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By NASAThe original uploader was Seth Ilys at English Wikipedia .

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Found in the Atacama desert of northern Chile , the Escondida mine ’ s ownership is split between BHP ( 57.5 %), Rio Tinto ( 30 %), and a Mitsubishi-led joint venture ( 12.5 % combined ). In 2016 , the mine accounted for 5 % of the world ’ s copper production , although in recent years its yield has begun to diminish . BHP said in its FY2019 report on the mine ’ s efficacy that Escondida ’ s copper production had dropped by 6 % over the previous financial year to 1,135kt , although this was an expected decline given the firm ’ s prediction of a 12 % slip in copper grades . In 2018 , BHP opened the Escondida Water Supply desalination plant which , at the time , was the largest in Latin America . The plant has been gradually scaling up operations , with desalinated water making up 40 % of water used at the site at the end of FY2019 , and an expansion of the desalination plant was due to begin delivery during the first half of 2020 .

SUMMER / AUTUMN 2020