 
operations 
Profit/(loss) for the year 
Non-controlling interests 
Profit/(losses) attributable to the 
owners of the parent 
EBITDA1 
Additions to non-current assets 
Capital expenditure 
Segment assets and liabilities 
Segment assets 
Deferred tax assets  
Investment in associates and joint venture 
Segment liabilities 

Los Pelambres 
$m 

Centinela
$m 

 2,363.9  
 (979.8) 
 (258.5) 
 (10.5) 
 1,115.1  
– 
 11.1  
 (7.7) 
 8.8  
 1,127.3  
 (341.4) 

 2,007.9 
 (1,048.4)
 (532.2)
 (1.5)
 425.8 
– 
 7.9 
 (36.5)
 3.4 
 400.6 
 (88.5)

 785.9  
 785.9  
 (309.0)  

 312.1 
 312.1 
 (69.4) 

 476.9  
 1,384.1  

 242.7 
 959.5 

Antucoya
$m 

 432.2 
 (345.9)
 (92.2)
– 
 (5.9)
– 
 1.4 
 (42.7)
 (0.5)
 (47.7)
 (0.2)

 (47.9)
 (47.9)
 36.7 

 (11.2)
 86.3 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
15.5 
– 
– 
– 
15.5 
– 

15.5 
15.5 
– 

15.5 
 112.6 

 573.0  

 535.9 

 43.0 

– 

 4,251.2  
– 
– 
 (1,696.7) 

 5,792.2 
– 
– 
 (1,789.6)

 1,647.1 
– 
– 
 (933.3)

– 
– 
961.8 
– 

Mining 
$m 

 4,804.0   
 (2,556.0)  
 (890.8)  
 (12.0)  
 1,345.2   
 13.0   
 46.6   
 (108.6)  
 13.5  
 1,309.7  
 (498.3)  

Transport 
division
$m 

 160.5 
 (105.7)
 (23.5)
 (0.7)
 30.6 
 11.4 
 0.5 
 (2.5)
 (0.5)
 39.5 
 (7.8)

Total
$m 

 4,964.5 
 (2,661.7)
 (914.3)
 (12.7)
 1,375.8 
 24.4 
 47.1 
 (111.1)
 13.0 
 1,349.2 
 (506.1)

– 
 (70.8) 
 (7.9) 
– 
 (78.7) 
(2.5) 
 26.2  
 (21.7) 
 1.8  
 (74.9) 
 (68.2) 

 (143.1) 
 (143.1) 
– 

 811.4   
 811.4   
 (341.7)  

 31.7 
 31.7 
– 

 843.1 
 843.1 
 (341.7) 

 (143.1) 
 (73.3) 

 469.7   
 2,358.1   

 31.7 
 80.8 

 501.4 
 2,438.9 

 16.0  

 1,167.9   

 68.6 

 1,236.5 

 1,543.3  
 5.5  
– 
 (694.0) 

 13,233.8   
 5.5   
 961.8   
 (5,113.6)  

 343.6 
 2.7 
 63.0 
 (95.8)

 13,577.4 
 8.2 
 1,024.8 
 (5,209.4)

– 
 (111.1)
– 
– 
 (111.1)
– 
– 
– 
– 
 (111.1)
– 

 (111.1)
 (111.1)
– 

 (111.1)
 (111.1)

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 

1.  EBITDA refers to Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation. EBITDA is calculated by adding back depreciation, amortisation, profit or loss on disposals and impairment 

charges to operating profit. This comprises 100% of the EBITDA from the Group´s subsidiaries, and the Group´s proportional share of the EBITDA of its associates and joint ventures (Refer 
to the Alternative Performance Measures section on page 216). 

2.  Operating cash outflow in the exploration and evaluation segment was $43.0 million. 

Notes to segment revenues and results 
(i) 

Inter-segment revenues are eliminated on consolidation. Revenue from the Transport division segment is stated after eliminating  
inter-segmental sales to the mining division of $6.8 million (year ended 31 December 2019 – $5.3 million).  

(ii)  Revenue includes provisionally priced sales of copper, gold and molybdenum concentrates and copper cathodes. Further details of such adjustments  

are given in Note 7. 

(iii)  The copper and molybdenum concentrate sales are stated net of deductions for tolling charges. Tolling charges for copper and molybdenum 

concentrates are detailed in Note 7. 

(iv)  The effects of tax and non-controlling interests on the expenses within the Exploration and evaluation segment are allocated to the mine that  

the exploration work relates to. 

(v)  The assets of the Transport division segment include nil (31 December 2019 – $56.9 million) relating to the Group’s 40% interest in Inversiones Hornitos 
SA (“Inversiones Hornitos”), which owns the 165MW Hornitos thermoelectric power plant in Mejillones in Chile’s Antofagasta region and $5.6 million  
(31 December 2019 – $6.2 million) relating to the Group’s 30% interest in Antofagasta Terminal International SA (“ATI”), which operates a concession to 
manage installations in the port of Antofagasta. Further details of these investments are set out in Note 18. 

180

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

antofagasta.co.uk

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
B)  Entity-wide disclosures 
Revenue by product1 

Copper 
•  Los Pelambres 
•  Centinela concentrate 
•  Centinela cathodes 
•  Antucoya 
Gold 
•  Los Pelambres 
•  Centinela  
Molybdenum 
•  Los Pelambres 
•  Centinela 
Silver 
•  Los Pelambres 
•  Centinela 
Total 
Transport division 

Revenue by location of customer1 

Europe 
•  United Kingdom 
•  Switzerland 
•  Spain 
•  Germany 
•  Rest of Europe 
Latin America 
•  Chile 
•  Rest of Latin America 
North America 
•  United States 
Asia 
•  Japan 
•  China 
•  Singapore 
•  South Korea 
•  Hong Kong 
•  Rest of Asia 

2020
$m 

2019
$m 

 2,323.6 
 940.4 
 603.9 
 480.3 

 106.4 
 251.3 

 181.8 
 27.7 

 43.3 
 21.2 
 4,979.9 
 149.4 
5,129.3

 2,009.1 
 1,137.7 
 504.4 
 432.2 

 75.2 
 332.5 

 249.0 
 5.6 

 30.7 
 27.6 
 4,804.0 
 160.5 
 4,964.5 

2020
$m 

2019
$m 

 123.3 
 593.5 
 29.3 
 116.4 
 92.3 

 224.4 
 182.0 

 152.3 
 612.4 
 158.0 
 102.7 
 85.0 

 213.8 
 95.3 

 216.5 

 88.9 

 1,631.1 
 531.4 
 667.5 
 353.4 
 235.7 
 132.5 
 5,129.3 

 1,561.5 
 517.2 
 692.1 
 371.2 
171.0 
 143.1 
 4,964.5 

Information about major customers 
In the year ended 31 December 2020 the Group’s mining revenue included $763.4 million related to one large customer that individually accounted for more 
than 10% of the Group’s revenue (year ended 31 December 2019 – one large customer representing $711.9 million). 

1.  Figures include both revenue from the sale of products and the associated income from the provision of shipping services. 

Non-current assets by location of assets 

Chile 
USA 
Other 

2020
$m

 11,092.7 
 178.3 
–
 11,271.0 

2019
$m
Restated 

 10,818.0 
176.9 
0.1 
10,995.0 

The above amounts reflect non-current assets excluding financial assets (in particular, derivative financial instruments) and deferred tax assets. The prior 
period comparatives have been restated to exclude financial assets and deferred tax assets, resulting in a reduction in respect of the assets located in Chile  
of $9.9 million as at 31 December 2019. 

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181

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

7  Revenue 
Copper and molybdenum concentrate sale contracts and copper cathode sale contracts generally provide for provisional pricing of sales at the time of 
shipment, with final pricing being based on the monthly average London Metal Exchange copper price or monthly average molybdenum price for specified 
future periods. This normally ranges from one to four months after shipment to the customer. For sales contracts which contain provisional pricing 
mechanisms the total receivable balance is measured at fair value through profit or loss. Gains and losses from the mark-to-market of open sales are 
recognised through adjustments to revenue in the income statement and to trade receivables in the balance sheet. The Group determines mark-to-market 
prices using forward prices at each period-end for copper concentrate and cathode sales, and period-end month average prices for molybdenum concentrate 
sales due to the absence of a futures market in the market price references for that commodity in the majority of the Group’s contracts. 

The Group sells a significant proportion of its products on Cost, Insurance & Freight (CIF) Incoterms, which means that the Group is responsible for shipping 
the product to a destination port specified by the customer. The shipping service represents a separate performance obligation, and is recognised separately 
from the sale of the material over time as the shipping service is provided. 

An analysis of the Group’s revenue is as follows: 

Revenue from contracts with customers 

Sale of products 
Provision of shipping services associated with the sale of products 
Transport services 

Provisional pricing adjustments in respect of copper, gold and molybdenum 
Total revenue 

2020
$m 

2019
$m 

 4,617.3 
 95.4 
 149.4
267.2
5,129.3

4,693.4 
92.9 
160.5 
17.7 
4,964.5 

The categories of revenue which are principally affected by different economic factors are the individual product types. A summary of revenue by product is 
set out in Note 6. 

In addition to mark-to-market and final pricing adjustments, revenue also includes realised gains and losses relating to derivative commodity instruments. 
Details of these realised gains or losses are shown in the tables that follow.  

Copper and molybdenum concentrate sales are stated net of deductions for tolling charges, as shown in the tables that follow.  

For the year ended 31 December 20201 

Provisionally invoiced gross sales 
Effects of pricing adjustments to  
previous year invoices 
Reversal of mark-to-market adjustments at the 
end of the previous year 
Settlement of sales invoiced in the previous year 
Total effect of adjustments to previous year 
invoices in the current year 
Effects of pricing adjustments to  
current year invoices 
Settlement of sales invoiced in the current year 
Mark-to-market adjustments at the end of  
the current year 
Total effect of adjustments to  
current year invoices 

Los Pelambres 
Copper 
concentrate 
$m 

Centinela 
Copper 
concentrate
$m 

Centinela 
Copper 
cathodes
$m 

Antucoya
Copper 
cathodes
$m 

Los Pelambres 
Gold in 
concentrate
$m 

Centinela  
Gold in 
concentrate 
$m 

Los Pelambres 
Molybdenum 
concentrate
$m 

Centinela 
Molybdenum 
concentrate
$m 

 2,256.7  

 949.3 

 594.8 

 474.8 

 104.9 

 250.6  

 205.0 

31.6 

 (29.1) 
 (43.6) 

 (15.2)
 (18.7)

 (0.4)
 (0.3)

 (0.4)
 (0.3)

 (72.7) 

 (33.9)

 (0.7)

 (0.7)

–
 0.2 

 0.2 

 (1.2) 
 3.7  

 0.4 
 (1.5)

–
 (0.2)

 2.5  

 (1.1)

 (0.2)

 194.6  

 67.0 

 11.2 

 7.8 

 1.5 

 (2.0) 

 4.6 

 58.7  

 26.8 

 (0.1)

 0.5 

–

 0.9  

 (0.2)

 253.3  

 93.8 

 11.1 

 8.3 

 1.5 

 (1.1) 

 4.4 

Total pricing adjustments 
Realised losses on commodity derivatives 
Revenue before deducting tolling charges 
Tolling charges 
Revenue net of tolling charges 

 180.6  
– 
2,437.3 
 (113.6) 
 2,323.7  

 59.9 
–
1,009.2
 (68.8)
 940.4 

 10.4 
 (1.3)
603.9
–
 603.9 

 7.6 
 (2.1)
480.3
–
 480.3 

 1.7 
–
106.6
 (0.2)
 106.4 

 1.4  
– 
252.0 
 (0.7) 
 251.3  

 3.3 
–
208.3
 (26.5)
 181.8 

 2.1 

 0.3 

 2.4 

2.2
–
33.8
 (6.1)
 27.7 

182

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

antofagasta.co.uk

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For the year ended 31 December 20191 

Provisionally invoiced gross sales 
Effects of pricing adjustments to  
previous year invoices 
Reversal of mark-to-market adjustments at the 
end of the previous year 
Settlement of sales invoiced in the previous year 
Total effect of adjustments to previous year 
invoices in the current year 
Effects of pricing adjustments to  
current year invoices 
Settlement of sales invoiced in the current year 
Mark-to-market adjustments at the end of  
the current year 
Total effect of adjustments to  
current year invoices 

Los Pelambres 
Copper 
concentrate
$m 

Centinela 
Copper 
concentrate
$m 

 2,144.9 

 1,222.3 

Centinela 
Copper 
cathodes
$m 

 506.1 

Antucoya 
Copper 
cathodes
$m 

 434.8 

Los Pelambres  
Gold in 
concentrate 
$m 

Centinela  
Gold in 
concentrate 
$m 

Los Pelambres 
Molybdenum 
concentrate
$m 

Centinela 
Molybdenum 
concentrate
$m 

 76.2  

 325.3  

 298.1 

7.4 

 23.6 
 0.3 

 9.5 
 9.9 

 0.7 
 (1.0)

 0.7 
 (0.9)

– 
 (1.3) 

 (0.7) 
 1.4  

 (0.7)
 (8.4)

 23.9 

 19.4 

 (0.3)

 (0.2)

 (1.3) 

 0.7  

 (9.1)

– 
– 

– 

 (41.3)

 (14.6)

 (1.8)

 (2.9)

 0.5  

 6.4  

 (7.0)

(0.8)

 29.1 

 15.2 

 0.4 

 0.4 

– 

 1.2  

 (0.4)

– 

 (12.2)

 0.6 

 (1.4)

 (2.5)

 0.5  

 7.6  

 (7.4)

(0.8)

Total pricing adjustments 
Realised gains on commodity derivatives 
Revenue before deducting tolling charges 
Tolling charges 
Revenue net of tolling charges 

 11.7 
– 
 2,156.6 
 (147.5)
 2,009.1 

 20.0 
– 
 1,242.3 
 (104.6)
 1,137.7 

 (1.7)
– 
 504.4 
– 
 504.4 

 (2.7)
 0.1 
 432.2 
– 
 432.2 

 (0.8) 
– 
 75.4  
 (0.2) 
 75.2  

 8.3  
– 
 333.6  
 (1.1) 
 332.5  

 (16.5)
– 
 281.6 
 (32.6)
 249.0 

(0.8)
– 
6.6 
(1.0)
5.6 

1.  Figures include both revenue from the sale of products and the associated income from the provision of shipping services. 

(I)  Copper concentrate 
The typical period for which sales of copper concentrate remain open until settlement occurs is a range of approximately three to four months from  
shipment date.  

Sales provisionally priced at the balance sheet date 
Average mark-to-market price  
Average provisional invoice price  

2020 

2019 

Tonnes 
$/lb 
$/lb 

 162,300 
 3.52 
 3.28 

158,600 
2.81 
2.68 

(II)  Copper cathodes 
The typical period for which sales of copper cathodes remain open until settlement occurs is approximately one month from shipment date.  

Sales provisionally priced at the balance sheet date 
Average mark-to-market price  
Average provisional invoice price  

Tonnes 
$/lb 
$/lb 

2020 

 13,800 
 3.52 
 3.50 

(III)  Gold in concentrate 
The typical period for which sales of gold in concentrate remain open until settlement occurs is approximately one month from shipment date.  

Sales provisionally priced at the balance sheet date 
Average mark-to-market price  
Average provisional invoice price  

Ounces 
$/oz 
$/oz 

2020 

 16,300 
 1,917 
 1,861 

(IV)  Molybdenum concentrate 
The typical period for which sales of molybdenum remain open until settlement occurs is approximately two months from shipment date.  

Sales provisionally priced at the balance sheet date 
Average mark-to-market price  
Average provisional invoice price  

Tonnes 
$/lb 
$/lb 

2020 

 2,000 
 9.34 
 9.38 

2019 

 12,000 
 2.80 
 2.77 

2019 

 21,200 
 1,542 
 1,485 

2019 

 1,900 
 9.20 
 9.30 

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183

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

7  Revenue continued 
As detailed above, the effects of gains and losses from the marking-to-market of open sales are recognised through adjustments to revenue in the income 
statement and to trade debtors in the balance sheet. The effect of mark-to-market adjustments on the balance sheet at the end of each period are as follows: 

Los Pelambres – copper concentrate 
Los Pelambres – molybdenum concentrate 
Centinela – copper concentrate 
Centinela – molybdenum concentrate 
Centinela – gold in concentrate 
Centinela – copper cathodes 
Antucoya – copper cathodes 

Effect on debtors of year end 
mark-to-market adjustments 

2020
$m 

 58.7 
 (0.2)
 26.8 
0.3
 0.9 
 (0.1)
 0.5 
 86.9 

2019
$m 

 29.1 
 (0.4)
 15.2 
– 
 1.2 
 0.4 
 0.4 
 45.9 

8  Profit before tax 
Operating profit from subsidiaries and total profit from operations and associates and joint ventures is derived from Group revenue by deducting operating 
costs as follows: 

Group revenue 
Cost of sales  
Gross profit 
Administrative and distribution expenses 
Other operating income 
Other operating expenses 
Operating profit from subsidiaries  
Net share of results from associates and joint ventures 
Impairment of investment in associate 
Total profit from operations, associates and joint ventures 

2020
$m 

 5,129.3 
 (2,856.9)
 2,272.4 
 (484.6)
 27.0 
 (222.6)
 1,592.2 
 5.1 
 (80.8)
 1,516.5 

2019 
$m 

 4,964.5 
 (2,963.6)
 2,000.9 
 (445.9)
 28.4 
 (207.6)
 1,375.8 
 24.4 
– 
 1,400.2 

Other operating expenses comprise $85.0 million of exploration and evaluation expenditure (2019 – $111.0 million), $17.9 million in respect of the employee 
severance provision (2019 – $24.8 million), $45.2 million in respect of the closure provision (2019 – $2.8 million credit) and $74.5 million of other expenses 
(2019 – $74.5 million). 

Profit before tax is stated after (charging)/crediting: 

Foreign exchange (gains)/losses 
•  included in net finance costs 
•  included in income tax expense 
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 
•  owned assets 
•  leased assets 
Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment 
Cost of inventories recognised as expense 
Employee benefit expense 
Decommissioning and restoration 
Severance charges 
Exploration and evaluation expense 
Auditors´ remuneration 

2020
$m 

 (28.4)
 0.1 

(966.9)
(81.8)
(6.3)
(1,810.0)
(453.8)
 (45.2)
(17.9)
(85.0)
(1.8)

2019
$m 

 35.8 
 0.7 

 (828.0)
(81.4)
 (12.7)
 (1,970.1)
(439.8)
 2.8 
 (24.8)
 (111.1)
(1.5) 

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A more detailed analysis of auditors´ remuneration on a worldwide basis is provided below: 

Group 

Fees payable to the Company´s auditors and its associates for the audit of parent company and consolidated  
financial statements 
Fees payable to the Company´s auditors and its associates for other services:  
•  The audit of the Company’s subsidiaries  
•  Audit-related assurance services 
•  Tax advisory services 
•  Other assurance services 
•  Corporate finance services not covered above 
•  Other non-audit services 

2020
$000 

920 

323
185
–
352
–
–
1,780

2019
$000 

944 

288 
219 
– 
19 
– 
20 
1,490 

Details of the Company’s policy on the use of auditors for non-audit services, the reason why the auditor was used rather than another supplier and how the 
auditor’s independence and objectivity was safeguarded are set out in the Audit and Risk Committee report on page 124. No services were provided pursuant 
to contingent fee arrangements. 

9  Employees  
A)  Average monthly number of employees 

Los Pelambres 
Centinela 
Michilla 
Antucoya 
Exploration and evaluation 
Corporate and other employees 
•  Chile 
•  United Kingdom 
•  Other 
Mining and Corporate 
Transport division 

2020
Number 

944
2,092
3
798
67

528
4
4
4,440
1,379
5,819

2019
Number 

926 
2,057 
2 
787 
62 

469 
4 
4 
4,311 
1,408 
5,719 

(i)  The average number of employees for the year includes all the employees of subsidiaries. The average number of employees does not include 

contractors who are not directly employed by the Group. 

(ii)  The average number of employees does not include employees from associates and joint ventures. 

(iii)  The average number of employees includes Non-Executive Directors. 

B)  Aggregated remuneration 
The aggregated remuneration of the employees included in the table above was as follows: 

Wages and salaries 
Social security costs 

2020
$m 

(430.2)
(23.6)
(453.8)

2019
$m 

(416.1)
(23.7)
(439.8)

C)  Key management personnel 
In accordance with IAS 24, key management personnel are those persons having authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the 
activities of the Group, directly or indirectly, including any Directors (Executive and Non-Executive) of the Company. Key management personnel who are  
not Directors have been treated as responsible senior management at the Corporate Centre and those responsible for the running of the key business 
divisions of the Group. 

Compensation for key management personnel (including Directors) was as follows: 

Salaries and short-term employee benefits 

2020
$m 

(18.6)
(18.6)

2019
$m 

(16.1)
(16.1)

Disclosures on Directors’ remuneration required by Schedule 8 of the Large and Medium-sized Companies and Group (Financial Statement) Regulations 
2008 including those specified for audit by that Schedule are included in the Remuneration report on page 139. 

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185

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

10  Net finance expense 

Investment income 
Interest income 
Fair value through profit or loss 

Interest expense 
Interest expense 

Other finance items 
Unwinding of discount on provisions 
Effects of changes in foreign exchange rates 
Preference dividends 

Net finance expense 

2020
$m 

 3.4 
 15.5 
 18.9 

 (77.1)
 (77.1)

 (16.7)
 (28.4)
 (0.1)
 (45.2)
 (103.4)

2019
$m 

 9.8 
 37.3 
 47.1 

 (111.1)
 (111.1)

 (22.7)
 35.8 
 (0.1)
 13.0 
(51.0) 

During 2020, amounts capitalised and consequently not included within the above table were as follows: $21.0 million at Los Pelambres (year ended  
31 December 2019 – $12.5 million) and $5.7 million at Centinela (year ended 31 December 2019 – $4.7 million). 

The fair value through profit or loss line represents the fair value gains relating to liquid investments. 

The interest expense shown above includes $9.7 million in respect of leases (2019 – $13.0 million). 

11  Income tax expense 
The tax charge for the year comprised the following: 

Current tax charge 
•  Corporate tax (principally first category tax in Chile) 
•  Mining tax (royalty) 
•  Withholding tax 
•  Exchange losses on corporate tax balances 

Deferred tax charge 
•  Corporate tax (principally first category tax in Chile) 
•  Mining tax (royalty) 
•  Withholding tax 

Total tax charge 

2020
$m 

2019
$m 

 (353.5)
 (106.1)
 (55.8)
 0.1 
 (515.3)

 (1.1)
 4.2 
 (14.3)
 (11.2)
(526.5)

 (255.5)
 (67.2)
 (32.4)
 0.7 
 (354.4)

 (125.1)
 0.6 
 (27.2)
 (151.7)
 (506.1)

The rate of first category (ie corporate) tax in Chile is 27.0% (2019 – 27.0%). 

In addition to first category tax and the mining tax, the Group incurs withholding taxes on any remittance of profits from Chile. Withholding tax is levied on 
remittances of profits from Chile at 35% less first category (ie corporation) tax already paid in respect of the profits to which the remittances relate. 

The Group’s mining operations are also subject to a mining tax (royalty). Production from Los Pelambres, Antucoya, Encuentro (oxides), the Tesoro North 
East pit and the Run-of-Mine processing at Centinela Cathodes is subject to a rate of between 5–14%, depending on the level of operating profit margin. 
Production from Centinela Concentrates and the Tesoro Central and Mirador pits is subject to a rate of 5% of taxable operating profit.  

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antofagasta.co.uk

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Profit before tax 
Tax at the Chilean corporate tax rate of 27%  
Impairment of investment in associate 
Mining tax (royalty) 
Deduction of mining tax (royalty) as an allowable expense in 
determination of first category tax 
Items not deductible from first category tax 
Adjustment in respect of prior years 
Withholding tax 
Tax effect of share of profit of associates and joint ventures 
Reversal of previously unrecognised tax losses/(unrecognised tax 
losses) 
Net other items 
Tax expense and effective tax rate for the year 

Year ended
Excluding exceptional items
2020 

Year ended 
Including exceptional items 
2020 

$m  

%  

$m 

% 

$m 

1,493.9
(403.4)
–
(101.3)

28.1
(9.8)
(1.6)
(70.0)
1.4

10.5
(0.1)
(546.2)

27.0
–
6.8

(1.9)
0.7
0.1
4.7
(0.1)

(0.7)
–
36.6

1,413.1 
(381.5) 
(2.2) 
(101.3) 

28.1 
(9.8) 
(1.6) 
(70.0) 
1.4 

10.5 
(0.1) 
(526.5) 

27.0   
0.2   
7.2   

(2.0)   
0.6   
0.1 
5.0   
(0.1)   

(0.7)  
–   
37.3   

1,349.2 
(364.3) 

(66.6)

19.1 
(11.9)
4.3 
(59.3)
4.7 

(33.0)
0.9 
(506.1)

2019 

% 

27.0 

4.9 

(1.4)
0.9 
(0.3)
4.4 
(0.3)

2.4 
(0.1)
37.5 

The effective tax rate varied from the statutory rate principally due to the mining tax (royalty) (net impact of $73.2 million / 5.2% including the deduction of the 
mining tax (royalty) as an allowable expense in the determination of first category tax), the withholding tax relating to the remittance of profits from Chile 
(impact of $70.0 million / 5.0%), items not deductible for Chilean corporate tax purposes, principally the funding of expenses outside of Chile (impact of $9.8 
million / 0.6%), adjustments in respect of prior years (impact of $1.6 million / 0.1%), partly offset by unrecognised tax gains (impact of $10.5 million / 0.7%) 
and the impact of the recognition of the Group’s share of profit from associates and joint ventures, which are included in the Group’s profit before tax net of 
their respective tax charges (impact of $1.4 million / 0.1%). 

The impact of the exceptional items on the effective tax rate including exceptional items was $2.2 million / 0.2%. 

The main factors which could impact the sustainability of the Group’s existing effective tax rate are: 

•  the level of future distributions made by the Group’s Chilean subsidiaries out of Chile, which could result in increased withholding tax charges, 
•  the impact of expenses which are not deductible for Chilean first category tax. Some of these expenses are relatively fixed costs, and so the relative impact of 

these expenses on the Group’s effective tax rate will vary depending on the Group’s total profit before tax in a particular year.  

There are no significant tax uncertainties which would require critical judgements, estimates or potential provisions other than deferred tax estimates as 
explained in Note 3 A (ii). 

12  Discontinued operations 
In 2016 the Group disposed of Minera Michilla SA, with the profit on disposal, along with the results for that year, being presented on the “Profit for the period 
from discontinued operations” line in the income statement. The Group retained certain residual options over the Michilla operation, and in December 2020 
the current owner of Michilla paid the Group $10.0 million in order to extinguish those options, resulting in a post-tax gain for the Group of $7.3 million. 
Consistent with the original presentation in 2016, this gain has been reflected on the “Profit for the period from discontinued operations” line in the income 
statement.  

13  Earnings per share 

Profit for the year attributable to equity holders of the Company  

Ordinary shares in issue throughout each year 

Basic earnings per share 
From continuing operations 
From discontinued operations 
Total continuing and discontinued operations 

2020
$m 

506.4

2019
$m 

501.4 

2020 
Number 

2019
Number 

985,856,695 985,856,695 

2020
cents 

 50.6 
 0.7 
 51.3 

2019 
cents 

 50.9 
– 
 50.9 

Basic earnings per share are calculated as profit after tax and non-controlling interests, based on 985,856,695 (2019: 985,856,695) ordinary shares. 

There was no potential dilution of earnings per share in either year set out above, and therefore diluted earnings per share did not differ from basic earnings  
per share as disclosed above. 

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187

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

13  Earnings per share continued 
Reconciliation of basic earnings per share from continuing operations: 

Profit for the year attributable to equity holders of the Company  
Less: profit for discontinued operations attributable to equity holders of the Company 
Profit from continuing operations 
Ordinary shares 
Basic earnings per share from continuing operations 

14  Dividends 
Amounts recognised as distributions to equity holders in the year: 

Final dividend paid in June (proposed in relation to the previous year) 
•  ordinary 
Interim dividend paid in October 
•  ordinary 

2020 

2019 

$m 
$m 
$m 

 501.4 
 506.4 
–
 (7.3)
 501.4 
 499.1 
Number  985,856,695   985,856,695 
 50.9 
 50.6 

cents 

2020 
$m 

2019 
$m 

2020
cents 
per share 

2019 
cents 
per share 

70.0

364.7 

61.1
131.1

105.5 
470.2 

7.1

6.2
13.3

37.0 

10.7 
47.7 

The recommended final dividend for each year, which is subject to approval by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting and has therefore not been 
included as a liability in these financial statements, is as follows: 

Final dividend proposed in relation to the year 
•  ordinary 

2020
$m 

2019  
$m 

2020
cents 
per share 

2019
cents 
per share 

478.2

70.0 

48.5

7.1 

This gives total dividends proposed in relation to 2020 (including the interim dividend) of 54.7 cents per share or $539.3 million (2019 – 17.8 cents per share 
or $175.5 million). 

In accordance with IAS 32, preference dividends have been included within interest expense (see Note 10) and amounted to $0.1 million (2019 – $0.1 million). 

Further details of the currency election timing and process (including the default currency of payment) are available on the Antofagasta plc website 
(www.antofagasta.co.uk) or from the Company’s registrar, Computershare Investor Services PLC on +44 370 702 0159. 

Further details relating to dividends for each year are given in the Directors’ Report on page 153.  

15  Intangible assets 

Cost 
At 1 January 2019 
Additions 
Disposals 
At 31 December 2019 
Additions  
Disposals 
At 31 December 2020 

$m 

150.1 
– 
– 
150.1
–
–
150.1

The $150.1 million intangible asset reflects the value of Twin Metals’ mining licences assets included within the corporate segment. These assets are classified 
as intangible assets as construction of the related mining operation has not yet commenced. When construction commences the licences will be transferred 
from intangible assets to the mining properties category within property, plant and equipment. Depreciation of these mining licences, along with the 
construction costs of the related mining operation, will commence when the operation is capable of commercial production. 

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16  Property, plant and equipment 

Land  
$m 

Mining 
properties 
$m 

Stripping 
cost
$m 

Buildings and 
infrastructure 
$m 

Railway 
track 
$m 

Wagons 
and rolling 
stock 
$m 

Machinery, 
equipment  
and others  
$m 

Assets 
under 
construction  
$m 

Right-of-use 
assets
$m 

Total
$m 

Cost 
At 1 January 2019 
Additions 
Additions – capitalised depreciation 
Adjustment to capitalised decommissioning 
provisions 
Capitalisation of interest 
Capitalisation of critical spare parts  
Reclassifications 
Asset disposals 
At 31 December 2019 
At 1 January 2020 
Additions 
Additions – capitalised depreciation 
Adjustment to capitalised decommissioning 
provisions 
Capitalisation of interest 
Capitalisation of critical spare parts  
Reclassifications 
Asset disposals 
At 31 December 2020 
Accumulated depreciation and impairment 
At 1 January 2019 
Charge for the year 
Depreciation capitalised in inventories 
Depreciation capitalised in property, plant 
and equipment 
Reclassification  
Asset disposals 
At 31 December 2019 
At 1 January 2020 
Charge for the year 
Depreciation capitalised in inventories 
Depreciation capitalised in property, plant 
and equipment 
Asset disposals 
At 31 December 2020 
Net book value 
At 31 December 2020 
At 31 December 2019 

5,321.1 
0.5 
– 

24.8 
– 
– 
121.2 
(2.8)
5,464.8 
5,464.8 
0.2
–

59.4
–
–
403.7
–
5,928.1

(2,140.1)
(245.9)
– 

– 
0.6 
2.2 
(2,383.2)
(2,383.2)
(230.4)
–

84.1 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 
 15.6 
– 
99.7 
99.7 
–
–

–
–
–
9.7
(1.1)
108.3

(30.5)
(3.5)
– 

– 
– 
– 
(34.0)
(34.0)
(4.8)

55.8 
4.8 
– 

662.3 
– 
– 

1,471.4 
346.5 
62.6 

– 
– 
– 
5.2 

– 
– 
– 
– 

667.5 
667.5 
–
–

1,880.5 
1,880.5 
356.7
67.8

–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–
667.5 2,305.0

(490.3)
(40.0)
– 

– 
– 
– 
(530.3)
(530.3)
(31.8)
–

(441.9)
(262.2)
– 

– 
– 
– 
(704.1)
(704.1)
(413.0)
–

– 
– 
– 
– 

60.6  
60.6  
1.4 
– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
(0.1) 
61.9 

– 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 

146.1  6,845.5 
– 
– 

– 
– 

955.2 
777.4 
– 

409.3 
45.2 
– 

15,950.8 
1,174.4 
62.6 

– 
– 
– 
64.7 
(7.2)
203.6 
203.6 
–
–

– 
8.9  
11.5  
197.5 
(4.4) 
7,059.0  
7,059.0  
0.3 
– 

– 
– 
– 
(385.1) 
(12.2) 
1,335.3  
1,335.3  
937.4 
– 

– 
– 
– 
 (23.0)
(0.9)
430.6 
430.6 
33.6
–

24.8 
8.9 
11.5 
(3.9)
(27.5)
17,201.6 
17,201.6 
1,329.6
67.8

– 
–
8.0 
–
10.2 
–
192.5 
14.6
(3.1) 
(10.2)
208.0 7,266.9 

– 
18.7 
– 
(620.5) 
(4.3) 
1,666.6 

–
–
–
–
(5.3)

59.4
26.7
10.2
–
(24.1)
458.9 18,671.2

(84.3)
(13.7)
– 

(3,348.3) 
(267.6) 
(49.7) 

– 
– 
6.8 
(91.2)
(91.2)
(18.8)
–

(62.6) 
(6.7)  
3.7  
(3,731.2) 
(3,731.2) 
(268.1) 
(74.8) 

– 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 

(99.9)
(81.4)
– 

(6,635.3)
(914.3)
(49.7)

(62.6)
– 
3.4 
9.5 
13.6 
0.9 
(7,644.9)
(170.9)
(170.9)
(7,644.9)
(81.8) (1,048.7)
(74.8)

–

–
5.3

(67.8)
16.9
(247.4) (8,819.3)

–
–
(562.1)

–
–
(1,117.1)

–
–
(2,613.6)

–
9.2

(67.8) 
2.1 
(100.8) (4,139.8) 

0.3
(38.5)

61.9 
60.6  

105.4
137.2 

1,187.9
1,176.4 

3,314.5
3,081.6 

69.8
65.7 

107.2
112.4 

3,127.1 
3,327.8  

1,666.6 
1,335.3  

211.5
259.7 

9,851.9
9,556.7 

The Group has no pledged assets (2019 – nil) as security against bank loans provided to the Group.  

At 31 December 2020 the Group had entered into contractual commitments for the acquisition of property, plant and equipment amounting to $849.5 million 
(2019 – $863.3 million) of which $553.2 million was related to Los Pelambres and $289.6 million to Centinela. 

Compensation from insurance companies related to property, plant and equipment included in the consolidated income statement was nil in 2020  
(2019 – nil). 

The average interest rate for the amounts capitalised was 4.2% (2019 – 3.5%). 

At 31 December 2020, assets capitalised relating to the decommissioning provision were $199.5 million (2019 – $140.1 million). 

Depreciation capitalised in property, plant and equipment of $67.8 million related to the depreciation of assets used in mine development (operating stripping) 
at Centinela, Los Pelambres and Antucoya (2019 – $62.6 million). 

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189

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

17  Investments in subsidiaries 
The subsidiaries of the Group, the percentage of equity owned and the main country of operation are set out below. These interests are consolidated within 
these financial statements. 

Country of 
incorporation 

Country of 
operations  

Registered office  

Nature of business  Economic interest 

Direct subsidiaries of the Parent Company 
Antofagasta Railway Company plc 
Andes Trust Limited (The) 
Chilean Northern Mines Limited 
Andes Re Limited 
Indirect subsidiaries of the Parent Company 
Minera Los Pelambres SCM 
Minera Centinela SCM 
Minera Antucoya SCM 
Antofagasta Minerals SA 
Alfa Estates Limited 
Energía Andina Geothermal SpA 
Los Pelambres Transmisión 
Northern Minerals Investment (Jersey) Limited 
Northern Metals (UK) Limited 
Northern Minerals Holding Co 
Duluth Metals Limited 
Twin Metals (UK) Limited 
Twin Metals (USA) Inc 
Twin Metals Minnesota LLC 
Franconia Minerals (US) LLC 
Duluth Metals Holdings (USA) Inc 
Duluth Exploration (USA) Inc 
DMC LLC (Minnesota) 
DMC (USA) LLC (Delaware) 
DMC (USA) Corporation 
Antofagasta Investment Company Limited 
Minprop Limited 
Antomin 2 Limited 
Antomin Investors Limited 
Antofagasta Minerals Australia Pty Limited 
Minera Anaconda Peru 
Los Pelambres Holding Company Limited 
Los Pelambres Investment Company Limited 
Lamborn Land Co 
Anaconda South America Inc 
El Tesoro (SPV Bermuda) Limited 
Morrisville Holdings Co 
Antofagasta Minerals Canada 
Antofagasta Minerals (Shanghai) Co. Limited 
Andes Investments Company (Jersey) Limited 
Bolivian Rail Investors Co Inc 
Inversiones Ferrobol Limitada 
Inversiones Los Pelambres Chile Limitada 
Equatorial Resources SpA 
Minera Santa Margarita de Astillas SCM 

UK 
UK 
UK 
Bermuda 

Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Jersey 
Chile 
Chile 
Jersey 
UK 
USA 
Canada 
UK 
USA 
USA 
USA 
USA 
USA 
USA 
USA 
USA 
UK 
Jersey 
BVI 
BVI 
Australia 
Peru 
UK 
UK 
USA 
USA 
Bermuda 
BVI 
Canada 
China 
Jersey 
USA 
Bolivia 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 

Chile 
UK 
Chile 
Bermuda 

Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Jersey 
Chile 
Chile 
Jersey 
UK 
USA 
Canada 
UK 
USA 
USA 
USA 
USA 
USA 
USA 
USA 
USA 
UK 
Jersey 
BVI 
BVI 
Australia 
Peru 
UK 
UK 
USA 
USA 
Bermuda 
BVI 
Canada 
China 
Jersey 
USA 
Bolivia 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 

1 
1 
1 
4 

2 
2 
2 
2 
3 
2 
2 
3 
1 
5 
7 
1 
6 
6 
6 
13 
14 
13 
13 
13 
1 
3 
8 
8 
9 
10 
1 
1 
5 
15 
4 
8 
9 
16 
3 
5 
11 
2 
2 
2 

Railway 
Investment 
Investment 
Insurance 

Mining 
Mining 
Mining 
Mining 
Investment 
Energy 
Energy 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Mining 
Mining 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Mining 
Mining 
Mining 
Mining 
Mining 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Agency 
Agency 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Mining 

100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 

60% 
70% 
70% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
51% 
51% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
82.0% 

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Minera Penacho Blanco SA 
Michilla Costa SpA 
Pampa Fenix SA 
Minera Mulpun Limitada 
Fundación Minera Los Pelambres 

Inversiones Punta de Rieles Limitada 
Ferrocarril Antofagasta a Bolivia (Permanent Establishment) 
Inversiones Chilean Northern Mines Limitada 
The Andes Trust Chile SA 
Forestal SA 
Servicios de Transportes Integrados Limitada 
Inversiones Train Limitada 
Servicios Logisticos Capricornio Limitada 
Embarcadores Limitada 
FCAB Ingenieria y Servicios 2 Limitada 
Emisa Antofagasta SA 

Registered offices: 

Country of 
incorporation 

Country of 
operations  

Registered  
office  

Nature of business  Economic interest 

Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 

Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 

Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 

Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 
Chile 

2 
2 
2 
2 
2 

Mining 
Logistics 
Investment 
Mining 
Community 
development 
Investment 
12 
Railway 
12 
Investment 
12 
Investment 
12 
12 
Forestry 
12  Road transport 
Investment 
12 
Transport 
12 
Transport 
12 
Transport 
12 
Transport 
12 

66.6% 
99.9% 
90.0% 
100% 
100% 

100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 

Cleveland House, 33 King Street, London, SW1Y 6RJ, UK 

1 
2  Avenida Apoquindo N° 4001, Piso 18, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile 
22 Grenville Street, St Helier, Jersey, JE4 8PX3, Channel Islands 
3 
Crawford House, 50 Cedar Avenue, Hamilton HM 11, Bermuda 
4 
1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19801, USA 
5 
6040 Earle Brown Drive, 480 Brooklyn Center, MN 55430, USA 
6 
161 Bay Street, Suite 4320, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2S1, Canada  
7 
PO Box 958, Road Town, Tortola VG1110, British Virgin Islands 
8 
Riparian Plaza, Level 28, 71 Eagle Street, Brisbane, Qld 4001, Australia 
9 
10  Avenida Paseo de la Republica Nº 3245 Piso 3, Lima, Peru 
11  Avenida 16 de Julio N° 1440, piso 19 oficina 1905, La Paz, Bolivia 
12  Simon Bolivar 255, Antofagasta, Chile 
13  6041 Earle Brown Drive, 480 Brooklyn Center, MN 55430, USA 
14 
15  2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington, DE 19808, USA 
16  Unit 3309, IFC 2, 8 Century Avenue, Shanghai, China 

1010 Dale Street N, St Paul, MN 55117-5603, USA 

With the exception of the Antofagasta Railway Company plc, all of the above Group companies have only one class of ordinary share capital in issue.  
The Antofagasta Railway Company plc has ordinary and preference share capital in issue, with the ordinary share capital representing 76% of the  
Company’s total share capital, and the preference share capital representing 24%. Antofagasta plc holds 100% of both the ordinary and preference shares. 

The proportion of voting rights is proportional to the economic interest for the companies listed above. 

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

18  Investment in associates and joint ventures 

Balance at the beginning of the year 
Obligations on behalf of JV and associates at the beginning of the year 
Capital contribution 
Impairment of investment in associate (i) 
Share of net profit/(loss) before tax 
Share of tax 
Share of income/(loss) from JV and associates 
Dividends receivable 
Balance at the end of the year 
Obligations on behalf of JV and associates at the end of the year 

Balance at the beginning of the year 
Obligations on behalf of JV and associates at the beginning of the year 

Capital contribution 

Share of net profit/(loss) before tax 
Share of tax 
Share of income/(loss) from JV and associates 

Dividends receivable 

Other comprehensive income 
Balance at the end of the year 

Obligations on behalf of JV and associates at the end of the year 

Inversiones
Hornitos
2020
$m 

 56.9 
–
 23.9 
 (80.8)
–
–
–
–
–
–

Inversiones
Hornitos 
2019 
$m 

54.6 
– 
– 

13.8 

 (3.5)

10.3 

 (8.0)

–

56.9 
– 

ATI (ii) 
2020 
$m 

 6.1 
–
–
–
 (0.9)
 0.4 
 (0.5)
–
 5.6 
–

ATI 
2019
$m 

5.1 
– 
– 

1.5 

 (0.4)

1.1 

– 

(0.1)

6.1 
– 

Minera 
Zaldívar (iii) 
 2020 
$m 

 961.8  
– 
– 
– 
 19.8  
 (7.6) 
 12.2  
 (65.0) 
 909.0  
– 

Minera 
Zaldívar  
2019 
$m 

996.4  
– 
– 

23.8  

 (8.2) 

15.6 

 (50.0) 

(0.2) 

961.8  
– 

Tethyan 
Copper (iv) 
2020 
$m 

–
 (1.8)
 7.2 
–
 (6.5)
–
 (6.5)
–
–
 (1.1)

Tethyan
Copper 
2019
$m 

– 
 (1.0)
1.8 

 (2.6)

– 

 (2.6)

– 

– 

– 
 (1.8)

Total 
2020 
$m 

 1,024.8 
 (1.8)
 31.1 
 (80.8)
 12.4 
 (7.2)
 5.2 
 (65.0)
 914.6 
 (1.1)

Total 
2019
$m 

1,056.1 
 (1.0)
1.8 

36.5 

 (12.1)

24.4 

 (58.0)

(0.3)

1,024.8 
 (1.8)

The investments which are included in the $913.4 million balances at 31 December 2020 are set out below: 

Investment in associates 

(i)  On 31 March 2020 the Group agreed to dispose of its 40% interest in Hornitos coal-fired power station to ENGIE Energía Chile S.A. (“ENGIE”), the 

owner of the remaining 60% interest. This was part of the value accretive renegotiation of Centinela’s power purchase agreement which as a result will 
be wholly supplied from lower cost renewable sources from 2022. Under the terms of the agreement the Group will dispose of its investment to Engie  
in 2021 for a nominal consideration, and will not be entitled to receive any further dividend income from Hornitos from the date of the agreement. 
Accordingly, the Group no longer has any effective economic interest in the results or assets of Hornitos from 31 March 2020 onwards, and has 
therefore recognised an impairment of $80.8 million in respect of its investment in associate balance, and will no longer recognise any share of Hornitos’ 
results. The post-tax impact of the provision is $61.1 million, of which $40.2 million is attributable to the equity owners of the Company. 

(ii)  The Group’s 30% interest in ATI, which operates a concession to manage installations in the port of Antofagasta. 

Investment in joint ventures 
(iii)  The Group’s 50% interest in Minera Zaldívar SpA (“Zaldívar”).  

(iv)  The Group’s 50% interest in Tethyan Copper Company Limited (“Tethyan”), which is a joint venture with Barrick Gold Corporation in respect of the Reko 
Diq project in Pakistan. Tethyan has been pursuing arbitration claims against the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (“Pakistan”) following the unlawful denial of 
a mining lease for the project in 2011. Details in respect of the arbitration are set out in Note 35.  

As the net carrying value of the interest in Tethyan is negative it is included within non-current liabilities, as the Group is liable for its share of the joint 
venture’s obligations. 

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Summarised financial information for the associates is as follows: 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Current assets 
Non-current assets 
Current liabilities 
Non-current liabilities 
Revenue 
Profit/(loss) from continuing operations 
Other comprehensive expense 
Total comprehensive income 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Current assets 
Non-current assets 
Current liabilities 
Non-current liabilities 
Revenue 
Profit/(loss) from continuing operations 
Other comprehensive expense 
Total comprehensive income 

Summarised financial information for the joint ventures is as follows: 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Current assets 
Non-current assets 
Current liabilities 
Non-current liabilities 
Revenue 
Profit/(loss) after tax from continuing and discontinued operations 
Other comprehensive expense 
Total comprehensive income/(expense) 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Current assets 
Non-current assets 
Current liabilities 
Non-current liabilities 
Revenue 
Profit/(loss) after tax from continuing and discontinued operations 
Other comprehensive expense 
Total comprehensive income/(expense) 

ATI 
2020
$m 

0.2
11.3
108.2
(19.9)
(83.5)
40.4
(1.9)
–
(1.9)

ATI 
2019
$m 

0.8 
13.2 
112.5 
(18.3) 
(90.0) 
52.2 
3.6 
(0.3)
3.3 

Tethyan
Copper 
2020
$m 

4.2
–
–
(6.2)
(0.1)
–
(12.9)
–
(12.9)

Tethyan
Copper 
2019 
$m 

1.7 
– 
– 
(5.1)
(0.1)
– 
(5.1)
–
(5.1)

Total 
2020
$m 

0.2
11.3
108.2
(19.9)
(83.5)
40.4
(1.9)
–
(1.9)

Total 
2019
$m 

30.1 
39.2 
377.6 
(62.1)
(243.9)
192.1 
29.4 
(0.3)
29.1 

Total 
2020 
$m 

285.2
677.2
1,856.3
(296.2)
(670.5)
599.3
11.4
–
11.4

Total 
2019
$m 

140.4 
631.3 
1,846.8 
(123.8) 
(518.0)
687.6 
47.9 
(0.4)
47.5 

Inversiones 
Hornitos  
2019  
$m 

29.3 
26.0 
265.1 
(43.8) 
(153.9) 
139.9 
25.8 
– 
25.8 

Minera  
Zaldívar  
2020  
$m 

281.0 
677.2 
1,856.3 
(290.0) 
(670.4) 
599.3 
24.3 
– 
24.3 

Minera  
Zaldívar  
2019  
$m 

138.7 
631.3 
1,846.8 

(118.7)  
 (517.9)  
687.6 
53.0 
(0.4) 
52.6 

The above summarised financial information is based on the amounts included in the IFRS financial statements of the associate or joint venture (ie 100% of 
the results or balances of the associate or joint venture, rather than the Group’s proportionate share), after the Group’s fair value adjustments. 

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

19  Equity investments 

Balance at the beginning of the year 
Movement in fair value 
Foreign currency exchange differences 
Balance at the end of the year 

2020
$m 

5.1
5.5
0.5
11.1

2019
$m 

4.7 
0.3 
0.1 
5.1 

Equity investments represent those investments which are not subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures and are not held for trading purposes. The fair value 
of all equity investments is based on quoted market prices. 

20  Inventories 

Current 
Raw materials and consumables 
Work-in-progress 
Finished goods 

Non-current 
Work-in-progress 
Total 

2020
$m 

2019
$m 

178.2
339.3
75.2
592.7

278.1
870.8

219.9 
276.7 
89.8 
586.4 

208.0 
794.4 

During 2020 a net realisable value (“NRV”) adjustment of $1.5 million has been recognised (2019 $18.5 million). Non-current work-in-progress represents 
inventory expected to be processed more than 12 months after the balance sheet date. 

The carrying value of the Group’s inventory balances has been reassessed with consideration of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. No material 
adjustments have been made to the carrying values of the inventory balances for the year ended 31 December 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

21  Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other receivables do not generally carry any interest, are principally short-term in nature and are normally stated at their nominal value less  
any impairment. 

Trade debtors 
Other debtors 

Due in one year 

Due after one year 

2020
$m 

 832.6 
 184.3 
 1,016.9 

2019 
$m 

 570.9 
 111.5 
 682.4 

2020
$m 

–
 55.9 
 55.9 

2019 
$m 

–   
 48.2    
 48.2    

2020
$m 

 832.6 
 240.2 
 1,072.8 

Total 

2019
$m 

 570.9 
 159.7 
 730.6 

The largest balances of trade receivables are with equity participants in the key mining projects. Many other significant trade receivables are secured  
by letters of credit or other forms of security. There is no material element which is interest-bearing. Trade debtors include mark-to-market adjustments in 
respect of provisionally priced sales of copper and molybdenum concentrates which remain open as to final pricing. Further details of such adjustments are 
given in Note 7.  

Movements in the provision for doubtful debts were as follows: 

Balance at the beginning of the year 
Utilised in year 
Foreign currency exchange difference 
Balance at the end of the year 

2020 
$m 

(3.1)
1.8
(0.2)
(1.5)

2019
$m 

(4.6)
1.6 
(0.1)
(3.1)

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The ageing analysis of the trade and other receivables balance is as follows: 

2020 
2019 

Neither 
past due 
nor impaired 
$m 

 1,064.3 
724.1 

Past due but not impaired 

Up to 
3 months 
past due 
$m 

 8.0 
4.0 

3-6 months  
past due  
$m 

 0.2  
0.1 

More than 
6 months 
past due 
$m 

 0.3 
2.4 

Total 
$m 

 1,072.8 
730.6 

With respect to the trade receivables that are neither past due nor impaired, there are no indications that the debtors will not meet their payment obligations. 
The carrying value of the trade receivables recorded in the financial statements represents the Group’s maximum exposure to credit risk. 

The recoverability of the Group’s trade receivables has been reassessed with consideration of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. No material adjustments 
have been made to the carrying values of trade receivables for the year ended 31 December 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

22  Cash and cash equivalents, and liquid investments 
The fair value of cash and cash equivalents, and liquid investments is not materially different from the carrying values presented. The credit risk on cash and 
cash equivalents is limited because the counterparties are banks with high credit ratings assigned by international credit rating agencies. 

Cash and cash equivalents, and liquid investments comprised: 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Liquid investments 

At 31 December 2020 and 2019 there is no cash which is subject to restriction. 

The denomination of cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments was as follows: 

US dollars 
Chilean pesos 
Sterling 
Other 

The credit quality of cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments are as follow: 

Current account bank deposits and cash at bank 

AAA 
AA+ 
AA 
AA- 
A+ 
A 
A- 
BBB+ 
BBB- 
Subtotal 
Cash at bank1 
Total cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments  

1.  Cash at bank is held with investment grade financial institutions.  

2020
$m 

1,246.8
2,426.0
3,672.8

2020
$m 

 3,558.9
 112.8 
–
1.1
3,672.8

2020 
$m 

2,007.1
–
46.0
279.5
553.3
741.5
33.9
2.1
–
3,663.4
9.4
3,672.8

2019
$m 

653.7 
1,539.7 
2,193.4 

2019
$m 

 2,145.7 
 45.7 
 0.3 
 1.7 
2,193.4 

2019 
$m 

1,602.5 
6.0 
4.8 
36.7 
125.7 
369.7 
– 
– 
– 
2,145.4 
48.0 
2,193.4 

There have been no impairments recognised in respect of cash or cash equivalents as at 31 December 2020 (31 December 2019 nil). 

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

23 Borrowings 
A)  Analysis by type of borrowing 
Borrowings may be analysed by business segment and type as follows: 

Los Pelambres 
•  Senior loan 
•  Leases 
Centinela 
•  Senior loan 
•  Subordinated debt 
•  Short-term loan 
•  Leases 
Antucoya 
•  Senior loan 
•  Subordinated debt 
•  Short-term loan 
•  Leases 
Corporate and other items 
•  Senior loan 
•  Bond 
•  Leases 
Transport division 
•  Senior loan 
•  Leases 
Preference shares 
Total 

Note 

2020
$m 

2019
$m 

(i) 
(ii) 

(iii) 
(iv) 

(v) 

(vi)  
(vii) 
(viii)  
(ix) 

(x) 
(xi) 
(xii) 

(xiii) 
(xiv) 
(xv) 

(1,288.1)
(91.4)

 (496.5)
 (203.0)
–
 (78.0)

 (261.1)
 (191.5)
 (75.0)
 (19.9)

 (496.6)
 (495.6)
 (18.6)

 (469.4)
 (115.0)

 (298.8)
 (205.9)
 (200.0)
 (81.0)

 (325.4)
 (391.9)
 (75.0)
 (27.7)

 (499.2)
– 
 (19.3)

 (36.5)
 (0.3)
 (2.7)
(3,754.8)

 (44.6)
 (1.0)
 (2.6)
 (2,756.8)

(i) 

The senior loan at Los Pelambres represents a $1,300 million US dollar denominated syndicated loan divided in two tranches. The first tranche has a remaining duration of 5 years and  
an interest rate of LIBOR six-month rate plus 1.2%. The second tranche has a remaining duration of 8 years and an interest rate of LIBOR six-month rate plus 0.85%. As at 31 December 
2020 the loan facility had been fully drawn-down. The loan is subject to financial covenants which require that specified net debt to EBITDA and EBITDA to finance expense ratios are 
maintained. 

(ii) 

Leases at Los Pelambres are denominated in a mixture of US dollars and Chilean pesos, with a weighted average interest rate of 5.0% and a remaining duration of 1.5 years.  

(iii)  The previous Centinela senior loan was repaid in February 2020. A new $500 million senior loan was put in place at that time, with a remaining duration of 4.2 years and an interest rate 
of LIBOR six-month rate plus 0.95%. The loan is subject to financial covenants which require that specified net debt to EBITDA and EBITDA to finance expense ratios are maintained. 

(iv)  The subordinated debt at Centinela is provided by Marubeni Corporation and is US dollar denominated with a remaining duration of 5.5 years and a weighted average interest rate of 

LIBOR six-month rate plus 4.5%. Subordinated debt provided by Group companies to Centinela has been eliminated on consolidation. 

(v) 

Leases at Centinela are mainly Chilean peso denominated, with a weighted average interest rate of 5.1% and a remaining duration of 3 years. 

(vi)  The senior loan at Antucoya represents a US dollar denominated syndicated loan, with a remaining duration of 3.9 years and an interest rate of LIBOR six-month rate plus 1.3%. The loan 

is subject to financial covenants which require that specified net debt to EBITDA and EBITDA to finance expense ratios are maintained.  

(vii)  The subordinated debt at Antucoya is provided by Marubeni Corporation and is US dollar denominated with a remaining duration of 4.5 years and an interest rate of LIBOR six-month rate 

plus 3.65%. Subordinated debt provided by Group companies to Antucoya has been eliminated on consolidation. 

During the year ended 31 December 2020 Antucoya made a $210 million repayment of the subordinated debt due to Marubeni which was replaced with equity. 

(viii)  The short-duration loan at Antucoya is US dollar denominated, comprising a working capital loan for an average period of 1 year and has an interest rate of LIBOR six-month rate plus a 

weighted average spread of 0.53%. 

(ix)  Leases at Antucoya are denominated in a mixture of US dollars and Chilean pesos, with a weighted average interest rate of 4.6% and a remaining duration of 3 years.  

(x) 

The previous Corporate (Antofagasta plc) senior loan was repaid in August 2020. A new $500 million senior loan was put in place at that time, with an interest rate of LIBOR six-month 
rate plus 2.25% and has a remaining duration of 4.7 years. 

(xi)  Antofagasta plc issued a $500 million corporate bond in October 2020 with a 10 year tenor and a yield of 2.415%. 

(xii)  Leases at Corporate and other items are denominated in Unidades de Fomento (ie inflation-linked Chilean pesos) and have a remaining duration of 7.2 years and are at fixed rates with  

an average interest rate of 5.3%. 

(xiii)  The senior loan at the Transport division is US dollar denominated, with a remaining duration of 4 years and an interest rate of LIBOR six-month rate plus 1.06%.  

(xiv)  Leases at the Transport division are mainly in Unidades de Fomento (ie inflation-linked Chilean pesos), with a weighted average interest rate of 2.13% and a remaining duration of 1 year.  

(xv)  The preference shares are Sterling-denominated and issued by Antofagasta plc. There were 2 million shares of £1 each authorised, issued and fully paid at 31 December 2020. The 
preference shares are non-redeemable and are entitled to a fixed cumulative dividend of 5% per annum. On winding up they are entitled to repayment and any arrears of dividend in 
priority to ordinary shareholders, but are not entitled to participate further in any surplus. Each preference share carries 100 votes in any general meeting of the Company. 

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B)  Leases 
Information in respect of the Group’s leases is contained in the following notes: 

•  Note 16 – depreciation charges, additions and disposals in respect of the right of use assets relating to the leases 
•  Note 32(b) – repayments of the lease balances and new lease liabilities arising during the period 
•  Note 10 – interest expense in respect of the lease balances 

C)  Analysis of borrowings by currency 
The exposure of the Group’s borrowings to currency risk is as follows: 

 At 31 December 2020 

Corporate loans 
Bond 
Other loans (including short-term loans) 
Leases 
Preference shares 

 At 31 December 2019 

Corporate loans 
Other loans (including short-term loans) 
Leases 
Preference shares 

D)  Analysis of borrowings by type of interest rate 
The exposure of the Group’s borrowings to interest rate risk is as follows: 

 At 31 December 2020 

Corporate loans 
Bond 
Other loans (including short-term loans) 
Leases 
Preference shares 

 At 31 December 2019 

Corporate loans 
Other loans (including short-term loans) 
Leases 
Preference shares 

Chilean 
pesos 
$m 

–
–
–
(169.5)
–
(169.5)

Chilean 
pesos 
$m  

– 
– 
(195.7)
– 
(195.7)

Sterling  
$m 

– 
– 
– 
– 
(2.7) 
(2.7) 

Sterling  
$m 

– 
– 
– 
(2.6) 
(2.6) 

Fixed  
$m 

– 
(495.6) 
– 
(177.6) 
(2.7) 
 (675.9) 

Fixed  
$m 

– 
– 

(199.3)  
(2.6)  
(201.9) 

US dollars
 $m 

(2,578.8)
(495.6)
(469.5)
(38.7)
–
(3,582.6)

US dollars 
$m 

(1,637.4) 
(872.8)
(48.3)
– 
(2,558.5)

Floating 
$m 

(2,578.8)
–
(469.5)
(30.6)
–
(3,078.9)

Floating 
$m 

(1,637.4) 
(872.8)
(44.7) 
– 
(2,554.9)

2020
Total 
$m 

(2,578.8)
(495.6)
(469.5)
(208.2)
(2.7)
(3,754.8)

2019 
Total 
$m 

(1,637.4)
(872.8)
(244.0)
(2.6)
(2,756.8)

2020 
Total 
$m 

(2,578.8)
(495.6)
(469.5)
(208.2)
(2.7)
(3,754.8)

2019
Total 
$m 

(1,637.4)
(872.8)
(244.0)
(2.6)
(2,756.8)

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

23 Borrowings continued 
E)  Maturity profile 
The maturity profile of the Group’s borrowings is as follows: 

 At 31 December 2020 

Corporate loans 
Bond 
Other loans 
Leases 
Preference shares 

 At 31 December 2019 

Corporate loans 
Other loans  
Leases 
Preference shares 

Within 
1 year 
$m 

(454.3)
–
 (75.0)
 (74 .1)
–
(603.4)

Within 
1 year 
$m 

(373.3)
(275.0)
(75.6)
– 
(723.9)

Between 
1-2 years 
$m 

(471.3)
–
–
(62.6)
–
(533.9)

Between 
1-2 years 
$m 

(135.2)
– 
(59.7)
– 
(194.9)

Between  
2-5 years  
$m 

(941.0) 
– 
– 
(67.4) 
– 
(1,008.4) 

Between  
2-5 years  
$m 

(1,128.9) 
– 
(92.9) 
– 
(1,221.8) 

The amounts included above for leases are based on the present value of minimum lease payments. 

The total minimum lease payments for these leases may be analysed as follows: 

Within 1 year 
Between 1 – 2 years 
Between 2 – 5 years  
After 5 years 
Total minimum lease payments 
Less amounts representing finance charges 
Present value of minimum lease payments 

After 
5 years 
$m 

(712.2)
(495.6)
(394.5)
(4.1)
(2.7)
(1,609.1)

After 
5 years 
$m 

–
(597.8)
(15.8)
(2.6)
(616.2)

2020
$m 

 (81.3)
 (66.7) 
 (71.9) 
 (4.3) 
(224.2) 
16.0 
 (208.2) 

All leases are on a fixed payment basis and no arrangements have been entered into for contingent rental payments. 

24  Trade and other payables 

Trade creditors 
Other creditors and accruals 

Due in one year 

Due after one year 

2020
$m 

(536.5)
(272.3)
 (808.8)

2019
$m 

(513.5)
(237.1)
 (750.6)

2020
$m 

–
(11.0)
 (11.0)

2019 
$m 

–   
(8.2)  
 (8.2)  

2020 
$m 

 (536.5)
 (283.3)
 (819.8)

2020
Total 
$m 

 (2,578.8)
(495.6)
(469.5)
(208.2)
(2.7)
(3,754.8)

2019
Total 
$m 

(1,637.4)
(872.8)
(244.0)
(2.6)
(2,756.8)

2019
$m 

 (82.4) 
 (68.4) 
 (99.6) 
 (16.7) 
(267.1)
23.1 
(244.0)

Total 

2019
$m 

 (513.5)
 (245.3)
 (758.8)

Trade creditors and accruals principally comprise amounts outstanding for trade purchases and ongoing costs. Other creditors are mainly related to property 
plant and equipment payables, finance interest and employee retentions. 

The average credit period taken for trade purchases is 21 days (2019 – 26 days). 

At 31 December 2020, the other creditors and accruals include $3.8million (2019 – $6.8 million) relating to prepayments. Prepayments are offset against 
payables to the same suppliers. 

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25  Financial instruments and financial risk management 
A)  Categories of financial instruments 
The carrying value of financial assets and financial liabilities is shown below: 

At fair value 
through profit 
and loss 

At fair value 
through other 
comprehensive 
income 

Held at 
amortised cost 

Financial assets 
Derivative financial assets 
Equity investments 
Loans and receivables  
Cash and cash equivalents 
Liquid investments 

Financial liabilities 
Derivative financial liabilities 
Trade and other payables 
Borrowings and leases 

Financial assets 
Derivative financial assets 
Equity investments 
Loans and receivables (restated1) 
Cash and cash equivalents 
Liquid investments 

Financial liabilities 
Derivative financial liabilities 
Trade and other payables 
Borrowings and leases 

2020
$m 

Total 

1.4
11.1
992.6
1,246.8
2,426.0
4,677.9

2019
$m 

Total 

 4.8 
 5.1 
668.4 
 653.7 
 1,539.7 
2,871.7 

–
(815.8)
(3,754.8)
(4,570.6)

(37.4)
(816.1)
(3,754.8)
(4,608.3)

–
–
184.6
1,246.8
–
1,431.4

– 
– 
97.1 
 653.7 
– 
750.8 

1.4
–
808.0
–
2,426.0
3,235.4

(37.4)
(0.3)
–
(37.7)

– 
11.1 
– 
– 
– 
11.1 

– 
– 
– 
– 

 4.8 
– 
 571.3 
– 
 1,539.7 
 2,115.8 

 (12.1)
 (0.4)
– 
 (12.5)

– 
 5.1  
– 
– 
– 
 5.1  

– 
– 
– 
– 

At fair value 
through profit 
and loss 

At fair value 
through other 
comprehensive 
income 

Held at amortised 
cost 

– 
(755.9)
 (2,756.8)
(3,512.7)

 (12.1)
(756.3)
 (2,756.8)
(3,525.2)

The fair value of the fixed rate bond included within the “Borrowings and leases” category was $503.5 million at 31 December 2020 compared with its 
carrying value of $495.6 million. The fair value of all other financial assets and financial liabilities carried at amortised cost is not materially different from the 
carrying value presented above. 

1.  The “Loans and receivables” balances for the comparative periods have been restated to exclude certain amounts which are outside the scope of the definition of “financial assets” per IAS 32 

Financial Instruments: Presentation, resulting in a $62.2 million reduction in the balance as at 31 December 2019. 

B) Fair value of financial instruments 

Financial assets 
Derivative financial assets (a) 
Equity investments (b) 
Loans and receivables (c) 
Liquid investment (d) 

Financial liabilities 
Derivative financial liabilities (a) 
Trade and other payables 

Level 1
$m 

Level 2 
$m 

Level 3
$m 

–
11.1
–
2,426.0
2,437.1

–
–
–

1.4 
– 
808.0 
– 
809.4 

(37.4) 
(0.3) 
(37.7) 

–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–

Total 
2020
$m 

1.4
11.1
808.0
2,426.0
3,246.5

(37.4)
(0.3)
(37.7)

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

25  Financial instruments and financial risk management continued 

Financial assets 
Derivative financial assets (a) 
Equity investments (b) 
Loans and receivables (c)  
Liquid investment (d) 

Financial liabilities 
Derivative financial liabilities (a) 
Trade and other payables 

Level 1
$m 

– 
 5.1 
– 
 1,539.7 
 1,544.8 

– 
– 
– 

Level 2 
$m 

 4.8  
– 
571.3 
– 
576.1 

 (12.1) 
 (0.4) 
 (12.5) 

Level 3
$m 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 

Total 
2019
$m 

 4.8 
 5.1 
571.3 
 1,539.7 
2,120.9 

 (12.1)
 (0.4)
 (12.5)

Recurring fair value measurements are those that are required in the balance sheet at the end of each reporting year. 

a)  Derivatives in designated hedge accounting relationships are valued using a discounted cash flow analysis valuation model, which includes observable 

credit spreads and using the applicable yield curve for the duration of the instruments for non-optional derivatives, and option pricing models for optional 
derivatives. These are level 2 inputs as described below. Hedging instruments at 31 December 2020 relate to foreign exchange and commodity options. 

b)  Equity investments are investments in shares on active markets and are valued using unadjusted quoted market values of the shares at the financial 

reporting date. These are level 1 inputs as described below. 

c)  Provisionally priced metal sales for the period are marked-to-market at the end of the period. Gains and losses from the marking-to-market of open 

sales are recognised through adjustments to revenue in the income statement and trade receivables in the balance sheet. Forward prices at the end of 
the period are used for copper sales while period-end average prices are used for molybdenum concentrate sales. These are level 2 inputs as described 
below. 

d)  Liquid investments are highly liquid current asset investments that are valued using market prices at the period end. These are level 1 inputs as described 

below. 

The inputs to the valuation techniques described above are categorised into three levels, giving the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active 
markets (level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (level 3 inputs): 

•  Level 1 fair value measurement inputs are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. 
•  Level 2 fair value measurement inputs are derived from inputs other than quoted market prices included in level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, 

either directly or indirectly. 

•  Level 3 fair value measurement inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.  

The degree to which inputs into the valuation techniques used to measure the financial assets and liabilities are observable and the significance of these 
inputs in the valuation are considered in determining whether any transfers between levels have occurred. In the year ended 31 December 2020, there 
were no transfers between levels in the hierarchy. 

C)  Financial risk management 
The Group’s activities expose it to a variety of financial risks: market risk (including commodity price risk, currency risk, interest rate risk and other price risk), 
credit risk and liquidity risk. The Group periodically uses derivative financial instruments, to reduce its exposure to commodity price, foreign exchange and 
interest rate movements. The Group does not use such derivative instruments for speculative trading purposes. 

The Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the Group’s risk management framework. The Audit and Risk Committee assists the Board with  
its review of the effectiveness of the risk management process, and monitoring of key risks and mitigations. The Internal Audit department undertakes both 
regular and ad hoc reviews of risk management controls and procedures, the results of which are reported to the Audit and Risk Committee. 

(I)  Commodity price risk 
The Group generally sells its copper and molybdenum concentrate and copper cathode output at prevailing market prices, subject to final pricing adjustments 
which normally range from one to four months after delivery to the customer, and it is therefore exposed to changes in market prices for copper and 
molybdenum both in respect of future sales and previous sales, which remain open as to final pricing. In 2020, sales of copper and molybdenum concentrate 
and copper cathodes represented 88.9% of Group revenue and therefore revenues and earnings depend significantly on LME and realised copper prices. 

The Group periodically uses futures and min-max options to manage its exposure to copper prices. These instruments may give rise to accounting volatility 
due to fluctuations in their fair value prior to the maturity of the instruments. Details of those copper and molybdenum concentrate sales and copper cathode  
sales, which remain open as to final pricing, are given in Note 7. Details of commodity rate derivatives entered into by the Group are given in Note 23(E). 

Commodity price sensitivity 
The sensitivity analysis below shows the impact of a movement in the copper price on the financial instruments held as at the reporting date. A movement  
in the copper market price as at the reporting date will affect the final pricing adjustment to sales that remain open at that date, impacting the trade 
receivables balance and consequently the income statement. A movement in the copper market price will also affect the valuation of commodity derivatives, 
impacting the hedging reserve in equity if the fair value movement relates to an effective designated cash flow hedge, and impacting the income statement if  
it does not. The calculation assumes that all other variables, such as currency rates, remain constant. 

•  If the copper market price as at the reporting date had increased by 10 c/lb, profit attributable to the owners of the parent would have increased by $16.8 million 

(2019 – increase by $16.5 million). 

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•  If the copper market price as at the reporting date had decreased by 10 c/lb, profit attributable to the owners of the parent would have decreased by $16.8 million 
(2019 – decrease by $16.5 million). In addition, a movement in the average copper price during the year would impact revenue and earnings. A 10 c/lb change  
in the average copper price during the year would have affected profit attributable to the owners of the parent by $73.5 million (2019 – $77.3 million) and earnings 
per share by 7.5 cents (2019 – 7.8 cents), based on production volumes in 2020, without taking into account the effects of provisional pricing and hedging activity. 
A $1 /lb change in the average molybdenum price for the year would have affected profit attributable to the owners of the parent by $11.8 million (2019 – $10.7 
million), and earnings per share by 1.2 cents (2019 – 1.0 cents), based on production volumes in 2020, and without taking into account the effects of provisional 
pricing. A $100 /oz change in the average gold price for the year would have affected profit attributable to the owners of the parent by $10.1 million (2019 –  
$14.5 million), and earnings per share by 1.0 cents (2019 – 1.5 cents), based on production volumes in 2020, and without taking into account the effects of 
provisional pricing. 

(II)  Currency risk 
The Group is exposed to a variety of currencies. The US dollar, however, is the currency in which the majority of the Group’s sales are denominated. 
Operating costs are influenced by the countries in which the Group’s operations are based (principally in Chile) as well as those currencies in which  
the costs of imported goods and services are determined. After the US dollar, the Chilean peso is the most important currency influencing costs  
and to a lesser extent sales. 

Given the significance of the US dollar to the Group’s operations, this is the presentational currency of the Group for internal and external reporting. The  
US dollar is also the currency for borrowing and holding surplus cash, although a portion of this may be held in other currencies, notably Chilean pesos  
and Sterling, to meet short-term operating and capital commitments and dividend payments. 

When considered appropriate, the Group uses forward exchange contracts and currency swaps to limit the effects of movements in exchange rates  
in foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities. The Group may also use these instruments to reduce currency exposure on future transactions  
and cash flows. Details of any exchange rate derivatives entered by the Group in the year are given in Note 25(D). 

The currency exposure of the Group’s cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments is given in Note 22, and the currency exposure of the Group’s 
borrowings is given in Note 23(C). The effects of exchange gains and losses included in the income statement are given in Note 10. Exchange differences  
on translation of the net assets of entities with a functional currency other than the US dollar are taken to the currency translation reserve and are disclosed 
in the Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity on page 166. 

Currency sensitivity 
The sensitivity analysis below shows the impact of a movement in the US dollar/Chilean peso exchange rate on the financial instruments held as at the  
reporting date. 

The impact on profit or loss is as a result of the retranslation of monetary financial instruments (including cash, cash equivalents, liquid investments, trade 
receivables, trade payables and borrowings). The impact on equity is as a result of changes in the fair value of derivative instruments which are effective 
designated cash flow hedges, and changes in the fair value of equity investments. The calculation assumes that all other variables, such as interest rates, 
remain constant. 

If the US dollar had strengthened by 10% increase against the Chilean peso as at the reporting date, profit attributable to the owners of the parent would  
have increased by $15.8 million (2019 – increase of $10.2 million). If the US dollar had weakened by 10% against the Chilean peso as at the reporting date,  
profit attributable to the owners of the parent would have decreased by $19.3 million (2019 – decrease of $12.5 million). 

(III)  Interest rate risk 
The Group’s policy is generally to borrow and invest cash at floating rates. Fluctuations in interest rates may impact the Group’s net finance income or  
cost, and to a lesser extent the value of financial assets and liabilities. The Group occasionally uses interest rate swaps and collars to manage interest  
rate exposures on a portion of its existing borrowings. Details of any interest rate derivatives entered into by the Group are given in Note 25(D). 

The Interest rate exposure of the Group’s borrowings is given in Note 23. 

Interest rate sensitivity 
The sensitivity analysis below shows the impact of a movement in interest rates in relation to the financial instruments held as at the reporting date. The 
impact on profit or loss reflects the impact on annual interest expense in respect of the floating rate borrowings held as at the reporting date, and the impact 
on annual interest income in respect of cash and cash equivalents held as at the reporting date. The impact on equity is as a result of changes in the fair value 
of derivative instruments which are effective designated cash flow hedges. The calculation assumes that all other variables, such as currency rates, remain 
constant. 

If the interest rate increased by 1%, based on the financial instruments held as at the reporting date, profit attributable to the owners of the parent would  
have decreased by $1.7 million (2019 – decrease of $1.5 million). This does not include the effect on the income statement of changes in the fair value of the 
Group’s liquid investments relating to the underlying investments in fixed income instruments. 

(IV)  Other price risk 
The Group is exposed to equity price risk on its equity investments. 

Equity price sensitivity 
The sensitivity analysis below shows the impact of a movement in the equity values of the equity investment financial assets held as at the reporting date. 

If the value of the equity investments had increased by 10% as at the reporting date, equity would have increased by $1.1 million (2019 – increase  
of $0.5 million). There would have been no impact on the income statement. 

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

25  Financial instruments and financial risk management continued 
(V)  Cash flow risk 
The Group’s future cash flows depend on a number of factors, including commodity prices, production and sales levels, operating costs, capital expenditure 
levels, and financial income and costs. Its cash flows are therefore subject to the exchange, interest rate and commodity price risks described above as well 
as operating factors and input costs. To reduce the risk of potential short-term disruptions to the supply of key inputs such as electricity and sulphuric acid, 
the Group enters into medium- and long-term supply contracts to help ensure continuity of supply. Long-term electricity supply contracts are in place at each 
of the Group’s mines, in most cases linking the cost of electricity under the contract to the current cost of electricity on the Chilean grid or the generation cost 
of the supplier. The Group seeks to lock in supply of sulphuric acid for future periods of a year or longer, with contract prices agreed in the latter part  
of the year, to be applied to purchases of acid in the following year. Further information on production and sales levels and operating costs are given in the 
Operating review on pages 64-83. 

(VI)  Credit risk 
Credit risk arises from trade and other receivables, cash, cash equivalents, liquid investments and derivative financial instruments. The Group’s credit risk  
is primarily to trade receivables. The credit risk on cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments and on derivative financial instruments is limited as the 
counterparties are financial institutions with high credit ratings assigned by international credit agencies. 

The largest balances of trade receivables are with equity participants in the key mining projects. Many other significant trade receivables are secured by 
letters of credit or other forms of security. All customers are subject to credit review procedures, including the use of external credit ratings where available. 
Credit is provided only within set limits, which are regularly reviewed. The main customers are recurrent with a good credit history during the years they have 
been customers. 

Outstanding receivable balances are monitored on an ongoing basis. 

The carrying value of financial assets recorded in the financial statements represents the maximum exposure to credit risk. The amounts presented in the 
balance sheet are net of allowances for any doubtful receivables (Note 21). 

The Group has recognised an expected credit loss provision for its employee receivables, with the main inputs into the provision calculation being the average 
level of staff turnover and the average level of recovery of receivables from former employees. For the reasons set out above, the expected credit loss risk for 
other trade and other receivable balances is considered to be immaterial to the Group. 

(VII) Liquidity risk 
The Group manages liquidity risk by maintaining adequate cash reserves and financing facilities, through the review of forecast and actual cash flows. 

The Group typically holds surplus cash in demand or term deposits or highly liquid investments, which typically can be accessed or liquidated within  
24 hours. 

At the end of 2020 the Group was in a net debt position (2019 – net debt position), as disclosed in Note 32(C). Details of cash, cash equivalents and liquid 
investments are given in Note 22, while details of borrowings including the maturity profile are given in Note 23(E). Details of undrawn committed borrowing 
facilities are also given in Note 23. 

The following table analyses the maturity of the Group’s contractual commitments in respect of its financial liabilities and derivative financial instruments.  
The table has been drawn up based on the undiscounted cash flows on the earliest date on which the Group can be required to pay. The table includes  
both interest and principal cash flows. 

 At 31 December 2020 

Corporate loans 

Other loans (including short-term loans) 
Leases 
Preference shares1 
Trade and other payables 
Derivative financial instruments 

 At 31 December 2019 

Corporate loans 

Other loans (including short-term loans) 
Leases 
Preference shares1 
Trade and other payables (restated2) 
Derivatives financial instruments 

Less than 
6 months 
$m 

(223.4)
(82.3)

(42.1)
–
(808.8)
(36.0)
 (1,192.6)

Less than 
6 months 
$m 

(206.6)

(391.9)
(37.2)
– 

(750.6)
(6.3)
(1,392.6)

Between 
6 months 
to 1 year 
$m 

(221.1)
(6.0)

(39.1)
–
–
–
 (266.2)

Between 
6 months 
to 1 year 
$m 

(204.3)

(202.3)
(35.3)
– 

–
–
(441.9)

Between  
1-2 years  
$m 

(462.6) 
(24.1) 

(66.7) 
(2.7) 
(11.0) 
– 
 (567.1) 

Between  
1-2 years  
$m 

(1,062.7) 

(76.0) 
(64.4) 
(2.6) 

(8.2) 
(1.0) 
(1,214.9) 

After 
2 years 
$m 

(1,838.5)
(1,011.7)

(76.2)
–
–
–
 (2,926.4)

After 
2 years 
$m 

(234.3)

(205.9)
(100.4)
– 

– 
– 
(540.6)

2020
Total 
$m 

(2,745.6)
(1,124.1)

(224.1)
(2.7)
(819.8)
(36.0)
 (4,952.3)

2019
Total 
$m 

(1,707.9)

(876.1)
(237.3)
(2.6)

(758.8)
(7.3)
(3,590.0)

1.  The preference shares pay an annual dividend of £100,000 in perpetuity, and accordingly it is not possible to determine total amounts payable for periods without a fixed end date. 

2.  The “Trade and other payables” balance for the comparative period has been restated to exclude certain amounts which are outside the scope of the definition of “financial liabilities” per 

IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Presentation, resulting in a $22.0 million reduction in the balance as at 31 December 2019. 

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Capital risk management 

(VIII) 
The Group’s objectives are to return capital to shareholders while leaving the Group with sufficient funds to progress its short, medium and long-term  
growth plans as well as preserving the financial flexibility to take advantage of opportunities as they may arise. This policy remains unchanged.  

The Group monitors capital on the basis of net cash/debt (defined as cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments less borrowings) which was a net debt of 
$82.0 million at 31 December 2020 (2019 – net debt $563.4 million), as well as gross cash (defined as cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments) which 
was $3.672.8 million at 31 December 2020 (2019 – $2,193.4 million). The Group’s total cash is held in a combination of on demand and term deposits and 
managed funds investing in high quality, fixed income instruments. Some of the managed funds have been instructed to invest in instruments with average 
maturities greater than 90 days. These amounts are presented as liquid investments but are included in net cash for monitoring and decision-making 
purposes. The Group has a risk averse investment strategy. The Group’s borrowings are detailed in Note 23. Additional project finance or shareholder loans 
are taken out by the operating subsidiaries to fund projects on a case-by-case basis. 

Under the terms of the major borrowing facilities, the Group is required to comply with the following financial covenants: 

1)   Net Financial Debt / EBITDA 

2)   EBITDA / Interest Expense 

3)  Total Indebtedness / Tangible Net Worth 

The Group has complied with these covenants throughout the reporting period.  

D)  Derivative financial instruments 
The Group periodically uses derivative financial instruments, to reduce its exposure to commodity price, foreign exchange and interest rate movements.  
The Group does not use such derivative instruments for speculative trading purposes. 

The Group has applied the hedge accounting provisions of IFRS 9 “Financial Instruments”. Changes in the fair value of derivative financial instruments that are 
designated and effective as hedges of future cash flows have been recognised directly in equity, with such amounts subsequently recognised in the income 
statement in the period when the hedged item affects profit or loss. Any ineffective portion is recognised immediately in the income statement. Realised gains 
and losses on commodity derivatives recognised in the income statement have been recorded within revenue. The time value element of changes in the fair 
value of derivative options is recognised within other comprehensive income. Realised gains and losses and changes in the fair value of exchange and interest 
derivatives are recognised within other finance items for those derivatives where hedge accounting has not been applied. When hedge accounting has been 
applied the realised gains and losses on exchange and interest derivatives are recognised within other finance items and interest expense respectively. 

Hedges for future cash flows at the 2020 year-end relate to provisionally priced trade receivables and foreign exchange and commodity options, and are 
immaterial to the Group. 

26  Long-term incentive plan 
The long-term incentive plan (the “Plan”) forms part of the remuneration of senior managers in the Group. Directors are not eligible to participate in the Plan. 

Details of the Awards 
Under the Plan, the Group may grant awards based on the price of ordinary shares in the Company and cannot grant awards over actual shares. 

•  Restricted Awards: These awards are conditional rights to receive cash payment by reference to a specified number of the Company’s ordinary shares, subject  

to the relevant employee remaining employed by the Group when the Restricted Award vests; and 

•  Performance Awards: These awards are conditional rights to receive cash payment by reference to a specified number of the Company’s ordinary  

shares subject to both the satisfaction of a performance condition and the relevant employee remaining employed by the Group when the Performance  
Award vests. 

When awards vest under the Plan, participants become entitled to receive a cash payment by reference to the number and portion of awards that have  
vested and the market value of the Company’s ordinary shares on the date of vesting. There is no exercise price payable by participants in respect of  
the awards. 

Restricted Awards can only vest in full if participants remain employed by the Group for three years from the date that Restricted Awards are granted. In 
ordinary circumstances, the first one-third of a Restricted Award will vest after one year, the second one-third will vest after two years and the remaining  
one-third will vest after three years. There are no performance criteria attached to Restricted Awards. The fair value of Restricted Awards granted under  
the Plan is recorded as a compensation expense over the vesting periods, with a corresponding liability recognised for the fair value of the liability at the  
end of each period until settled. 

Performance Awards only vest if certain performance criteria are met. The performance criteria reflect a number of factors including total shareholder 
return, earnings levels, growth in the Group’s reserves and resources and project delivery targets. The fair value of Performance Awards under the Plan  
is recorded as a compensation expense over the vesting period, with a corresponding liability at the end of each period until settled. 

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

26  Long-term incentive plan continued 
Valuation process and accounting for the awards 
The fair value of the awards is determined using a Monte Carlo simulation model. The inputs into the Monte Carlo simulation model are as follows: 

Weighted average forecast share price at vesting date 
Expected volatility 
Expected life of awards 
Expected dividend yields 
Discount rate 

2020 

2019 

$19.2
49.56%
3 years
0.73%
0.08%

$11.2 
38.50% 
3 years 
4.18% 
1.71% 

Expected volatility was determined by calculating the historical volatility of the Group’s share price over the previous five years. The expected life of awards  
used in the model has been adjusted based on management’s best estimate for the effects of non-transferability and compliance of the objectives determined 
according to the characteristic of each plan. 

The number of awards outstanding at the end of the year is as follows: 

Outstanding at 1 January 2020 
Granted during the year 
Cancelled during the year 
Payments during the year 
Outstanding at 31 December 2020 
Number of awards that have vested 

Restricted 
Awards 

Performance 
Awards 

548,543
474,969
(30,356)
(254,421)
738,735
286,058

1,403,917
760,352
(61,847)
(472,896)
1,629,526

The Group has recorded a liability for $22.3 million at 31 December 2020, of which $11.0 million is due after more than one year (31 December 2019 –  
$10.2 million of which $6.5 million was due after more than one year) and total expenses of $17.2 million for the year (2019 – expense of $7.7 million).  

27  Post-employment benefit obligations 
A)  Defined contribution schemes 
The Group operates defined contribution schemes for a limited number of employees. The amount charged to the income statement in 2020 was $0.1 million 
(2019 – $0.1 million), representing the amount paid in the year. There were no outstanding amounts which remain payable at the end of either year. 

B)  Severance provisions 
Employment terms at some of the Group’s operations provide for payment of a severance payment when an employment contract comes to an end. This  
is typically at the rate of one month for each year of service (subject in most cases to a cap as to the number of qualifying years of service) and based on final 
salary level. The severance payment obligation is treated as an unfunded defined benefit plan, and the obligation recognised is based on valuations performed 
by an independent actuary using the projected unit credit method, which are regularly updated. The obligation recognised in the balance sheet represents the 
present value of the severance payment obligation. Actuarial gains and losses are immediately recognised in other comprehensive income. 

The most recent valuation was carried out in 2020 by Ernst & Young, a qualified actuary in Santiago, Chile who is not connected with the Group. 

The main assumptions used to determine the actuarial present value of benefit obligations were as follows: 

Average nominal discount rate 
Average rate of increase in salaries 
Average staff turnover 

Amounts included in the income statement in respect of severance provisions are as follows: 

Current service cost (charge to operating profit) 
Interest cost (charge to interest expenses) 
Foreign exchange charge to other finance items 
Total charge to income statement 

2020 

3.5%
2.0%
5.7%

2020 
$m 

(17.9)
(4.9)
(6.2)
(29.0)

2019 

5.0% 
1.5% 
7.5% 

2019
$m 

(24.8)
(4.9)
7.8 
(21.9)

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Movements in the present value of severance provisions were as follows: 

Balance at the beginning of the year 
Current service cost 
Actuarial gains/(losses) 
Interest cost 
Paid in the year 
Foreign currency exchange difference 
Balance at the end of the year 

Assumptions description 
Discount rate 

2020
$m 

(118.7)
(17.9)
9.8
(4.9)
14.5
(6.0)
(123.2)

2019
$m 

(107.4)
(24.8)
(4.7)
(4.9)
15.3 
7.8 
(118.7)

Nominal discount rate 
Reference rate name 
Governmental or corporate rate 
Reference rating 
Corresponds to an Issuance market (primary) or secondary market 
Issuance currency associated to the reference rate 
Date of determination of the reference interest rate 
Source of the reference interest rate 

31 December 2020 

3.64%

20–year Chilean Central Bank Bonds  

Governmental
AA–/AA+
Secondary
Chilean peso
15 November 2020
Bloomberg

31 December 2019 

4.01% 
20–year Chilean Central Bank Bonds 
Governmental 
AA–/AA+ 
Secondary 
Chilean peso 
15 November 2019  
Bloomberg 

The discount rate is the interest rate used to discount the estimated future severance payments to their present value. The table above shows the principal 
instruments and assumptions utilised in determining the discount rate.  

Rate of increase in salaries 
This represents the estimated average rates of future salary increases, reflecting likely future promotions and other changes. This has been based on 
historical information for the Group for the period from 2016 to 2020. 

Turnover rate 
This represents the estimated average level of future employee turnover. This has been based on historical information for the Group for the period from  
2015 to 2019.  

Sensitivity analysis 
Significant actuarial assumptions for the determination of the defined obligation are discount rate, expected salary increase and staff turnover. The sensitivity 
analysis below has been determined based on reasonably possible changes of the respective assumptions occurring at the end of the reporting period, while 
holding all other assumptions constant. 

•  If the discount rate is 100 basis points higher the defined benefit obligation would decrease by $7.1 million. If the discount rate is 100 basis points lower the defined 

benefit obligation would increase by $8.0 million. 

•  If the expected salary growth increases by 1% the defined benefit obligation would increase by $6.4 million. If the expected salary growth decreases by  

1% the defined benefit obligation would decrease by $5.9 million.  

•  If the staff turnover increases by 1% the defined benefit obligation would decrease by $2.7 million. If the staff turnover decreases by 1% the defined benefit 

obligation would increase by $4.1 million. 

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Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

28  Deferred tax and liabilities 

At 1 January 2019 
(Charge)/credit to income 
Charge deferred in equity 
Reclassification 

At 1 January 2020 
(Charge)/credit to income 
Disposal of subsidiary 
Charge deferred in equity 
Reclassifications 
At 31 December 2020 

Accelerated 
capital allowances 
$m 

Temporary 
differences  
on provisions  
$m 

Withholding 
tax 
$m 

Short-term 
differences 
$m 

(1,057.3) 
(87.2) 
– 
32.7 

(1,111.8) 
(10.3) 
– 
– 
– 
 (1,122.1) 

190.2 
(34.8) 
0.8 
(36.2) 

120.0 
2.9 
– 
2.0 
(0.3) 
 124.6 

(11.3)
(27.2)
– 
– 

(38.5)
(14.3)
–
–
–
 (52.8)

40.0 
(4.6)
– 
0.1 

35.5
6.5
–
–
–
 42.0 

Mining tax 
(Royalty) 
$m 

(108.2)
0.7 
0.1 
– 

(107.4)
4.2
–
(0.3)
–
 (103.5)

Tax losses  
$m 

Disposal 
$m 

0.3 
1.4 
– 
3.5 

5.2 
(0.2) 
– 
– 
0.3 
5.3 

– 
– 
– 
– 

–
–
0.1

–
 0.1 

Total 
$m 

(946.3)
(151.7)
0.9 
0.1 

(1.097.0)
(11.2)
0.1
1.7
–
(1,106.4)

The charge to the income statement of $11.2 million (2019 – $151.7 million) includes a credit for foreign exchange differences of $0.1 million (2019 – includes a 
credit of $0.1 million). 

Certain deferred tax assets and liabilities have been offset. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset where the Group has a legally enforceable right  
to do so. The following is the analysis of the deferred tax balance (after offset): 

Deferred tax assets 
Deferred tax liabilities 
Net deferred tax balances 

2020
$m 

6.4
(1,112.8)
(1,106.4)

2019
$m 

8.2 
(1,105.2)
(1,097.0)

At 31 December 2020, the Group had unused tax losses of $599.4 million (2019 – $438.1 million) available for offset against future profits. A deferred tax 
asset of $5.3 million has been recognised in respect of $19.6 million of these losses as at 31 December 2020 (31 December 2019 – $5.7 million in respect of 
$20.7 million of the losses). No deferred tax asset has been recognised in respect of the remaining $579.8 million of tax losses (2019 – $417.4 million of tax 
losses). These losses may be carried forward indefinitely.  

At 31 December 2020 deferred withholding tax liabilities of $52.8 million have been recognised (31 December 2019 $38.5 million) which relate to 
undistributed earnings of subsidiaries where it is considered likely that the corresponding profits will be distributed in the foreseeable future. The value of the 
remaining undistributed earnings of subsidiaries, for which deferred tax liabilities have not been recognised, because the Group is in a position to control the 
timing of the distributions and it is likely that distributions will not be made in the foreseeable future, was $4,810 million (31 December 2019 – $5,065 million). 

Temporary differences arising in connection with interests in associates are insignificant. 

The deferred tax balance of $1,106.4 million (2019 – $1,097.0 million) includes $1,053.4 million (2019 – $1,039.0 million) due in more than one year.  
All amounts are shown as non-current on the face of the balance sheet as required by IAS 12 Income Taxes. 

29  Decommissioning and restoration provisions 

Balance at the beginning of the year 
Charge to operating profit in the year 
Unwind of discount to net interest in the year 
Capitalised adjustment to provision 
Utilised in year 
Foreign currency exchange difference 
Balance at the end of the year 

Short-term provisions 
Long-term provisions 
Total 

2020 
$m 

(413.2)
(45.2)
(11.8)
(59.4)
22.2
(12.8)
(520.2)

(22.2)
(498.0)
(520.2)

2019 
$m 

(409.8)
2.8 
(17.8)
(24.8)
30.9 
5.5 
(413.2)

 (22.0)
 (391.2)
 (413.2)

Decommissioning and restoration costs relate to the Group’s mining operations. Costs are estimated on the basis of a formal closure plan and are subject to 
regular independent formal review by Sernageomin, the Chilean government agency which regulates the mining industry in Chile. There have not been any 
significant updates to the mining operations closure plans approved by Sernageomin during the year. During 2019 the Pelambres, Centinela and Zaldivar 
balances were updated to reflect new plans approved by Sernageomin during that year. The provision balance reflects the present value of the forecast future 
cash flows expected to be incurred in line with the closure plans, discounted using Chilean real interest rates with durations corresponding with the timings of 
the closure activities. At 31 December 2020 the real discount rates ranged from 0.5% to 0.9%. It is estimated that the provision will be utilised from 2021 until 
2068 based on current mine plans, with approximately 22% of the total provision balance expected to be utilised between 2021 and 2030, approximately 46% 
between 2031 and 2040, approximately 9% between 2041 and 2050 and approximately 23% between 2051 and 2068. 

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30  Share capital and other reserves 

(I)  Share capital 
The ordinary share capital of the Company is as follows: 

Authorised 
Ordinary shares of 5p each 

Issued and fully paid 
Ordinary shares of 5p each 

2020
Number 

2019 
Number 

2020 
$m 

2019 
$m 

1,300,000,000

1,300,000,000 

118.9

118.9 

2020
Number 

2019 
Number 

2020 
$m 

2019 
$m 

985,856,695

985,856,695 

89.8

89.8 

The Company has one class of ordinary shares which carry no right to fixed income. Each ordinary share carries one vote at any general meeting. 

There were no changes in the authorised or issued share capital of the Company in either 2019 or 2020. Details of the Company’s preference share capital, 
which is included within borrowings in accordance with IAS 32 Financial Instruments, are given in Note 23A(xiv). 

(II)  Other reserves and retained earnings 
Details of the share premium account, hedging, fair value and translation reserves and retained earnings for both 2020 and 2019 are included within the 
consolidated statement of changes in equity on page 166. 

Hedging reserves1 
At 1 January 
Parent and subsidiaries net cash flow hedge fair value losses 
Parent and subsidiaries net cash flow hedge losses/(gains) transferred to the income statement 
Tax on the above 
At 31 December 
Equity investment revaluation reserve2 
At 1 January 
Gains on equity investment 
At 31 December 
Foreign currency translation reserves3 
At 1 January 
Currency translation adjustment 
At 31 December 
Total other reserves per balance sheet 

Retained earnings 
At 1 January 
Parent and subsidiaries’ profit for the period 
Equity accounted units’ (loss)/profit after tax for the period 
Actuarial gains/(losses) 4 
Total comprehensive income for the year 

Dividends paid 
At 31 December 

2020 
$m 

(5.0)
(24.2)
3.4
1.9
(23.9)

(10.8)
5.5
(5.3)

(2.3)
0.9
(1.4)
(30.6)

2019 
$m 

 (1.1)
 (4.5)
 (0.6)
 1.2 
 (5.0)

 (11.1)
 0.3 
 (10.8)

(2.3)
–
 (2.3)
 (18.1)

7,112.8
582.1
(75.7)
4.1
7,623.3

(131.1)
7,492.2

7,084.9 
 477.0 
 24.4 
(3.2)
 7,583.1 

 (470.3)
 7,112.8 

1.  The hedging reserve records gains or losses on cash flow hedges that are recognised initially in equity (through other comprehensive income), as described in Note 25. 

2.  The equity investments revaluation reserves record fair value gains or losses relating to equity investments, as described in Note 19. 

3.  Exchange differences arising on the translation of the Group’s net investment in foreign-controlled companies are taken to the foreign currency translation reserve.  

The cumulative differences relating to an investment are transferred to the income statement when the investment is disposed of. 

4.  Actuarial gains or losses relating to long–term employee benefits, as described in Note 27. 

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207

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

31  Non-controlling interests 
The non-controlling interests of the Group during 2020 and 2019 are as follows: 

Los Pelambres 
Centinela  
Antucoya 
Total 

Non-controlling 
Interest  
% 

40.0 
30.0 
30.0 

Country 

Chile 
Chile 
Chile 

At 
1 January 2020 
$m 

1,012.4 
1,103.2 
(98.3)
2,017.3 

Share of 
profit/(losses)
for the financial 
year 
$m 

371.5 
12.9 
3.1 
387.5 

Capital 
Increase1
$m 

–
–
210.0 
210.0

Share of  
dividends  
$m 

(280.0) 
– 
– 
(280.0) 

Hedging and 
actuarial 
gains/(losses) 
$m 

3.4 
(2.4)
(5.3)
(4.3)

At
31 December 
2020 
$m 

1,107.3 
1,113.7 
109.5 
2,330.5 

1.  A capital contribution of $210 million was received from Marubeni, the minority partner at Antucoya, in order to replace part of Antucoya’s subordinated debt financing with equity. 

Los Pelambres 
Centinela  
Antucoya 

Total 

Non-controlling 
Interest  
% 

40.0 
30.0 
30.0 

Country 

Chile 
Chile 
Chile 

At 
1 January 2019 
$m 

1,105.9 
1,034.4 
(61.6)

2,078.7 

Share of 
profit/(losses)
for the financial 
year 
$m 

309.0 

69.4 
(36.7)
341.7 

Share of  
dividends  
$m 

(400.0) 

– 
– 
(400.0) 

Hedging and 
actuarial 
gains/(losses) 
$m 

At
31 December 
2019 
$m 

(2.5)

(0.6)
– 
(3.1)

1,012.4 

1,103.2 
(98.3)
2,017.3 

The proportion of the voting rights is proportional with the economic interest for each of the companies listed above. 

Summarised financial position and cash flow information for the years ended 2020 and 2019 is set out below: 

Non-controlling interest (%) 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Current assets 

Non-current assets 
Current liabilities 
Non-current liabilities 

Accumulated non-controlling interest 

Net cash from operating activities 

Net cash used in investing activities 
Net cash used in financing activities 

Non-controlling interest (%) 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Current assets 
Non-current assets 

Current liabilities 
Non-current liabilities 

Accumulated non-controlling interest 
Net cash from operating activities 

Net cash used in investing activities 
Net cash used in financing activities 

Los Pelambres  
2020 
$m 

40.0% 

904.8 

1,466.5  
4,009.4 

(764.6) 
(1,935.5) 

1,196.9 

(776.6) 
74.8 

Los Pelambres  
2019  
$m 

40.0% 

405.5 
847.4  
3,403.8  
(372.7) 

(1,324.0) 

1,426.6 
(490.9) 

(669.1) 

Centinela 
2020
$m 

30.0%

736.3

1,490.8 
4,408.0 

(495.5)
(1,327.7)

790.8

(460.4)
(88.0)

Centinela 
2019 
$m 

30.0% 

491.6 
1,188.6 
4,603.6 
(820.1)

(969.5)

1,157.7 
(510.4)

(231.0)

Antucoya 
2020 
$m 

30.0%

143.6

324.5 
1,317.0 

(246.4)
(456.1)

147.3

(41.3)
(75.8)

Antucoya 
2019
$m 

30.0% 

113.4 
288.3 
1,358.8 
(212.4)

(720.9)

73.8 
(49.5)

(37.0)

Notes to the summarised financial position and cash flow 
(i)  The amounts disclosed for each subsidiary are based on the amounts included in the consolidated financial statements (100% of the results and balances 

of the subsidiary rather than the non-controlling interest proportionate share) before inter-company eliminations. 

(ii)  Summarised income statement information is shown in the segment information in Note 6. 

(iii)   There are some subsidiaries with a non controlling interest portion not included in this note where those portions are not material to the Group. 

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32  Notes to the consolidated cash flow statement 
A)  Reconciliation of profit before tax to cash flow from continuing operations 

Profit before tax  
Depreciation and amortisation 
Net loss on disposals 
Net finance expense 
Net share of results from associates and joint ventures (exc. exceptional items) 
Impairment of investment in associate 
Increase in inventories 
(Increase)/decrease in debtors 
Increase in creditors 
Increase/(decrease) in provisions 
Cash flow generated from continuing operations 

B)  Analysis of changes in net debt 

2020
$m 

1,413.1
1,048.7
6.3
103.4
(5.1)
80.8
(13.6)
(259.9)
31.0
26.4
2,431.1

2019 
$m 

1,349.2 
914.3 
12.6 
51.1 
 (24.3)
– 
 (7.6)
211.5 
88.0 
 (24.1)
2,570.7 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Liquid investments 
Total cash and cash equivalents  
and liquid investments 

Borrowings due within one year 
Borrowings due after one year 
Leases due within one year 
Leases due after one year 
Preference shares 
Total borrowings 
Net (debt)/cash 

At  
1 January 
2020  
$m 

653.7 
1,539.7 

Cash flow  
$m 

588.3 
887.9 

2,193.4 
(648.4) 
(1,861.8) 
(75.6) 
(168.4) 
(2.6) 
(2,756.8) 
(563.4) 

1,476.2 
200.1 
(1,204.9) 
18.2 
68.3 
– 
(918.3) 
557.9 

Fair value 
gains 
$m 

New leases
$m 

Amortisation 
of finance 
costs
$m 

Capitalisation 
of interest
$m 

–
(1.6)

(1.6)
–
–
–
–
–
–
(1.6)

–
–

–
–
–
–
(33.5)
–
(33.5)
(33.5)

–
–

–
–
(12.5)
–
–
–
(12.5)
(12.5)

–
–

–
–
(23.4)
–
–
–
(23.4)
(23.4)

Movement 
between 
maturity 
categories 
$m 

– 
– 

– 
(88.8) 
88.8 
(14.1) 
14.1 
– 
– 
– 

Other  
$m 

Exchange 
$m 

At 
31 December 
2020 
$m 

– 
– 

– 
4.7 
– 
(2.1) 
0.3 
– 
2.9 
2.9 

4.8
–

1,246.8
2,426.0

4.8
2.6
–
–
(15.7)
(0.1)
(13.2)
(8.4)

3,672.8
(529.8)
(3,013.8)
(73.6)
(134.9)
(2.7)
(3,754.8)
(82.0)

Cash and cash equivalents 
Liquid investments 
Total cash and cash equivalents  
and liquid investments 
Borrowings due within one year 
Borrowings due after one year 
Leases due within one year 
Leases due after one year 
Preference shares 
Total borrowings 
Net (debt)/cash 

Adoption of 
new 
accounting 
standards 
$m 

At  
1 January 
2019  
$m 

– 
– 

1,034.4  
863.2  

– 
– 
– 
– 
 (131.7) 
– 

1,897.6  
 (607.2) 
 (1,711.9) 
 (38.8) 
 (133.0) 
 (3.0) 
 (131.7)  (2,493.9) 
 (596.3) 
 (131.7) 

Cash flow 
$m 

 (375.0)
676.5 

301.5 
100.0 
 (253.3)
30.0 
62.5 
– 
 (60.8)
240.7 

Fair value 
gains 
$m 

New leases
$m 

Amortisation 
of finance 
costs
$m 

Capitalisation 
of interest
$m 

– 
– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 
– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
 (45.0)
– 
 (45.0)
 (45.0)

– 
– 

– 
– 
 (4.5)
– 
– 
– 
 (4.5)
 (4.5)

– 
– 

– 
– 
 (37.6)
– 
– 
– 
 (37.6)
 (37.6)

Movement 
between 
maturity 
categories 
$m 

– 
– 

– 
 (145.5) 
145.5  
 (63.5) 
63.5  
– 
– 
– 

Other  
$m 

Exchange 
$m 

At 
31 December 
2019 
$m 

– 
– 

 (5.7)
– 

653.7 
1,539.7 

– 
4.3  
– 
 (3.3) 
3.5  
0.1  
4.6  
4.6  

 (5.7)
– 
– 
– 
11.8 
0.3 
12.1 
6.4 

2,193.4 
 (648.4)
 (1,861.8)
 (75.6)
 (168.4)
 (2.6)
(2,756.8)
 (563.4)

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209

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

32  Notes to the consolidated cash flow statement continued 
C)  Net debt 

Cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments 
Total borrowings 

2020
$m 

3.672.8
(3,754.8)
(82.0)

2019
$m 

2,193.4 
 (2,756.8)
 (563.4)

33  Exchange rates  
Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into US dollars and Sterling at the period-end rates of exchange. 

Results denominated in foreign currencies have been translated into US dollars at the average rate for each period. 

Year-end rates 

Average rates 

2020 

2019 

$1.3600=£1;  
$1 = Ch$710.95 
$1.2820=£1;  
$1 = Ch$792.07 

$1.2860=£1; 
$1 = Ch$748.74 
$1.2760=£1; 
$1 = Ch$702.82 

34  Related party transactions 
Transactions between the Company and its subsidiaries, which are related parties, have been eliminated on consolidation and are not disclosed in this note. 
Transactions between the Group and its associates and joint ventures are disclosed below. 

The transactions which Group companies entered into with related parties who are not members of the Group are set out below. There are no guarantees 
given or received and no provisions for doubtful debts related to the amount of outstanding balances. 

A)  Quiñenco SA 
Quiñenco SA (“Quiñenco”) is a Chilean financial and industrial conglomerate, the shares of which are traded on the Santiago Stock Exchange, and in which 
members of the Luksic family are interested. Two Directors of the Company, Jean-Paul Luksic and Andrónico Luksic, are also directors of Quiñenco. 

The following transactions took place between the Group and the Quiñenco group of companies, all of which were on normal commercial terms at market 
rates: 

•  the Group made purchases of fuel from ENEX SA, a subsidiary of Quiñenco, of $212.6 million (2019 – $159.3 million). The balance due to ENEX SA at the end of 

the year was nil (2019 – nil); 

•  the Group earned interest income of $1.7 million (2019 – $4.0 million) during the year on deposits with Banco de Chile SA, a subsidiary of Quiñenco. Deposit 

balances at the end of the year were $nil (2019 – $67.9 million); 

•  the Group earned interest income of $0.3 million (2019 – $0.2 million) during the year on investments with BanChile Administradora General de Fondos SA, a 

subsidiary of Quiñenco. Investment balances at the end of the year were nil (2019 – $6.0 million). 

•  the Group purchased shipping services from Hapag Lloyd, an associate of Quiñenco, of $7.0 million (2019 – $1.0 million). The balance due to Hapag Lloyd at the 

end of the year was nil (2019 – nil). 

B)  Compañía de Inversiones Adriático SA 
In 2020, the Group leased office space on normal commercial terms from Compañía de Inversiones Adriático SA, a company in which members of the Luksic 
family are interested, at a cost of $0.7 million (2019 –$0.6 million). 

C)  Antomin 2 Limited and Antomin Investors Limited 
The Group holds a 51% interest in Antomin 2 Limited (“Antomin 2”) and Antomin Investors Limited (“Antomin Investors”), which own a number of copper 
exploration properties. The Group originally acquired its 51% interest in these properties for a nominal consideration from Mineralinvest Establishment,  
which continues to hold the remaining 49% of Antomin 2 and Antomin Investors. Mineralinvest is owned by the E. Abaroa Foundation, in which members  
of the Luksic family are interested. During the year ended 31 December 2020 the Group incurred $0.1 million (year ended 31 December 2019 – $0.1 million) of 
exploration expense at these properties.  

D)  Tethyan Copper Company Limited 
As explained in Note 18 the Group has a 50% interest in Tethyan Copper Company Limited (“Tethyan”), which is a joint venture with Barrick Gold Corporation 
over Tethyan’s mineral interests in Pakistan. During 2020 the Group contributed $7.2 million (2019 – $1.8 million) to Tethyan.  

E)  Compañia Minera Zaldívar SpA 
The Group has a 50% interest in Zaldívar (see Note 18), which is a joint venture with Barrick Gold Corporation. Antofagasta is the operator of Zaldívar. The 
balance due from Zaldívar to Group companies at the end of the year was $0.5million (2019 – $6.0 million). During 2020 the Group has received dividends of 
$65.0 million from Minera Zaldívar (2019 – 50.0 million). 

Inversiones Hornitos SA 

F) 
As explained in Note 18, the Group has a 40% interest in Inversiones Hornitos SA, which is accounted for as an associate. The Group paid $128.2 million  
(year ended 31 December 2019 – $187.7 million) to Inversiones Hornitos in relation to the energy supply contract at Centinela. During 2020 the Group has not 
received dividends from Inversiones Hornitos SA (2019 – $8.0 million). 

G)  Directors and other key management personnel 
Information relating to Directors’ remuneration and interests is given in the Remuneration Report on page 139. Information relating to the remuneration  
of key management personnel including the Directors is given in Note 9. 

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35  Tethyan arbitration award 
In July 2019 the World Bank Group’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (“ICSID”) awarded $5.84 billion in damages (compensation 
and accumulated interest as at the date of the award) to Tethyan Copper Company Pty Limited (“Tethyan”), the joint venture held equally by the Company and 
Barrick Gold Corporation, in relation to an arbitration claim filed against the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (“Pakistan”) following the unlawful denial of a mining 
lease for the Reko Diq project in Pakistan in 2011. 

Damages include compensation of $4.087 billion by reference to the fair market value of the Reko Diq project at the time of the mining lease denial, and 
interest until the date of the award of $1.753 billion. The Tribunal also awarded Tethyan just under $62 million in costs incurred in enforcing its rights. 
Compound interest applies to the compensation and cost awards from 12 July 2019 at a rate of US Prime +1% per annum until the award is paid. 

Later in 2019, Pakistan requested ICSID to annul the award, triggering a provisional stay of enforcement of the award under the ICSID Convention. In March 
2020, ICSID appointed a committee to(cid:6783)consider Pakistan’s request for annulment and whether the provisional stay of enforcement should continue for the 
duration of the annulment proceedings. The Committee issued a decision partially terminating the stay of enforcement in October, permitting Tethyan to 
enforce 50% of the award plus accrued interest on the condition that any amounts collected through enforcement of the award must be put into escrow and 
returned if the award is annulled. Tethyan has resumed proceedings to enforce the award in accordance with the conditions set by the Committee. The 
Committee is expected to issue a decision on Pakistan’s annulment application within the next one to two years. 

It is expected that the proceeds of the award will only be recognised in Antofagasta’s financial statements once they are received by the Company. 

36  Litigation and contingent liabilities 
The Group is subject from time to time to legal proceedings, claims, complaints and investigations arising out of the ordinary course of business. The Group 
cannot predict the outcome of individual legal actions or claims or complaints or investigations. As a result, the Group may become subject to liabilities that 
could affect our business, financial position and reputation. Litigation is inherently unpredictable and large judgments may at times occur. The Group may 
incur, in the future, judgments or enter into settlements of claims that could lead to material cash outflows. The Group considers that no material loss to the 
Group is expected to result from the legal proceedings, claims, complaints and investigations that the Group is currently subject to. Provision is made for all 
liabilities that are expected to materialise through legal claims against the Group. 

37  Ultimate Parent Company 
The immediate parent of the Group is Metalinvest Establishment, which is controlled by the E. Abaroa Foundation, in which members of the Luksic family 
are interested. 

Both Metalinvest Establishment and the E. Abaroa Foundation are domiciled in Liechtenstein. Information relating to the interest of Metalinvest Establishment 
and the E. Abaroa Foundation is given in the Directors’ Report. 

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211

 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

38  Antofagasta plc – Balance sheet of the Parent Company and related notes 
The Balance Sheet of the Parent Company as at 31 December 2020 and 2019 is as follow: 

As at 31 December 2020 

Non-current assets 
Investment in subsidiaries 
Other receivables 
Property, plant and equipment 

Current assets 
Other receivables 
Liquid investments 
Cash and cash equivalents 

Total assets 
Current liabilities 
Amounts payable to subsidiaries 
Other payables 

Non-current liabilities 
Medium and long-term borrowings 

Total liabilities 
Net assets 

Equity 
Share capital 
Share premium 
Retained earnings  
At 1 January 
Profit for the year attributable to the owners 
Other changes in retained earnings 
At 31 December 
Total equity 

Note 

38E 

38E 

38F 

2020 
$m 

2019 
$m 

538.6 
485.0 
–
1,023.6 

573.5 
447.2 
177.7 
1,198.4 
2,222.0

(303.8)
(8.3)
(312.0)

(994.9)
(994.9)

(1,307.0)
915.0

89.8 
199.2 

197.7 
559.4 
(131.1)
626.0 
915.0

538.6 
485.0 
0.1 
1,023.7 

233.0 
15.2 
39.4 
287.6 
1,311.3 

(315.6) 
(7.2) 
 (322.8) 

(501.8) 
(501.8) 

(824.6) 
486.7 

89.8 
199.2 

354.6 
313.4 
(470.3) 
197.7 
486.7 

The financial statements on pages 212-215 were approved by the Board of Directors on 15 March 2021 and signed on its behalf by 

Jean-Paul Luksic 
Chairman 

Ollie Oliveira 
Senior Independent Director  

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Parent Company statement of changes in equity  

At 1 January 2019 
Comprehensive income for the year 
Dividends 
At 31 December 2019 
Comprehensive income for the year 
Dividends 
At 31 December 2020 

Share capital 
$m 

Share premium  
$m 

Retained earnings 
$m 

Total equity 
$m 

89.8 
– 
– 
89.8 
–
–
89.8

199.2 
– 
– 
199.2 
– 
– 
199.2 

354.6 
 313.4 
(470.3)
197.7 
 559.4 
 (131.1)
626.0

 643.6 
313.4 
(470.3)
 486.7 
 559.4 
 (131.1)
915.0

The ordinary shares rank after the preference shares in entitlement to dividend and on a winding-up. Each ordinary share carries one vote at any 
general meeting. 

Antofagasta plc is a company limited by shares, incorporated and domiciled in the United Kingdom at Cleveland House, 33 King Street, London. 

38A Basis of preparation of the balance sheet and related notes of the Parent Company 
The Antofagasta plc Parent Company balance sheet and related notes have been prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006 applicable to 
companies using FRS 101, which applies the recognition and measurement bases of IFRS with reduced disclosure requirements. The financial information has 
been prepared on an historical cost basis. The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis. The functional currency of the Company 
and the presentational currency adopted is US dollars. 

The following exemptions from the requirements of IFRS have been applied in the preparation of these financial statements, in accordance with FRS 101: 

•  Paragraphs 45(b) and 46 to 52 of IFRS 2, ‘Share-based payment’ (details of the number and weighted-average exercise prices of share options and  

how the fair value of goods or services received was determined) 

•  IFRS 7, ‘Financial Instruments: Disclosures’ 
•  Paragraphs 91 to 99 of IFRS 13, ‘Fair value measurement’ (disclosure of valuation techniques and inputs used for fair value measurement of assets  

and liabilities) 

•  Paragraph 38 of IAS 1, ‘Presentation of financial statements’ comparative information requirements in respect of: 

(i) 

paragraph 79(a)(iv) of IAS 1, ‘Presentation of financial statements’  

(ii)  paragraph 73(e) of IAS 16, ‘Property, plant, and equipment’ 

(iii)  paragraph 118(e) of IAS 38, ‘Intangible assets’ (reconciliations between the carrying amount at the beginning and end of the period) 

•  The following paragraphs of IAS 1, ‘Presentation of financial statements’: 

–  10(d), (statement of cash flows) 

–  10(f) (a statement of financial position as at the beginning of the preceding period when an entity applies an accounting policy retrospectively or makes  

a retrospective restatement of items in its financial statements, or when it reclassifies items in its financial statements) 

–  16 (statement of compliance with all IFRS) 

–  38A (requirement for minimum of two primary statements, including cash flow statements) 

–  38B-D (additional comparative information) 

–  40A-D (requirements for a third statement of financial position) 

–  111 (cash flow statement information), and 

–  134-136 (capital management disclosures) 

•  IAS 7, ‘Statement of cash flows’ 
•  Paragraph 30 and 31 of IAS 8 ‘Accounting policies, changes in accounting estimates and errors’ (requirement for the disclosure of information when an entity has 

not applied a new IFRS that has been issued but is not yet effective) 

•  Paragraph 17 of IAS 24, ‘Related party disclosures’ (key management compensation) 
•  The requirements in IAS 24, ‘Related party disclosures’ to disclose related party transactions entered into between two or more members of a group. 

As permitted by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006, the profit and loss account of the Parent Company is not presented as part of these financial 
statements. The profit after tax for the year of the Parent Company amounted to $559.4 million (2019 – $313.4 million). 

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213

 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 
Financial Statements 

Notes to the financial statements continued 

38  Antofagasta plc – Balance sheet of the Parent Company and related notes continued 
38B Significant accounting estimates and judgements 
The most significant accounting estimate for the Antofagasta plc Parent Company balance sheet is the carrying value of the investment in subsidiaries and 
receivables balances, which have a total carrying value as at 31 December 2020 of $1,597.1 million. Over 99% of the value of these balances relates to 
intercompany balances, primarily with Group holding companies which hold the Group’s investments in the operating companies. There is not considered to 
be any significant risk of a relevant overstatement of these carrying values. In assessing this the Group has considered the overall market capitalisation of the 
Group, which was $19.4 billion at 31 December 2020, the cash and other assets held by the relevant Group companies and the level of earnings generated by 
the Group’s operations. 

38C Principal accounting policies of the Parent Company 
A summary of the principal accounting policies is set out below. These accounting policies have been applied consistently, other than where new policies have 
been adopted. 

A)  Currency translation 
The Company’s functional currency is the US dollar. Transactions in currencies other than the functional currency are translated at the exchange rate ruling  
at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities, including amounts due from or to subsidiaries, denominated in currencies other than the 
functional currency are retranslated at year-end exchange rates. Gains and losses on retranslation are included in net profit or loss for the year. 

B)  Revenue recognition 
Dividends proposed by subsidiaries are recognised as income by the Company when they represent a present obligation of the subsidiaries, in the period in 
which they are formally approved for payment. 

Interest income is accrued on a time basis, by reference to the principal outstanding and the effective interest rate applicable, which is the rate that exactly 
discounts estimated future cash receipts through the expected life of the financial asset to that asset’s net carrying amount. 

C)  Dividends payable 
Dividends proposed are recognised when they represent a present obligation, in the period in which they are formally approved for payment. Accordingly,  
an interim dividend is recognised when paid and a final dividend is recognised when approved by shareholders. 

Investments in subsidiaries 

D) 
Investments in subsidiaries represent equity holdings in subsidiaries and long-term amounts owed by subsidiaries. Such investments are valued at cost less 
any impairment provisions. Investments are reviewed for impairment if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be 
recoverable. The recoverable amount of the investment is the higher of fair value less cost to disposal and value in use. As explained above, amounts owed  
by subsidiaries due in currencies other than the functional currency are translated at year-end rates of exchange with any exchange differences taken to the 
profit and loss account. 

E)  Current asset investments and cash at bank and in hand 
Current asset investments comprise highly liquid investments that are readily convertible into known amounts of cash and which are subject to insignificant 
risk of changes in value, typically maturing within 12 months. 

Cash at bank and in hand comprise cash in hand and deposits repayable on demand. 

F)  Borrowings  
Interest-bearing loans and bank overdrafts are initially recorded at the proceeds received, net of direct issue costs. They are subsequently measured at 
amortised cost using the effective interest method, with interest expense recognised on an effective yield basis. The effective interest method is a method of 
calculating the amortised cost of a financial liability and of allocating interest expense over the relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly 
discounts estimated future cash payments through the expected life of the financial liability, or, where appropriate, a shorter period. Finance charges, including 
premiums payable on settlement or redemption and direct issue costs, are accounted for on an accruals basis using the effective interest rate method. 

G)  Borrowings – preference shares 
The Sterling-denominated preference shares issued by the Company carry a fixed rate of return without the right to participate in any surplus. They are 
accordingly classified as borrowings and translated into US dollars at year-end rates of exchange. Preference share dividends are included within finance 
costs. 

H)  Equity instruments – ordinary share capital and share premium 
Equity instruments issued are recorded at the proceeds received, net of direct issue costs. Equity instruments of the Company comprise its Sterling-
denominated issued ordinary share capital and related share premium. 

As explained above, the presentational and the functional currency of the Company is US dollars, and ordinary share capital and share premium are translated 
into US dollars at historical rates of exchange based on dates of issue. 

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38D Employee Benefit Expense  
A)  Average number of employees 
The average monthly number of employees was 4 (2019 – 5), engaged in management and administrative activities.  

B)  Aggregate remuneration 
The aggregate remuneration of the employees mentioned above was as follows: 

Wages and salaries 
Social security costs 
Pension contributions 

2020 
$m 

 1.8 
 0.2 
 0.1 
 2.1 

2019 
$m 

1.7 
0.2 
0.1 
2.0 

The above employee figures exclude Directors who receive Directors’ fees from Antofagasta plc. Details of fees payable to Directors are set out in the 
Remuneration Report. 

38E Subsidiaries 
A) 

Investment in subsidiaries 

Shares in subsidiaries at cost 
Amounts owed by subsidiaries due after more than one year 

1 January 2020 
31 December 2020 

2020
$m 

 60.6 
 478.0 
 538.6 

Loans
$m 

478.0 
478.0

2019
$m 

60.6 
478.0 
538.6 

Total
$m 

538.6 
538.6

Shares 
$m 

60.6 
60.6 

The above amount of $478.0 million (2019 – $478.0 million) in respect of amounts owed by subsidiaries due after more than one year relates to long-term 
funding balances which form an integral part of the Company’s long-term investment in those subsidiary companies.  

B)  Trade and other receivables – amounts owed by subsidiaries due after one year 
At 31 December 2020, an amount of $496.6 million was owed to the Company by an indirect subsidiary, pursuant to a 10-year loan agreement. There have 
been no impairments recognised in respect of subsidiary receivables as at 31 December 2020. 

C)  Trade and other receivables – amounts owed by subsidiaries due within one year  
At 31 December 2020, amounts owed by subsidiaries due within one year were $568.4 million (2019 – $228.0 million). There have been no impairments 
recognised in respect of subsidiary receivables as at 31 December 2020. 

38F Borrowings – preference shares 
The authorised, issued and fully paid preference share capital of the Company comprised 2,000,000 5% cumulative preference shares of £1 each at both  
31 December 2020 and 31 December 2019. As explained in Note 23C, the preference shares are recorded in the balance sheet in US dollars at period-end 
rates of exchange. 

The preference shares are non-redeemable and are entitled to a fixed 5% cumulative dividend, payable in equal instalments in June and December of each 
year. On a winding-up, the preference shares are entitled to repayment and any arrears of dividend in priority to ordinary shareholders, but are not entitled  
to participate further in any surplus. Each preference share carries 100 votes (see Note 23A (xv)) at any general meeting. 

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215

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other Information
Financial Statements 

Alternative performance measures (not subject to audit or review) 

This Annual Report includes a number of alternative performance measures, in addition to IFRS amounts. These measures are included because they  
are considered to provide relevant and useful additional information to users of the financial statements. Set out below are definitions of these alternative 
performance measures, explanations as to why they are considered to be relevant and useful, and reconciliations to the IFRS figures. 

A)  Underlying earnings per share 
Underlying earnings per share is earnings per share from continuing operations, excluding exceptional items. This measure is reconciled to earnings per 
share from continuing and discontinued operations (including exceptional items) on the face of the income statement. This measure is considered to be  
useful as it provides an indication of the earnings generated by the ongoing businesses of the Group, excluding the impact of exceptional items which  
are non-regular or non-operating in nature.  

B)  EBITDA 
EBITDA refers to Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation. EBITDA is calculated by adding back depreciation, amortisation, profit or loss 
on disposals and impairment charges to operating profit. This comprises 100% of the EBITDA from the Group´s subsidiaries, and the Group´s proportional 
share of the EBITDA of its associates and joint ventures. 

EBITDA is considered to provide a useful and comparable indication of the current operating earnings performance of the business, excluding the impact  
of the historical cost of property, plant and equipment or the particular financing structure adopted by the business.  

For the year ended 31 December 2020 

Operating profit/(loss) 
Depreciation and amortisation 
Gain on disposals 
EBITDA from subsidiaries 
Proportional share of the EBITDA  
from associates and JV 
EBITDA 

For the year ended 31 December 2019 

Operating profit 
Depreciation and amortisation 
Gain on disposals 
EBITDA from subsidiaries 
Proportional share of the EBITDA  
from associates and JV 
EBITDA 

Los Pelambres 
$m 

Centinela
$m 

Antucoya
$m 

Zaldívar
$m 

Exploration 
and evaluation
$m 

Corporate and 
other items
$m 

1,407.9 
252.6 
2.5 
1,663.0 

– 
1,663.0 

Los Pelambres 
$m 

 1,115.1  
 258.5  
 10.5  
 1,384.1  

– 
 1,384.1  

247.0
662.9
1.8
911.7

–
911.7

Centinela
$m 

 425.8 
 532.2 
 1.5 
 959.5 

– 
 959.5 

71.2
94.6
–
165.8

–
165.8

Antucoya
$m 

 (5.9)
 92.2 
– 
 86.3 

– 
 86.3 

–
–
–
–

95.5
95.5

(85.1)
–
–
(85.1)

–
(85.1)

– 
– 
– 
– 

 112.6 
 112.6 

 (111.1)
– 
– 
 (111.1)

– 
 (111.1)

Zaldívar
$m 

Exploration and 
evaluation
$m 

Corporate and 
other items
$m 

Mining 
$m 

1,567.0 
1,017.9 
4.3 
2,589.2 

(74.0) 
7.8
–

(66.2) 

(6.5) 
(72.7) 

89.0 
2,678.2 

Mining 
$m 

 1,345.2  
 890.8  
 12.0  
 2,248.0  

 (78.7) 
 7.9  
– 
 (70.8) 

Transport 
division
$m 

25.2
30.8
2.0
58.0

3.0
61.0

Transport 
division
$m 

 30.6 
 23.5 
 0.7 
 54.8 

Total
$m 

1,592.2
1,048.7
6.3
2,647.2

92.0
2,739.2

Total
$m 

 1,375.8 
 914.3 
 12.7 
 2,302.8 

 (2.5) 
 (73.3) 

 110.1  
 2,358.1  

 26.0 
 80.8 

 136.1 
 2,438.9 

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C)  Cash costs 
Cash costs are a measure of the cost of operating production expressed in terms of cents per pound of payable copper produced. 

This is considered to be a useful and relevant measure as it is a standard industry measure applied by most major copper mining companies which reflects 
the direct costs involved in producing each pound of copper. It therefore allows a straightforward comparison of the unit production cost of different mines, 
and allows an assessment of the position of a mine on the industry cost curve. It also provides a simple indication of the profitability of a mine when compared 
against the price of copper (per lb). 

Reconciliation of cash costs excluding tolling charges and by-product revenue: 
Total Group operating cost (Note 6) 
Zaldívar operating costs 
Less: 
Depreciation and amortisation (Note 6) 
Loss on disposal (Note 6) 
Elimination of non-mining operations: 
Corporate and other items – Total operating cost (Note 6) 
Exploration and evaluation – Total operating cost (Note 6) 
Transport division – Total operating cost (Note 6) 
Closure provision and other expenses not included within cash costs 
Inventory variation 
Total cost relevant to the mining operations’ cash costs 

Copper production volumes (tonnes) 

Cash costs excluding tolling charges and by-product revenue ($/tonne) 

Cash costs excluding tolling charges and by-product revenue ($/lb) 

Reconciliation of cash costs before deducting by-product revenue: 
Tolling charges – copper – Los Pelambres (Note 7) 
Tolling charges – copper – Centinela (Note 7) 
Tolling charges – copper – total 

Copper production volumes (tonnes) 

Tolling charges $/tonne 
Tolling charges $/lb 

Cash costs excluding tolling charges and by-product revenue ($/lb) 
Tolling charges ($/lb) 
Cash costs before deducting by-products revenue ($/lb)  

2020
$m 

2019
$m 

3,537.1
190.9

 3,588.7 
 224.3 

(1,048.7)
(6.3)

(64.3)
(85.1)
(91.4)
(105.8)
11.1
2,337.5

 (914.3)
 (12.7)

 (70.8)
 (111.1)
 (105.7)
 (81.8)
 3.0 
 2,519.6 

733,920

 769,970 

3,185

 3,272 

1.43

 1.48 

113.6
68.8
182.4

 147.5 
 104.6 
 252.1 

733,920

 769,970 

248.5
0.13

1.43
0.13
1.56

 327.4 
 0.17 

 1.48 
 0.17 
 1.65 

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217

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other Information
Financial Statements 

Alternative performance measures continued 

C)  Cash costs continued 

Reconciliation of cash costs (net of by-product revenue): 
Gold revenue – Los Pelambres (Note 6) 
Gold revenue – Centinela (Note 6) 
Molybdenum revenue – Los Pelambres (Note 6) 
Molybdenum revenue – Centinela (Note 6)  
Silver revenue – Los Pelambres (Note 6) 
Silver revenue – Centinela (Note 6) 
Total by-product revenue 

Copper production volumes (tonnes) 

By-product revenues ($/tonne) 
By-product revenues ($/lb) 

Cash costs before deducting by-product revenue ($/lb) 
By-product revenue ($/lb) 
Cash costs (net of by-product revenue) ($/lb) 

2020
$m 

2019
$m 

106.4
251.3
181.8
27.7
43.3
21.2
631.7

 75.2 
 332.5 
 248.9 
 5.7 
 30.7 
 27.6 
 720.6 

733,920

 769,970 

860.7
0.42

1.56
(0.42)
1.14

 935.9 
 0.43 

 1.65 
 (0.43)
 1.22 

The totals in the tables above may include some small apparent differences as the specific individual figures have not been rounded.  

D)  Attributable cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments, borrowings and net debt 
Attributable cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments, borrowings and net debt reflects the proportion of those balances which are attributable to the 
equity holders of the Company, after deducting the proportion attributable to the non-controlling interests in the Group’s subsidiaries. 

This is considered to be a useful and relevant measure as the majority of the Group’s cash tends to be held at the corporate level and therefore 100% 
attributable to the equity holders of the Company, whereas the majority of the Group’s borrowings tends to be at the level of the individual operations, and 
hence only a proportion is attributable to the equity holders of the Company.  

Cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments: 
Los Pelambres 
Centinela 
Antucoya  
Corporate 
Railway and other transport services 

Total (Note 22) 

Borrowings: 
Los Pelambres (Note 23) 
Centinela (Note 23) 
Antucoya (Note 23) 
Corporate (Note 23) 
Railway and other transport services (Note 23) 

Total 
amount
$m 

904.8
736.3
143.6
1,843.4
44.7

3,672.8

(1,379.5)
(777.5)
(547.5)
(1,013.5)
(36.8)

2020 

Attributable 
share
$m 

Attributable 
amount
$m 

Total  
amount 
$m 

2019 

Attributable 
share
$m 

60%
70%
70%
100%
100%

60%
70%
70%
100%
100%

542.9
515.4
100.5
1,843.4
44.7

3,046.9

(827.7)
(544.2)
(383.3)
(1,013.5)
(36.8)

405.5 
491.6 
113.4 
1,177.2 
5.7 

2,193.4 

(584.4) 
(785.7) 
(820.0) 
(521.1) 
(45.6) 

60% 
70% 
70% 
100% 
100% 

60% 
70% 
70% 
100% 
100% 

Attributable 
amount
$m 

243.3 
344.1 
79.4 
1,177.2 
5.7 

1,849.7 

(350.6)
(550.0)
(574.0)
(521.1)
(45.6)

Total (Notes 23 and 32) 

(3,754.8)

(2,805.5)

(2,756.8) 

(2,041.3)

Net (debt)/cash 

(82.0)

241.4

(563.4) 

(191.6)

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Five year summary  

Consolidated balance sheet1 
Intangible asset 
Property plant and equipment 
Other non-current assets 
Inventories 
Investment in associates and joint ventures 
Trade and other receivables 
Derivative financial instruments 
Equity investments 
Deferred tax assets 
Non-current assets 
Current assets 
Current liabilities 
Non-current liabilities 

Share capital 
Share premium 
Reserves (retained earnings and hedging, translation and fair value reserves) 
Equity attributable to equity holders of the Company 
Non-controlling interests 

Consolidated income statement1 
Group revenue 

2020
$m 

2019
$m 

2018 
$m 

2017
$m 

2016
$m 

150.1
9,851.9
2.6
278.1
914,6
55.9
0.3
11.1
6.4
11,271.0
5,333.3
(1,625.7)
(4,897.5)
10,081.1

89.8
199.2
7,461.6
7,750.6
2,330.5
10,081.1

 150.1 
 9,556.7 
 2.1 
 208.0 
 1,024.8 
 48.2 
 1.7 
 5.1 
 8.2 
 11,004.9 
 3,605.5 
 (1,548.9)
 (3,660.5)
 9,401.0 

 89.8 
 199.2 
 7,094.7 
 7,383.7 
 2,017.3 
 9,401.0 

 150.1  
 9,184.1  
 2.6  
 172.7  
 1,056.1  
 56.1  
– 
 4.7  
 37.2  
 10,663.6  
 3,438.9  
 (1,307.1) 
 (3,357.3) 
 9,438.1  

 89.8  
 199.2  
 7,070.4  
 7,359.4  
 2,078.7  
 9,438.1  

150.1 
9,064.3 
3.5 
111.1 
1,069.7 
67.0 
0.2 
6.5 
69.1 
10,541.5 
3,668.2 
(1,562.1)
(3,506.0)
9,141.6 

89.8 
199.2 
7,029.4 
7,318.4 
1,823.2 
9,141.6 

 150.1 
 8,737.5 
 2.6 
 157.3 
 1,086.6 
 66.7 
 0.2 
 4.6 
 82.8 
 10,288.4 
 3,435.4 
 (1,554.0)
 (3,660.1)
 8,509.7 

 89.8 
 199.2 
 6,526.3 
 6,815.3 
 1,694.4 
 8,509.7 

2020
$m 

2019
$m  

2018 
 $m  

2017
 $m  

2016
$m  

5,129.3

 4,964.5 

4,733.1 

4,749.4 

 3,621.7 

Total profit from operations and associates 

1,516.5

 1,400.2 

1,367.2 

1,900.8 

 355.7 

Profit before tax 
Income tax expense 
Profit from continuing operations 

Profit from discontinued operations 
Profit for the year 

Non-controlling interests 
Net earnings (profit attributable to equity holders of the Company) 

1,413.1
(526.5)
886.6

7.3
893.9

(387.5)
506.4

 1,349.2 
 (506.1)
 843.1 

– 
 843.1 

 (341.7)
 501.4 

 1,252.7  
 (423.7) 
 829.0  

 51.3  
 880.3  

 (336.6) 
 543.7  

1,830.8 
(633.6)
1,197.2 

0.5 
1,197.7 

(447.1)
750.6 

 284.6 
 (108.6)
 176.0 

 38.3 
 214.3 

 (56.3)
 158.0 

EBITDA 

2,739.2

 2,438.9 

 2,228.3  

2,586.6 

 1,626.1 

Earnings per share 
Basic and diluted earnings per share 

1.  These numbers have been restated for prior years. 

2020
cents 

2019
cents  

2018 
cents  

2017
cents  

2016
cents  

51.3

50.9 

55.1 

76.2 

 16.0 

antofagasta.co.uk

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

219

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other Information
Financial Statements 

Five year summary continued 

Dividends per share proposed in relation to the year 
Ordinary dividends (interim and final) 

Dividends per share paid in the year and deducted from equity 

Consolidated cash flow statement 
Cash flow from continuing operations 
Interest paid 
Income tax paid 
Net cash from operating activities 

Investing activities 
Acquisition and disposal of subsidiaries, joint venture and associates 
Dividends from associates 
Equity investments, investing activities and recovery of VAT 
Purchases and disposals of intangible assets, property, plant and equipment  
Interest received 
Net cash used in investing activities 

Financing activities 
Dividends paid to equity holders of the Company 
Dividends paid to preference holders and non-controlling interests 
Capital increase from non-controlling interest 
New borrowings less repayment of borrowings and leases 
Net cash generated from/(used in) financing activities 

2020
cents 

54.7
54.7

13.3

2020
 $m 

2019
cents 

34.1 
34.1 

47.7 

2019
 $m  

2018 
 cents  

43.8 
43.8 

47.4 

2018 
 $m  

2017
 cents  

50.9 
50.9 

25.6 

2017
$m  

2,431.1
(52.7)
(319.7)
2,058.7

 2,570.7 
 (76.3)
 (403.6)
 2,090.8 

 1,877.0  
 (68.2) 
 (498.0) 
 1,310.8  

2,495.0 
(59.1)
(338.4)
(2,097.5)

–
–
(893.5)
(1,306.6)
12.6
(2,187.5)

(131.1)
(280.1)
210.0
918.3
717.1

– 
 58.0 
 (678.3)
 (1,076.9)
 41.0 
 (1,656.2)

 (470.3)
 (400.1)
– 
 60.8 
 (809.6)

 145.2  
 16.6  
 284.2  
 (872.2) 
 26.4  
 (399.8) 

 (466.9) 
 (120.1) 
– 
 (347.1) 
 (934.1) 

3.1 
81.8 
115.9 
(894.4)
14.3 
(679.3)

(252.3)
(320.1)
– 
(487.0)
(1,059.4)

2016
 cents  

 18.4 
 18.4 

 3.1 

2016 
$m  

 1,457.3 
 (46.3)
 (272.6)
 1,138.4 

 30.0 
 10.2 
 (425.2)
 (794.6)
 14.4 
 (1,165.2)

 (30.6)
 (260.0)
– 
 214.3 
 (76.3)

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 

588.3

(375.0)

(23.1) 

358.8 

 (103.1)

Consolidated net cash 
Cash, cash equivalents and liquid investments 

Short-term borrowings 
Medium and long-term borrowings 

2020
 $m 

2019
 $m  

2018 
 $m  

2017
$m  

2016 
$m  

3,672.8

 2,193.4 

 1,897.6  

2,252.3 

 2,048.5 

(603.4)
(3,151.4)
(3,754.8)

 (723.9)
 (2,032.9)
 (2,756.8)

 (646.0) 
 (1,847.9) 
 (2,493.9) 

(753.6)
(1,955.1)
(2,708.7)

 (836.8)
 (2,283.4)
 (3,120.2)

Net (debt)/cash at the year-end 

(82.0)

 (563.4)

 (596.3) 

(456.4)

 (1,071.7)

220

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

antofagasta.co.uk

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Production statistics 

Production and sales volumes, realised prices and  
cash costs by mine 

Copper 
Los Pelambres 
Centinela 
Antucoya 
Zaldívar (attributable basis – 50%) 
Group total 
Group weighted average (net cash costs) 
Group weighted average (excluding tolling charges 
and before by-products) 
Group weighted average (before by-product 
credits) 

Cash costs at Los Pelambres comprises 

Cash costs before by-product credits 
By-product credits (principally molybdenum and 
gold) 
Net cash costs 

Cash cost at Centinela comprises 
Cash costs before by-product credits 
By-product credits (principally gold) 
Net cash costs 

LME average 

Gold 
Los Pelambres 
Centinela Concentrates 
Group total 
Market average price 

Molybdenum 
Los Pelambres 
Centinela 
Group total/average realised price 
Market average price 

2020
‘000
tonnes 

359.6
246.8
79.3
48.2
733.9

Production 

2019
‘000
tonnes 

363.4 
276.6 
71.9 
58.1 
770.0 

2020
‘000
tonnes 

366.0
247.7
76.5
48.3
738.5

Sales 

2019
‘000
tonnes 

356.1 
287.8 
71.6 
56.7 
772.2 

Net cash costs 

Realised prices 

2020 
‘000 
$/lb 

0.81 
1.27 
1.82 
1.80 

2019 
‘000 
$/lb 

0.91   
1.26   
2.17   
1.75   

2020
‘000
$/lb 

3.02
2.95
2.85

2019
‘000
$/lb 

 2.75 
 2.75 
 2.74 
– 

1.14 

1.22   

2.98

2.75 

1.43 

1.48   

1.57 

1.65   

1.27 

1.40   

(0.46) 
0.81 

(0.49)  
0.91   

1.85 
(0.58) 
1.27 

1.83   
(0.58)  
1.26   

2020
‘000
ounces 

60.4
143.7
204.1

Production 

2019
‘000
ounces 

59.7 
222.6 
282.3 

2020 
‘000 
ounces 

58.4 
141.2 
199.6 

Sales 

2019 
‘000 
ounces 

52.6   
236.2   
288.8   

2.80

2.72 

Realised prices 

2020
$/oz 

2019
$/oz 

1,827
1,784
1,797
1,770

 1,434 
 1,412 
 1,416 
1,394 

‘000
tonnes 

‘000
tonnes 

‘000 
tonnes 

‘000 
tonnes 

$/lb 

$/lb 

10.9
1.7
12.6

11.2 
0.4 
11.6 

10.8 
1.7 
12.5 

11.8   
0.3   
12.1   

8.8
8.9
8.8
8.7

 10.8 
 11.1 
 10.8 
11.4 

antofagasta.co.uk

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

221

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
Other Information
Financial Statements 

Ore reserves and mineral resources estimates 
At 31 December 2020 

Introduction 
The ore reserves and mineral resources estimates 
presented in this report comply with the 
requirements of the Australasian Code for 
Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral 
Resources and Ore Reserves 2012 edition (the 
JORC Code) which has been used by the Group as 
minimum standard for the preparation and 
disclosure of the information contained herein. The 
definitions and categories of ore reserves and 
mineral resources are set out below.  

The information on ore reserves and mineral 
resources was prepared by or under the 
supervision of Competent Persons as defined in 
the JORC Code. The Competent Persons have 
sufficient experience relevant to the style of 
mineralisation and type of deposit under 
consideration and to the activity which they are 
undertaking. The Competent Persons consent to 
the inclusion in this report of the matters based on 
their information in the form and context in which 
it appears. The Competent Person for Exploration 
Results and Mineral Resources is Osvaldo Galvez 
(CP, Chile), Deputy Manager of Mineral Resource 
Evaluation for Antofagasta Minerals S A. The 
Competent Person for Ore Reserves is Murray 
Canfield (P.Eng. Ontario), Technical Manager of 
Mining for Antofagasta Minerals S A.  

The Group’s operations and projects are subject to 
a comprehensive programme of audits aimed at 
providing assurance in respect of ore reserves 
and mineral resources estimates. The audits are 
conducted by suitably qualified Competent Persons 
from within an operation, another operation of the 
Company or from independent consultants.  

The ore reserves and mineral resources estimates 
are the total reserves and resources, with the 
Group’s attributable share for each mine shown in 
the ‘Attributable Tonnage’ column. The Group’s 
economic interest in each mine is disclosed in the 
notes following the estimates on pages 230-231. 
The totals in the table may include some small 
apparent differences due to rounding.   

Definitions and categories 
of ore reserves and 
mineral resources 
A ‘Mineral Resource’ is a concentration or 
occurrence of material of intrinsic economic 
interest in or on the Earth’s crust in such form, 
quality and quantity that there are reasonable 
prospects for eventual economic extraction. The 
location, quantity, grade, geological characteristics 
and continuity of a Mineral Resource are known, 
estimated or interpreted from specific geological 
evidence and knowledge. Mineral Resources are 
sub-divided, in order of increasing geological 
confidence, into Inferred, Indicated and Measured 
categories.  

An ‘Inferred Mineral Resource’ is that part of a 
Mineral Resource for which tonnage, grade and 
mineral content can be estimated with a low level 
of confidence. It is inferred from geological 
evidence and assumed but not verified geological 
and/or grade continuity. It is based on information 
gathered through appropriate techniques from 
locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, 
workings and drill holes which may be limited or of 
uncertain quality and reliability.  

An ‘Indicated Mineral Resource’ is that part of a 
Mineral Resource for which tonnage, densities, 
shape, physical characteristics, grade and mineral 
content can be estimated with a reasonable level 
of confidence. It is based on exploration, sampling 
and testing information gathered through 
appropriate techniques from locations such as 
outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes. 
The locations are too widely or inappropriately 
spaced to confirm geological and/or grade 
continuity but are spaced closely enough for 
continuity to be assumed.  

A ‘Measured Mineral Resource’ is that part of a 
Mineral Resource for which tonnage, densities, 
shape, physical characteristics, grade and mineral 
content can be estimated with a high level of 
confidence. It is based on detailed and reliable 
exploration, sampling and testing information 
gathered through appropriate techniques from 
locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, 
workings and drill holes. The locations are spaced 
closely enough to confirm geological and grade 
continuity.  

An ‘Ore Reserve’ is the economically mineable 
part of a Measured and/or Indicated Mineral 
Resource. It includes diluting materials and 
allowances for losses, which may occur when the 
material is mined. Appropriate assessments and 
studies have been carried out, and include 
consideration of and modification by realistically 
assumed mining, metallurgical, economic, 
marketing, legal, environmental, social and 
governmental factors. These assessments 
demonstrate at the time of reporting that 
extraction could reasonably be justified. Ore 
Reserves are sub-divided in order of increasing 
confidence into Probable Ore Reserves and 
Proved Ore Reserves.  

A ‘Probable Ore Reserve’ is the economically 
mineable part of an Indicated, and in some 
circumstances, a Measured Mineral Resource. It 
includes diluting materials and allowances for 
losses which may occur when the material is 
mined. Appropriate assessments and studies have 
been carried out, and include consideration of and 
modification by realistically assumed mining, 
metallurgical, economic, marketing, legal, 
environmental, social and governmental factors. 
These assessments demonstrate at the time of 
reporting that extraction could reasonably be 
justified.  

A ‘Proved Ore Reserve’ is the economically 
mineable part of a Measured Mineral Resource. It 
includes diluting materials and allowances for 
losses which may occur when the material is 
mined. Appropriate assessments and studies have 
been carried out, and include consideration of and 
modification by realistically assumed mining, 
metallurgical, economic, marketing, legal, 
environmental, social and governmental factors. 
These assessments demonstrate at the time of 
reporting that extraction could reasonably be 
justified.  

222

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

antofagasta.co.uk

Ore reserves estimates 

Group Subsidiaries 

Ore reserves 

Los Pelambres (see note (a)) 
Sulphides 

Proved 

Probable 

Total 

Centinela (see note (b)) 

Centinela Cathodes (oxides) 

Proved 

Probable 

Sub-Total 
Centinela Concentrates (sulphides) 

Proved 

Probable 

Sub-Total 

Proved 

Probable 

Total 

Antucoya (see note (c)) 

Proved 

Probable 

Total 

Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

Copper 
(%) 

Molybdenum 
(%) 

Gold  
(g/tonne) 

Attributable Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 678.8  

 694.7 

 331.7  

 377.3 

 1,010.5  

 1,072.0 

 93.3  

 119.8 

 230.5  

 205.7 

 323.9  

 325.5 

 571.6  

 540.5 

 1,166.5  

 1,288.8 

 1,738.1  

 1,829.4 

 665.0  

 660.3 

 1,397.0  

 1,494.5 

 2,062.0  

 2,154.9 

 402.3  

 292.5 

 308.4  

 394.5 

 710.7  

 687.0 

0.60

0.58

0.59

0.53

0.35

0.40

0.46

0.38

0.41

0.47

0.38

0.41

0.34

0.30

0.32

0.60 

0.58 

 0.020 

 0.020 

 0.019 

 0.018 

0.60 

 0.020 

 0.020 

0.05 

0.05 

0.05 

0.05 

0.05 

0.05 

 407.3 

 416.8 

 199.0 

 226.4 

 606.3 

 643.2 

0.54 

0.33 

0.41 

0.46 

0.40 

0.42 

0.48 

0.39 

0.41 

0.39 

0.28 

0.33 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 65.3 

 161.4 

 226.7 

83.9 

144.0 

227.9 

 0.012 

 0.012 

 0.012 

 0.012 

 0.012 

 0.012 

0.18 

0.12 

0.14 

0.18 

0.12 

 400.2 

 378.4 

 816.5 

 902.2 

0.14 

 1,216.7 

 1,280.6 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 465.5 

 462.2 

 977.9 

 1,046.2 

 –    1,443.4 

 1,508.4 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 281.6 

 215.9 

 497.5 

204.8 

276.1 

480.9 

 –  

 –    2,547.2 

 2,632.5 

Total Group Subsidiaries  

 3,783.2  

 3,913.9 

0.44

0.45 

Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

Copper 
(%) 

Molybdenum 
(%) 

Gold  
(g/tonne) 

Attributable Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

Group Joint Venture 

Zaldívar (see note (k))  

Proved 

Probable 

Total Group Joint Venture 

Total Group Ore Reserves 

 4,250.7    4,482.4 

0.44

0.45 

 344.2  

 430.8 

 123.2  

 137.7 

 467.5  

 568.5 

0.46

0.41

0.45

0.43 

0.42 

0.43 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 172.1 

 61.6 

215.4 

68.8 

 233.7 

284.2 

 –    2,780.9 

 2,916.8 

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223

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other Information
Financial Statements 

Ore reserves and mineral resources estimates continued 
At 31 December 2020 

Mineral Resources Estimates (including ore reserves) 

Group Subsidiaries  

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

Copper 
(%) 

Molybdenum 
(%) 

Gold  
(g/tonne) 

Attributable Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

Los Pelambres (see note (a)) 

Sulphides 

Measured 
Indicated 
Measured + Indicated  
Inferred 
Total 
Los Pelambres Total 
Measured 
Indicated 
Measured + Indicated  
Inferred 
Total 
Centinela (see note (b)) 

Centinela Cathodes (oxides) 

Measured 
Indicated 
Measured + Indicated  
Inferred 
Sub-Total 

Centinela Concentrates (sulphides) 

Measured 
Indicated 
Measured + Indicated  
Inferred 
Sub-Total 

Centinela Total 
Measured 
Indicated 
Measured + Indicated  
Inferred 
Total 
Antucoya (see note (c)) 
Oxides 

Measured 
Indicated 
Measured + Indicated  
Inferred 
Sub-Total 

Antucoya Total 
Measured 
Indicated 
Measured + Indicated  
Inferred 
Total 

1,156.9
1,165.8 
2,117.8  2,069.5
3,283.5  3,226.4
2,835.1
2,762.5 
6,061.5
6,046.1 

 1,165.8  
 1,156.9 
 2,117.8    2,069.5 
 3,283.5    3,226.4 
 2,835.1 
 2,762.5  
 6,061.5 
 6,046.1  

 126.7  
 329.0  
 455.7  
 18.5  
 474.2  

 180.4 
 311.7 
 492.1 
 27.0 
 519.2 

 980.5  
 923.0 
 1,917.1    2,100.4 
 2,897.6    3,023.4 
 1,168.2 
 1,228.4  
 4,191.6 
 4,126.0  

 1,107.2  
 2,246.1  
 3,353.3  
 1,246.9  
 4,600.2  

 1,103.4 
 2,412.1 
 3,515.5 
 1,195.3 
 4,710.8 

427.0 
390.3 
817.3 
418.4 
1,235.8 

427.0 
390.3 
817.3 
418.4 
1,235.8 

441.3
393.8
835.1
365.7
1,200.8

441.3
393.8
835.1
365.7
1,200.8

0.58
0.52
0.54
0.46
0.50

0.58 
0.52 
0.54 
0.46 
0.50 

0.51 
0.33 
0.38 
0.34 
0.37 

0.49 
0.37 
0.41 
0.31 
0.38 

0.49 
0.36 
0.41 
0.31 
0.38 

0.33
0.30
0.31
0.26
0.30

0.33
0.30
0.31
0.26
0.30

0.58
0.52
0.54
0.46
0.50

0.58 
0.52 
0.54 
0.46 
0.50 

0.50 
0.33 
0.39 
0.33 
0.39 

0.49 
0.38 
0.41 
0.31 
0.38 

0.49 
0.37 
0.41 
0.31 
0.38 

0.33
0.31
0.32
0.28
0.31

0.33
0.31
0.32
0.28
0.31

0.020
0.016
0.018
0.016
0.017

0.020 
0.016 
0.018 
0.016 
0.017 

–
–
–
–
–

0.020
0.016
0.017
0.016
0.017

0.020 
0.016 
0.017 
0.016 
0.017 

–
–
–
–
–

0.05 
0.05 
0.05 
0.06 
0.05 

0.05  
0.05  
0.05  
0.06  
0.05  

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

0.05 
0.05 
0.05 
0.06 
0.05 

 699.5 
 1,270.7 
 1,970.1 
 1,657.5 
 3,627.6 

694.1
1,241.7
1,935.8
1,701.1
3,636.9

 0.05  
 699.5 
 0.05    1,270.7 
 0.05  
 1,970.1 
 0.06    1,657.5 
 0.05    3,627.6 

694.1 
1,241.7 
1,935.8 
1,701.1 
3,636.9 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

88.7 
 230.3 
 319.0 
12.9 
 331.9 

126.3 
218.2 
344.5 
18.9 
363.4 

0.013
0.013
0.013
0.011
0.012

0.013 
0.012 
0.013 
0.011 
0.012 

0.19  
0.12  
0.14  
0.08  
0.13  

 0.19  
 686.4 
 0.12    1,342.0 
 0.14    2,028.3 
 0.09  
 859.9 
 0.13    2,888.2 

646.1 
1,470.3 
2,116.4 
817.8 
2,934.1 

–
–
–
–
–

–

–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
 775.0 
772.4 
1,688.5 
 –    1,572.3 
 –    2,347.3  2,460.9 
836.7 
 –  
 872.8 
3,297.5 
 –    3,220.1 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

298.9
273.2
572.1
292.9
865.0

298.9
273.2
572.1
292.9
865.0

308.9
275.6
584.5
256.0
840.6

308.9
275.6
584.5
256.0
840.6

224

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

antofagasta.co.uk

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

Copper 
(%) 

Molybdenum 
(%) 

Gold  
(g/tonne) 

Attributable Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 – 

 0.49 

 – 

0.43 

0.43 

0.35 

0.40 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 32.4 

69.5

101.9

6.6

108.5

 – 

 0.39 

 – 

 0.007 

 – 

 0.07  

 –  

 281.4 

 0.007 

 0.007 

 0.007 

 0.007 

 0.007 

 0.007 

 0.007 

 0.007 

0.06 

0.06 

0.05 

0.05 

0.06 

0.06 

0.05 

654.9

936.4

612.1

 – 

86.8 

86.8 

38.8 

125.6 

 – 

704.1 

704.1 

684.8 

Group Subsidiaries  

Polo Sur (see note (d))  
Oxides 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 
Sulphides 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 

Polo Sur Total 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Total 

Penacho Blanco (see note (e))  

Oxides 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 
Sulphides 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 

Penacho Blanco Total 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Total 

 32.4  

69.5 

101.9 

6.6 

86.8 

86.8 

38.8 

108.5 

125.6 

 281.4  

654.9 

936.4 

704.1 

704.1 

612.1 

684.8 

1,548.5 

1,388.9 

 313.8  

 – 

 724.5  

 790.9 

 1,038.3  

 790.9 

 618.7  

 723.6 

 1,657.0  

 1,514.5 

 –  

 –  

 –  

18.3 

18.3 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 – 

 – 

 – 

18.3 

18.3 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.40

0.43

0.41

0.43

0.34

0.35

0.27

0.32

 0.40 

 0.34 

 0.36 

 0.27 

 0.33 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.29

0.29

 – 

 – 

 – 

321.9 

321.9 

321.9 

321.9 

0.38

0.38

 –  

 –  

 –  

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

340.2 

340.2 

340.2 

340.2 

0.37

0.37

0.37 

0.37 

0.30 

0.34 

 – 

 0.38 

 0.38 

 0.31 

 0.34 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.29 

0.29 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.38 

0.38 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.37 

0.37 

0.05 

1,548.5

1,388.9 

 –  

 –  

 313.8 

 – 

 724.5 

 790.9 

 –    1,038.3 

 790.9 

 –  

 618.7 

 723.6 

 –    1,657.0 

 1,514.5 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 – 

 – 

 – 

9.3

9.3

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

9.3 

9.3 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

0.05 

0.05 

0.05 

0.05 

164.2

164.2

164.2 

164.2 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

- 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

173.5

173.5

173.5 

173.5 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

antofagasta.co.uk

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225

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other Information
Financial Statements 

Ore reserves and mineral resources estimates continued 
At 31 December 2020 

Mineral Resources Estimates (including Ore reserves) continued 

Group Subsidiaries  

Mirador (see note (f))  
Oxides 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 
Sulphides 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 

Mirador Total 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Total 

Los Volcanes (see note (g)) 

Oxides 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total  
Sulphides 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 

Los Volcanes Total 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Total 

Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

Copper 
(%) 

Molybdenum 
(%) 

Gold  
(g/tonne) 

Attributable Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

1.7 

20.2 

21.9 

10.2 

32.1 

35.2 

20.2 

55.3 

4.9 

60.2 

36.9 

40.4 

77.2 

15.0 

92.3 

 –  

 –  

 –  

30.8 

30.8 

 –  

 –  

 –  

1.2 

15.4 

16.6 

6.1 

22.7 

30.6 

14.0 

44.6 

1.2 

45.7 

31.8 

29.4 

61.2 

7.3 

68.5 

 – 

 – 

 – 

30.8 

30.8 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.23

0.27

0.27

0.26

0.27

0.34

0.28

0.32

0.26

0.31

0.33

0.28

0.30

0.26

0.30

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.31

0.31

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.23 

0.27 

0.27 

0.26 

0.26 

0.35 

0.28 

0.33 

0.26 

0.32 

0.34 

0.27 

0.31 

0.26 

0.30 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.31 

0.31 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

0.006

0.008

0.007

0.009

0.007

0.006 

0.008 

0.007 

0.009 

0.007 

0.13 

0.08 

0.11 

0.05 

0.10 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

0.13 

0.08 

0.11 

0.05 

0.11 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

1.3

15.8

17.1

7.9

25.0

35.2

20.2

55.3

4.9

60.2

36.5

35.9

72.4

12.8

85.2

 – 

 – 

 – 

15.7

15.7

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.9 

12.0 

12.9 

4.8 

17.7 

30.6 

14.0 

44.6 

1.2 

45.7 

31.5 

26.0 

57.5 

5.9 

63.5 

 – 

 – 

 – 

15.7 

15.7 

 – 

 – 

 – 

1,873.4 

1,873.4 

1,873.4 

1,873.4 

0.50

0.50

0.50 

0.50 

0.011

0.011

0.011 

0.011 

0.03 

0.03 

0.03 

0.03 

955.4

955.4

955.4 

955.4 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

1,904.2 

1,904.2 

1,904.2 

1,904.2 

0.50

0.50

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.50 

0.50 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 – 

 – 

 – 

971.1

971.1

 – 

 – 

 – 

971.1 

971.1 

226

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Group Subsidiaries  

Brujulina (see note (h))  
Oxides 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Total 

Brujulina Total 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Total 

Sierra (see note (i))  
Oxides 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Total 

Sierra Total 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Total 

Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

Copper 
(%) 

Molybdenum 
(%) 

Gold  
(g/tonne) 

Attributable Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 –  

 –  

 –  

87.2 

87.2 

 –  

 –  

 –  

87.2 

87.2 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 – 

 – 

 – 

87.2 

87.2 

 – 

 – 

 – 

87.2 

87.2 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.49

0.49

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.49

0.49

 – 

 – 

 – 

52.0 

52.0 

52.0 

52.0 

0.69

0.69

 –  

 –  

 –  

52.0 

52.0 

 – 

 – 

 – 

52.0 

52.0 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.69

0.69

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.49 

0.49 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.49 

0.49 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.69 

0.69 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.69 

0.69 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 – 

 – 

 – 

44.5

44.5

 – 

 – 

 – 

44.5

44.5

 – 

 – 

 – 

52.0

52.0

 – 

 – 

 – 

52.0

52.0

 – 

 – 

 – 

44.5 

44.5 

 – 

 – 

 – 

44.5 

44.5 

 – 

 – 

 – 

52.0 

52.0 

 – 

 – 

 – 

52.0 

52.0 

antofagasta.co.uk

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

227

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other Information
Financial Statements 

Ore reserves and mineral resources estimates continued 
At 31 December 2020 

Mineral Resources Estimates (including Ore reserves) continued 

Group Subsidiaries  

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

Twin Metals (see note (j)) 

Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

Copper 
(%) 

Maturi 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 
Maturi South West  

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 
Birch Lake 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 
Spruce Road 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 

Twin Metals Total 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Total 

Group subsidiaries 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Total Group Subsidiaries  

291.4 

818.3 

291.4 

818.3 

1,109.7 

1,109.7 

534.1 

534.1 

1,643.8 

1,643.8 

 –  

93.1 

93.1 

29.3 

 – 

93.1 

93.1 

29.3 

122.4 

122.4 

 –  

90.4 

90.4 

217.0 

307.4 

 – 

90.4 

90.4 

217.0 

307.4 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 – 

 – 

 – 

435.5 

435.5 

435.5 

435.5 

291.4 

291.4 

1,001.8 

1,001.8 

1,293.2 

1,293.2 

1,215.9 

1,215.9 

2,509.1 

2,509.1 

 9,862.9  

 9,791.9 

 8,661.1    8,582.7 

18,524.0    18,374.6 

0.63

0.57

0.59

0.50

0.56

 – 

0.48

0.48

0.43

0.47

 – 

0.52

0.52

0.46

0.48

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.43

0.43

0.63

0.56

0.57

0.47

0.52

0.46

0.42

0.44

0.63 

0.57 

0.59 

0.50 

0.56 

 – 

0.48 

0.48 

0.43 

0.47 

 – 

0.52 

0.52 

0.46 

0.48 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.43 

0.43 

0.63 

0.56 

0.57 

0.47 

0.52 

0.47 

0.43 

0.45 

0.20

0.18

0.19

0.16

0.18

 – 

0.17

0.17

0.15

0.17

 – 

0.16

0.16

0.15

0.15

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.16

0.16

0.20

0.18

0.18

0.16

0.17

 – 

 – 

 – 

Nickel
(%) 

2019 

0.20 

0.18 

0.19 

0.16 

0.18 

 – 

0.17 

0.17 

0.15 

0.17 

 – 

0.16 

0.16 

0.15 

0.15 

 – 

 – 

 – 

0.16 

0.16 

0.20 

0.18 

0.18 

0.16 

0.17 

 – 

 – 

 – 

TPM  
(g/tonne Au+Pt+Pd) 

Attributable Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

0.57 

0.57 

0.57 

0.57 

0.57 

0.57 

0.57 

0.57 

0.57 

224.6

771.6

996.1

483.2

224.6 

771.6 

996.1 

483.2 

0.57 

1,479.3

1,479.3 

 –  

 –  

 – 

0.31 

0.31 

0.26 

0.30 

0.31 

0.31 

0.26 

0.30 

65.2

65.2

20.5

85.7

 –  

 –  

 – 

0.87 

0.87 

0.64 

0.70 

0.87 

0.87 

0.64 

0.70 

63.3

63.3

151.9

215.2

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

0.57 

0.57 

0.57 

0.37 

0.47 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 – 

 – 

 – 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

304.8

304.8

304.8 

304.8 

0.57 

0.57 

224.6

900.0

224.6 

900.0 

0.57 

1,124.6

1,124.6 

0.37 

960.4

960.4 

0.47  2,085.0

2,085.0 

 –  

7124.9

6,998.1 

 –   5,656.3

5,626.4 

 –   12,781.2 12,624.5 

 – 

65.2 

65.2 

20.5 

85.7 

 – 

63.3 

63.3 

151.9 

215.2 

 – 

 – 

 – 

228

Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

antofagasta.co.uk

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Group Joint Venture 

Zaldívar (see note (k)) 

Oxides & Secondary Sulphides 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 
Primary Sulphides 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Sub-Total 

Zaldívar Total 

Measured 

Indicated 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Total Group Joint Venture 

Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

Copper 
(%) 

Molybdenum 
(%) 

Gold  
(g/tonne) 

Attributable Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

0.40

0.35

0.39

0.43

0.39

0.40

0.39

0.40

0.36

0.39

0.40

0.38

0.39

0.40

0.39

 555.4  

 595.7 

 242.3  

 249.0 

 797.7  

 844.7 

 33.8  

 29.1 

 831.5  

 873.8 

 104.6  

 107.9 

 305.3  

 312.2 

 409.9  

 420.1 

 27.4  

 29.1 

 437.4  

 449.2 

 660.0  

 703.6 

 547.6  

 561.2 

 1,207.6  

 1,264.8 

 61.2  

 58.2 

 1,268.8  

 1,323.0 

Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

0.41 

0.37 

0.40 

0.46 

0.40 

0.40 

0.39 

0.39 

0.36 

0.39 

0.41 

0.38 

0.40 

0.41 

0.40 

Copper 
(%) 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 277.7 

 297.9 

 121.1 

 124.5 

 398.8 

 422.3 

 16.9 

 14.5 

 415.7 

 436.9 

 52.3 

 152.7 

 205.0 

 13.7 

 54.0 

 156.1 

 210.1 

 14.5 

 218.7 

 224.6 

 330.0 

 351.8 

 273.8 

 280.6 

 603.8 

 632.4 

 30.6 

 29.1 

 634.4 

 661.5 

Molybdenum 
(%) 

Gold  
(g/tonne) 

Attributable Tonnage 
(millions of tonnes) 

Total Group 

Measured + Indicated  

Inferred 

Total Group Mineral Resources 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

 2020 

2019 

11,070.6    10,987.0 

 8,722.3    8,784.6 

19,792.8    19,771.6 

0.45

0.42

0.44

0.46 

0.43 

0.44 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –    7,728.7 

 7,586.6 

 –    5,686.9 

 5,753.9 

 –   13,415.6   13,340.5 

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Antofagasta plc Annual Report 2020

229

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other Information
Financial Statements 

Ore reserves and mineral resources estimates continued 
At 31 December 2020 

Notes to ore reserves and mineral resources estimates 
The ore reserves mentioned in this report were determined considering specific cut-off grades for each mine and using a long-term copper price of $3.10/lb 
(unchanged from 2019), $9.50/lb molybdenum (unchanged from 2019) and $1,500/oz gold ($1,300 in 2019), unless otherwise noted. These same values have 
been used for copper equivalent (CuEq) estimates, where appropriate. 

In order to ensure that the stated resources represent mineralisation that has “reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction” (JORC Code) the 
resources are enclosed within pit shells that were optimised based on measured, indicated and inferred resources and considering a copper price of $3.60/lb 
(unchanged from 2019). Mineralisation estimated outside these pit shells is not included in the resource figures. 

Group policy on auditing of resource and reserve estimates is that prior to first publication, an independent external audit is done. External audits are also 
done on resources and reserves for any material changes (incorporation of a significant amount of drillhole information, for instance) or every three to five 
years, whichever comes first. All the resource models that support the reserve estimates and reserves have been audited as per Group policy, with audits 
carried out during 2020 on the Polo Sur resource model and reserves for the Llano oxide deposit at Centinela. All resource and reserve estimates have been 
found to comply with the JORC Code (2012). 

A)  Los Pelambres 
Los Pelambres is 60% owned by the Group. The cut-off grade applied to the determination of ore reserves is variable over 0.35% copper, while the cut-off 
grade applied to mineral resources is 0.35% copper. Ore reserves have decreased 59 million tonnes due to depletion in the period and reflects the remaining 
capacity of the existing tailing dams, limiting the amount of mineral resource that can be converted into ore reserves. For 2020 the mineral resource model 
has been updated with 28,078 metres and as a result total resources decreased overall by a net 15 million tonnes, including depletion. 

B)  Centinela (Concentrates and Cathodes) 
Centinela is 70% owned by the Group and consists of Centinela Concentrates (Esperanza + Esperanza Sur and Encuentro Sulphide mostly sulphide porphyry 
deposits) and Centinela Cathodes (Tesoro Central and Tesoro Sur oxide deposits, including the oxide portion of the Mirador, Encuentro and Llano deposits). 
The cut-off grade applied to the determination of ore reserves for Centinela Concentrates is 0.15% equivalent copper with 0.15% copper used as a cut-off 
grade for mineral resources. The cut-off grades used for Centinela Cathodes is 0.20% copper for ore reserves and 0.15% copper for mineral resources.   

The Centinela Cathodes ore reserves have decreased marginally due to the incorporation of reserves for the Llano deposit, following completion of external 
audits during the year, which has largely offset depletion. Centinela Cathodes ore reserves are made up of 207 million tonnes at 0.48% copper of heap leach 
ore and 117 million tonnes at 0.26% copper of ROM ore. Centinela Concentrates ore reserves decreased by a net 91 million tonnes, with depletion of 35 million 
tonnes in Esperanza and updates to the geometallurgical and grade models in the Esperanza and Esperanza Sur deposits. For 2020 the mineral resource 
model in Esperanza y Esperanza Sur has been updated with 35,045 metres and as a result total resources decreased overall by a net 66 million tonnes, 
including depletion.  

C)  Antucoya  
Antucoya is 70% owned by the Group. The ore reserve cut-off grade is 0.16% copper, while the cut-off grade for mineral resources is 0.15% copper. For 
2020 the mineral resource model has been updated with 71 drill holes for a total of 18,000 metres. Ore reserves have increased by a net 24 million tonnes, 
including a depletion of 28 million tonnes offset by an increase in resources converted to reserves. Mineral resources have increased by a net 34 million 
tonnes, due to depletion offset by the application of more optimistic modifying factors and economic assumptions in pit optimisation. 

D)  Polo Sur  
Polo Sur is 100% owned by the Group. The cut-off grade applied to the determination of mineral resources for both oxides and sulphides is 0.20% copper. 
The 2020 resource model has been updated with 101 drill holes for a total of 16,000 metres. Mineral resources, mostly in hypogene ore, have increased by a 
net 143 million tonnes, due to the resource model update and the use of more conservative mining and processing costs in pit optimisation. 

E)  Penacho Blanco 
Penacho Blanco is 51% owned by the Group. The cut-off grade applied to the determination of mineral resources for both oxides and sulphides is 0.20% 
copper. For 2020 the resource model has not been updated.  

F)  Mirador 
Mirador is 100% owned by the Group. A portion of Mirador Oxides is subject to an agreement between the Group and Centinela, whereby Centinela 
purchased the rights to mine the oxide ore reserves within an identified area. The mineral resources for Mirador Oxides subject to the agreement with 
Centinela are included in the Centinela Cathodes section. The resources not subject to the agreement are reported in this section. The cut-off grade applied to 
the determination of mineral resources for oxides is 0.15% copper and for sulphides is 0.20% copper. Mineral resources have increased by a net 24 million 
tonnes due to lower mining and processing costs, along with an increase in the gold price considered in pit optimisation.  

G)  Los Volcanes 
Los Volcanes is 51% owned by the Group. The cut-off grade applied to the determination of ore reserves and mineral resources is 0.20% copper. For 2020 
the mineral resource model has not been updated.  

H)  Brujulina  
Brujulina is 51% owned by the Group. The cut-off grade applied to the determination of mineral resources is 0.30% copper. For 2020 the mineral resource 
model has not been updated. 

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I)  Sierra 
Sierra is 100% owned by the Group. The cut-off grade applied to the determination of mineral resources is 0.30% copper. For 2020 the mineral resource 
model has not been updated. 

J)  Twin Metals Minnesota LLC  
Twin Metals Minnesota LLC (“Twin Metals”) is owned 100% by the Group.   

Twin Metals has a 70% interest in the Birch Lake Joint Venture (“BLJV”), which holds the Birch Lake, Spruce Road and Maturi Southwest deposits, as well as 
a portion of the main Maturi deposit. With these interests taken into consideration, Twin Metals owns 83.1% of the resource. For 2020 the mineral resource 
model has not been updated.   

The cut-off grade applied to the determination of mineral resources is 0.3% copper, which when combined with credits from nickel, platinum, palladium and 
gold, is deemed appropriate for an underground operation. In the resource table ‘TPM’ (Total Precious Metals) refers to the sum of platinum, palladium and 
gold values in grammes per tonne. The TPM value of 0.57 g/tonne for the Maturi resource estimate is made up of 0.15 g/tonne platinum, 0.34 g/tonne 
palladium and 0.08 g/tonne gold. The TPM value of 0.30 g/tonne for the Maturi Southwest resource estimate is made up of 0.08 g/tonne platinum, 0.17 
g/tonne palladium and 0.05 g/tonne gold. The TPM value of 0.70 g/tonne for the Birch Lake resource estimate is made up of 0.19 g/tonne platinum, 0.41 
g/tonne palladium and 0.10 g/tonne gold. The Spruce Road resource estimate does not include TPM values as they were not assayed. 

K)  Zaldívar 
Zaldívar is 50% owned by the Group. The cut-off grade applied to the determination of ore reserves for Heap Leach ore is 0.33% copper, while the cut-off 
grade for Dump Leach material is 0.20% copper. In the case for mineral resources the cut-off grade for Heap Leach ore is 0.16% copper, while the cut-off 
grade for Dump Leach material is 0.10% copper. These values are applied to the oxide and secondary sulphide mineral resources and ore reserves estimates. 
The cut-off grade applied to the primary sulphide portion of the mineral resources is 0.30% copper. Ore reserves have decreased 101 million tonnes, due to 
depletion in the period of 37 million tonnes and a change in the strategy for determining the cut-off grade. The final pit phase in the southern portion of the 
orebody (Phase 13), which represents approximately 20% of current ore reserves, impacts a portion of Minera Escondida mine property, as well as 
infrastructure owned by third parties (road, railway, powerline and pipelines). Mining of this pit phase is subject to agreements or easements to access these 
areas and relocate this infrastructure. For 2020 the resource model has not been updated. Mineral resources have decreased by a net 54 million tonnes, due 
to depletion and the use of more conservative modifying factors in pit optimisation. The optimisation considers 772 million tonnes of oxides and secondary 
sulphides plus 432 million tonnes of primary sulphides, with 0.11 g/tonne gold and 0.007 % molybdenum.  

M)  Antomin 2 and Antomin Investors  
The Group has an approximately 51% interest in two indirect subsidiaries, Antomin 2 Limited (“Antomin 2”) and Antomin Investors Limited (“Antomin 
Investors”), which own a number of copper exploration properties in Chile’s Antofagasta region and Coquimbo region. These include, among others, Penacho 
Blanco, Los Volcanes and Brujulina. The remaining approximately 49% of Antomin 2 and Antomin Investors is owned by Mineralinvest Establishment 
(“Mineralinvest”), a company controlled by E. Abaroa Foundation, in which members of the Luksic family are interested. Further details are set out in 
Note 34(c) to the financial statements. 

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Other Information
Financial Statements 

Glossary and definitions

Business, financial and accounting

AIFR

AMSA

Annual Report

Antucoya

Banco de Chile
Barrick Gold

Capex
Cash costs

CDP
Centinela

Centinela Mining 
District
CGU
Chilean peso
Comex

Companies Act 
2006
Company
Continental 
water

Corporate 
Governance 
Code

Directors
Duluth

All Injury Frequency Rate. The total number 
of accidents during the year per million 
hours worked.
Antofagasta Minerals S.A., a wholly-owned subsidiary 
of the Group incorporated in Chile, which acts as the 
corporate centre for the Mining division.
The Annual Report and Financial Statements of 
Antofagasta plc.
Minera Antucoya S.A., a 70%-owned subsidiary 
incorporated in Chile.
A commercial bank that is a subsidiary of Quiñenco. 
Barrick Gold Corporation, incorporated in Canada and 
our joint venture partner in Zaldívar and Tethyan. 
Capital expenditure.
A measure of the cost of operating production 
expressed in terms of US dollars per pound 
of payable copper produced. Cash costs are stated 
net of by-product credits and include tolling charges 
for concentrates for Los Pelambres and Centinela. 
Cash costs exclude depreciation, financial income and 
expenses, hedging gains and losses, exchange gains 
and losses, and corporation tax.
Carbon Disclosure Project.
Minera Centinela S.A., a 70%-owned subsidiary 
incorporated in Chile that holds the Centinela 
Concentrates and Centinela Cathodes operations.
Copper district located in the Antofagasta region 
of Chile, where Centinela is located. 
Cash-Generating Unit.
Chilean currency.
A commodity exchange that trades metals such as 
gold, silver, copper and aluminium.
Principal legislation for United Kingdom company law.

Antofagasta plc.
Water that comes from the interior of land masses 
including rain, snow, streams, rivers, lakes 
and groundwater.
The UK Corporate Governance Code is a set 
of principles of good corporate governance, most 
of which have their own more detailed provisions 
published by the Financial Reporting Council, 
most recently updated in 2018 and which applies 
to accounting periods beginning on or after 
1 January 2019.
The Directors of the Company.
Duluth Metals Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary 
of Antofagasta plc acquired on 28 January 2015 
through which the Group holds the Twin 
Metals Project.

EBITDA

EIA 
Encuentro

EPS
Esperanza Sur
EU
FCA
FCAB

FTSE100 Index

FTSE All-Share 
Index

GAAP

GHG
Government
Group

Hedge 
accounting

IAS
IASB
ICMM 
IFRIC

IFRS
Inversiones 
Hornitos

IVA

KPI
LIBOR
LME
Los Pelambres

LSE

Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation 
and Amortisation.
Environmental Impact Assessment. 
Copper oxide and sulphide prospect in the Centinela 
Mining District.
Earnings per share.
Copper deposit in the Centinela Mining District.
European Union.
Financial Conduct Authority. UK regulatory body.
Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia, the corporate 
name of our Transport division.
A share index of the 100 companies listed on 
the London Stock Exchange with the highest 
market capitalisation.
A market-capitalisation weighted index representing 
the performance of all eligible companies listed 
on the London Stock Exchange’s main market.
Generally Accepted Accounting Practice or Generally 
Accepted Accounting Principles, a collection of 
commonly-followed accounting rules and 
standards for financial reporting.
Greenhouse Gas.
The Government of the Republic of Chile.
Antofagasta plc and its subsidiary companies and 
joint ventures.
Accounting treatment for derivative financial 
instruments permitted under IAS 39 “Financial 
Instruments: Recognition and Measurement“, which 
recognises the offsetting effects on profit or loss of 
changes in the fair values of a hedging instrument 
and the hedged item.
International Accounting Standards.
International Accounting Standards Board.
International Council on Mining and Metals. 
International Financial Reporting 
Interpretations Committee.
International Financial Reporting Standards.
Inversiones Hornitos S.A. owns the 150MW Hornitos 
thermoelectric power plant in Mejillones in Chile’s 
Antofagasta region. The Group entered into an 
agreement to dispose of its 40% interest in 
April 2020, effective in 2021.
Impuesto al Valor Agregado, or Chilean Value Added 
Tax (Chilean VAT).
Key performance indicator.
London Inter Bank Offered Rate.
London Metal Exchange.
Minera Los Pelambres S.A., a 60%-owned subsidiary 
incorporated in Chile.
London Stock Exchange.

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SERNAGEOMIN

SHFE
SONAMI

Sterling
SVS

SDGs

TCFD
Tethyan

TSR

Twin Metals 
Minnesota 
Project
UK
UKLA
US
US dollar
Zaldívar 

Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería, a 
government agency that provides geological and 
technical advice and regulates the mining industry 
in Chile.
Shanghai Futures Exchange. 
Sociedad Nacional de Minería. Institution that 
represents the mining industry in Chile, for large, 
medium and small scale, metallic and non-metallic 
mining companies.
Pounds sterling, UK currency.
Superintendencia de Valores y Seguros de Chile, 
the Chilean securities regulator.
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, 
which were adopted by all member states in 2015.
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.
Tethyan Copper Company Limited, a 50-50 joint 
venture with Barrick Gold incorporated in Australia.
Total Shareholder Return, being the movement in 
the Company’s share price plus reinvested dividends.
A copper, nickel and platinum group metals 
underground-mining project located in 
Minnesota, US.
United Kingdom.
United Kingdom Listing Authority, part of the FCA.
United States.
United States currency.
Compañía Minera Zaldívar SpA, a 50-50 joint venture 
with Barrick Gold, which operates the Zaldívar 
copper mine in Chile.

LTIFR

LTIP 

Marubeni

Michilla

PEP

Platts 

PPA
Provisional 
pricing

Quiñenco 

Ramsar 
Convention 
Reko Diq

RCA

Realised prices

Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate. The number of 
accidents with lost time during the year per million 
hours worked.
Long Term Incentive Plan in which the Group’s CEO, 
Executive Committee members and other senior 
managers participate. 
Marubeni Corporation, the Group’s 30% minority 
partner in Centinela and Antucoya.
Minera Michilla S.A., a 99.9%-owned subsidiary 
incorporated in Chile which was closed at the 
end of 2015 and sold in November 2016.
Politically Exposed Person, an individual who holds 
or has held a prominent public position in a national 
or international organisation within the last year.
A provider of energy and metals information and 
source of benchmark price assessments.
Power Purchase Agreement.
A sales term in several copper and molybdenum 
concentrate sale agreements and cathodes sale 
agreements that provides for provisional pricing of 
sales at the time of shipment, with final pricing being 
based on the monthly average LME copper price 
or monthly average molybdenum price for specific 
future periods, normally ranging from 30 to 180 
days after delivery to the customer.
Quiñenco S.A., a Chilean financial and industrial 
group listed on the Santiago Stock Exchange and 
controlled by a foundation in which members of 
the Luksic family are interested.
International treaty for the conservation and 
sustainable utilisation of wetlands.
A copper-gold deposit in Pakistan, previously 
a subsidiary of Tethyan and now subject to 
arbitration proceedings.
Resolución de Calificación Ambiental, Environmental 
Approval Resolution.
Effective sale price achieved comparing revenues 
(grossed up for tolling charges for concentrate) 
with sales volumes.

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233

Other Information
Financial Statements 

Glossary and definitions continued

Mining industry

Brownfield 
project
By-products 
(credits in 
copper 
concentrates)

Concentrate

Contained 
copper
Copper cathode

Cut-off grade

Flotation

Grade A copper 
cathode
Greenfield 
project
Heap-leaching 
or leaching

JORC
ktpd 
Life-of-Mine 
(“LOM”)

Mineral 
resources

MW
Net cash cost
Open pit

Ore

A development or exploration project in the vicinity of 
an existing operation.
Products obtained as a result of copper processing. 
Los Pelambres and Centinela Concentrates receive 
credit for the gold and silver content in the copper 
concentrate sold. Los Pelambres and Centinela 
also produce molybdenum concentrate.
The product of a physical concentration process, 
such as flotation or gravity concentration, which 
involves separating ore minerals from unwanted 
waste rock. Concentrates require subsequent 
processing (such as smelting or leaching) to break 
down or dissolve the ore minerals and obtain the 
desired elements, usually metals.
The proportion or quantity of copper contained in 
a given quantity of ore or concentrate.
Refined copper produced by electrolytic refining 
of impure copper by electrowinning. 
The lowest grade of mineralised material considered 
economic to process and used in the calculation of 
ore reserves and mineral resources.
A process of separation by which chemicals in 
solution are added to finely crushed materials, 
some of which are attracted to bubbles and float, 
while others sink, which results in the production 
of concentrate. 
Highest-quality copper cathode, 99.99% pure.

The development or exploration of a new project at 
a previously undeveloped site.
A process for the recovery of copper from ore, 
generally oxides. The crushed material is laid on a 
slightly sloping, impermeable pad and leached by 
uniformly trickling (gravity fed) chemical solution 
through the heaps to collection ponds. The metal 
is then recovered from the solution through the 
SX-EW process.
The Australasian Joint Ore Reserves Committee.
Thousand tonnes per day.
The remaining life of a mine expressed in years, 
calculated by reference to scheduled production 
rates (ie comparing the rate at which ore is 
expected to be extracted from the mine to 
current defined reserves).
Material of intrinsic economic interest occurring in 
such form and quantity that there are reasonable 
prospects for eventual economic extraction. Mineral 
resources are stated inclusive of ore reserves, as 
defined by JORC.
Megawatts (one million watts).
Gross cash costs less by-product credits. 
Mine working or excavation that is open to 
the surface.
Rock from which metal(s) or mineral(s) can be 
economically and legally extracted.

Ore grade

Ore reserves

Oxide and 
sulphide ores

Payable copper

Porphyry

Run-of-Mine 
(“ROM”)

Stockpile
SX-EW

Tailings dam or 
tailings storage 
facility (TSF)

TC/RCs

Tolling charges

Tonne
tpd

Underground 
mine

The relative quantity, or percentage, of metal content 
in an ore body or quantity of processed ore.
Part of Mineral Resources for which appropriate 
assessments have been carried out to demonstrate 
that at a given date extraction could be reasonably 
justified. These include consideration of and 
modification by realistically assumed mining, 
metallurgical, economic, marketing, legal, 
environmental, social and governmental factors.
Different kinds of ore containing copper. Oxide ore 
occurs on the weathered surface of ore-rich lodes 
and normally results in the production of cathode 
copper through a heap-leaching process. Sulphide 
ore is an unweathered parent ore normally treated 
using a flotation process to produce concentrate 
which then requires smelting and refining 
to produce cathode copper.
The proportion or quantity of contained copper for 
which payment is received after metallurgical deduction.
A large body of rock which contains disseminated 
chalcopyrite and other sulphide minerals. Such a 
deposit is mined in bulk on a large scale, generally 
in open pits, for copper and its by-products.
A process for the recovery of copper from ore, 
typically used for low-grade ores. The mined, 
uncrushed ore is leached with a chemical solution. 
The metal is then recovered from the solution 
through the SX-EW process.
Material extracted and piled for future use. 
Solvent extraction and electrowinning. A process for 
extracting metal from an ore and producing pure 
metal. First the metal is leached into solution, the 
resulting solution is then purified in the solvent-
extraction process before being treated in an 
electrochemical process (electrowinning) to 
recover cathode copper.
Construction used to deposit the rock waste which 
remains as a result of the concentrating process 
after the recoverable minerals have been extracted 
in concentrate form.
Treatment and refining charges, being terms used to 
set the smelting and refining charge or margin for 
processing copper concentrate and normally set 
on either an annual or spot basis.
Charges or margins for converting concentrate 
into finished metal. These include TC/RCs, 
price participation and price sharing for 
copper concentrate and roasting charges 
for molybdenum concentrate.
Metric tonne.
Tonnes per day, normally with reference to the 
quantity of ore processed over a given period of 
time expressed as a daily average.
Natural or man-made excavation under the surface 
of the ground.

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Shareholder information

Currency abbreviations

$
$000
$m
£
£000
£m
p
C$
C$m
Ch$
Ch$000
Ch$m
A$
A$000
A$m

US dollar
Thousand US dollars
Million US dollars
Pound sterling
Thousand pounds sterling
Million pounds sterling
Pence sterling
Canadian dollar
Million Canadian dollars
Chilean peso
Thousand Chilean pesos
Million Chilean pesos
Australian dollar
Thousand Australian dollars
Million Australian dollars

Definitions and conversion of weights 
and measures

lb
oz
1 troy ounce
’000 m3
1 kilogramme
1 tonne
’000 tonnes
1 kilometre

Pound
A troy ounce
31.1 grammes
Thousand cubic metres
2.2046 pounds
2,204.6 pounds or 1,000 kilogrammes
Thousand metric tonnes
0.6214 miles

Chemical symbols

Cu
Mo
Au
Ag

Copper
Molybdenum
Gold
Silver

Dividends
Details of dividends proposed in relation to the year are given in the 
Directors’ Report on page 153, and in Note 14 to the Financial Statements.

If approved at the Annual General Meeting, the final dividend of 48.5 cents 
will be paid on 14 May 2021 to ordinary shareholders that are on the 
register at the close of business on 22 April 2021. Shareholders can elect 
(on or before 26 April 2021) to receive this final dividend in US dollars, 
Sterling or Euro, and the exchange rate, which will be applied to final 
dividends to be paid in Sterling or Euro, will be set as soon as reasonably 
practicable after that date, which is currently anticipated to be on 
29 April 2021.

Further details of the currency election timing and process (including the 
default currency of payment) are available on the Antofagasta plc website 
(www.antofagasta.co.uk) or from the Company’s registrar, Computershare 
Investor Services PLC on +44 37 0702 0159.

Dividends are paid gross without deduction of United Kingdom income tax. 
Antofagasta plc is a resident in the United Kingdom for tax purposes.

Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting will be held at Cleveland House, 33 King 
Street, London SW1Y 6RJ at 2.00 pm on Wednesday 12 May 2021. Given 
the constantly evolving nature of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is 
unlikely that the Company will be able to welcome shareholders to the AGM 
in the usual way. Please refer to the Notice of the 2021 Annual General 
Meeting for further information and the resolutions to be proposed at 
the meeting.

London Stock Exchange listing and share price
The Company’s shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Share capital
Details of the Company’s ordinary share capital are given in Note 30 to the 
Financial Statements.

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235

Other Information
Financial Statements 

Shareholder information continued

Shareholder calendar 2020

20 January 2021
16 March 2021
21 April 2021
22 April 2021
23 April 2021
26 April 2021

29 April 2021
12 May 2021
14 May 2021
21 July 2021
19 August 2021
2 September 2021
3 September 2021
6 September 2021

9 September 2021
1 October 2021 
20 October 2021
19 January 2022

Q4 2020 Production Report
Full Year 2020 Results Announcement
Q1 2021 Production Report
2020 Final Dividend – Ex Dividend date
2020 Final Dividend – Record date
2020 Final Dividend – Final date for receipt of 
Currency Elections
2020 Final Dividend – Pound sterling/Euro Rate set
Annual General Meeting
2020 Final Dividend – Payment date
Q2 2021 Production Report
Half Year 2021 Results Announcement 
2021 Interim Dividend – Ex Dividend date
2021 Interim Dividend – Record date
2021 Interim Dividend – Final date for receipt of 
Currency Elections
2021 Interim Dividend – Pound sterling/Euro Rate set
2021 Interim Dividend – Payment date
Q3 2021 Production Report
Q4 2021 Production Report

Dates are provisional and subject to change.

Registrars
Computershare Investor Services PLC
The Pavilions
Bridgwater Road
Bristol
BS99 6ZY
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 370 702 0159
www.computershare.com

Website
www.antofagasta.co.uk

Registered office
Cleveland House
33 King Street
London
SW1Y 6RJ
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7808 0988

Santiago office
Antofagasta Minerals SA
Av. Apoquindo 4001 – Piso 18
Las Condes
Santiago
Chile
Tel: +56 2 2798 7000

Registered number
1627889

Additional information can be found in the Shareholder Information section 
of the Notice of Annual General Meeting and on our website.

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Antofagasta plc
Cleveland House
33 King Street
London
SW1Y 6RJ
United Kingdom