Illegal mining in Chile
Illegal mining is a concern in Chile. As of 2025 it was considered to be on the rise but still far below the levels of neighbouring countries like Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.{{Cite news |title=Perú enfrenta auge de minería informal mientras Chile consolida modelo de control institucional |date=2025-06-27 |url=https://www.mineriayfuturo.cl/noticias/peru-enfrenta-auge-de-mineria-informal-mientras-chile-consolida-modelo-de-control-institucional/ |access-date=2025-07-01 |work=Minería y Futuro |language=es}} In 2024 there were 20 formal complaints of illegal mining before the National Geology and Mining Service. There is as of 2025 no large-scale illegal mining in Chile and most illegal mining is deemed equivalent to small-scale theft from prospects or closed mines.{{Cite news |title=Minería ilegal en Chile: Las cifras detrás del tipo de extracción que terminó en un derrumbe fatal en Copiapó |last=Guzmán |first=José Tomás |date=2025-03-04 |url=https://www.emol.com/noticias/Economia/2025/03/04/1159207/mineria-ilegal-chile.html |access-date=2025-03-05 |work=Emol |language=es}} Illegal mining in Chile lacks so far the typical structures of organized crime.
Illegal mining is greatly overrepresented relative to legal mining in deadly accidents in Chile.{{Cite web |title=Sernageomin hace enérgico llamado a no ejercer actividades mineras sin respectivos permisos |url=https://www.sernageomin.cl/sernageomin-hace-energico-llamado-a-no-ejercer-actividades-mineras-sin-respectivos-permisos/ |date=2020-09-04 |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=Sernageomin.cl |language=es}} The fact that most small-scale mining in Chile focus on copper, which means handling large volumes difficult to smuggle or hide has been thought to be a contributing factor to the low levels of illegal mining.{{Cite journal |title=La formalización de la pequeña minería en Chile: logros y desafíos de la Empresa Nacional de Minería (ENAMI) |journal=Investigaciones Geográficas |last=Scholvin |first=Sören |volume=66 |pages=1–13 |last2=Atienza |first2=Miguel |language=es}} State-owned company Empresa Nacional de Minería has also a role in
disincentivise illegal mining among small-scale miners by providing them with; free legal advice, technical and financial assistance in addition to purchasing their ore.
The term chucullero is sometimes used pejoratively for artisan miners known as pirquineros who carry out illegal mining, but this is not always the case as chucullero also refers more generally to any pirquinero specialized in precious metals, mostly gold.{{Cite web |title=chucullero |url=https://www.tesauroregional.cl/terminos/3598 |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Tesauro Regional Patrimonial|publisher=Centro de Documentación de Bienes Patrimoniales |language=es |quote=Término utilizado para designar, por lo general, a pirquineros especialmente dedicados a la tarea de extraer pequeños volúmenes de oro. El término también se usa de forma negativa para identificar a los extractores ilegales de metales preciosos.}}
Some communes where illegal mining have been reported in the 2020s are: Hijuelas in Valparaíso Region, Illapel in Coquimbo Region and Copiapó and Huasco in Atacama Region.{{Cite news |title=CDE presenta querella por minería ilegal en el Parque Nacional Llanos de Challe |last=González Encina |first=Verónica |date=2022-02-21 |url=https://www.reporteminero.cl/noticia/noticias/2022/02/cde-presenta-querella-mineria-ilegal-parque-nacional-llanos-challe |access-date=2025-03-04 |work=Reporte Minero & Energético |language=es}}{{Cite news |title=Qué se sabe del accidente químico en mina ilegal que dejó tres muertos en Hijuelas |last=Gómez S. |first=Rodrigo |date=2024-12-18 |url=https://www.latercera.com/nacional/noticia/que-se-sabe-del-accidente-quimico-en-mina-ilegal-que-dejo-tres-muertos-en-hijuelas/4O5PJB3FLRGQPE5WYT5HG7OPUE/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |work=La Tercera |language=es}} The placer deposits of some areas of difficult access in Patagonia are also subject to sporadic small-scale illegal gold mining.
Llanos de Challe National Park had an incident of illegal mining in 2021.