Capstone Copper announces $3 billion investment in Chile's Atacama region

Its Santo Domingo project has no construction decision yet, and Capstone expects a final investment decision in the fourth quarter of 2026, according to Chilean mining publication REDIMIN.

Capstone Copper has announced a $3 billion investment plan in Chile's Atacama region. The plan puts $3 billion of the company's capital behind its operations there.

Capstone describes its Santo Domingo project as Chile's only fully permitted greenfield project, meaning a new site not yet developed, and says it is located in the Atacama region, according to the company's website. Santo Domingo has no construction decision yet. Capstone expects a final investment decision on the project in the fourth quarter of 2026, after detailed engineering, cost updates and a financing structure are complete, REDIMIN reports.

The $176 million Mantoverde Optimized expansion is under construction. Capstone targets about 375,000 tonnes of copper a year as a long-term scenario, REDIMIN reports. The company produced 225,000 tonnes in 2025 and has guided to 200,000 to 230,000 tonnes for 2026. At the end of June 2026, Capstone reported available liquidity of US$1,082.5 million.

Capstone has already agreed a deal with Orion Resource Partners worth up to $360 million for a 25% stake in Santo Domingo and Sierra Norte. Orion pays $225 million after a positive final investment decision, $75 million more within six months, and up to $60 million in milestone payments, Mining.com reports. Capstone will release its third-quarter 2026 results on October 29, after the market close, the Globe and Mail reports.