STRABAG wins €800 million contracts at Chuquicamata Underground in Chile

STRABAG subsidiary ZÜBLIN will develop more than 54 kilometres of tunnels and critical infrastructure for Codelco’s Mina Norte sector, in a major step in Chuquicamata’s transition from open pit to long-life underground mining.

STRABAG, through its subsidiary ZÜBLIN, has secured two major contracts with Codelco worth a combined €800 million for the Chuquicamata Underground Mine in Chile. The work will focus on the Mina Norte sector and forms part of the long-term transformation of Chuquicamata, historically known as the world’s largest open-pit copper mine, into a modern underground operation. The project is scheduled for completion in 2031.

Mina Norte works include more than 54 kilometres of tunnels

According to STRABAG, the contracts cover the development of more than 54 kilometres of tunnels along with associated critical infrastructure. The goal is to extend the mine’s operating life by several decades while also improving its environmental performance.

The project is expected to mobilize around 1,200 workers, making it one of the largest mining construction programs currently underway in Chile.

ZÜBLIN deepens its long-standing role in Chilean mining

STRABAG said ZÜBLIN has been active in Chile for nearly 40 years, delivering major mining, tunnelling and energy infrastructure projects. The company added that the Mina Norte award strengthens its position as a key contractor in large-scale mining and reinforces its footprint in markets outside Europe.

The group also said it has completed projects in Chile worth more than €6 billion to date, supported by a track record of more than 380 kilometres of tunnels and the movement of several hundred million tonnes of excavated material.

Chuquicamata transition remains one of Chile’s flagship mining projects

The new contracts are part of Chuquicamata’s broader underground transition, one of the most important structural mining projects in Chile. The shift is aimed at sustaining long-term production from deeper sections of the orebody after decades of large-scale open-pit operations.

ZÜBLIN also highlighted its previous work under the Chuquicamata Subterránea contract from 2016 to 2024, where it said tunnel development reached up to 1,900 metres per month, underscoring the company’s ability to deliver complex underground mining works at pace.