In a significant turn of events, the Aznalcollar mine is poised to restart operations this summer. This decision comes following the approval from the Junta de Andalucía for the exploitation project proposed by Minera Los Frailes, the company overseeing the operation. Jorge Paradela, the regional minister of Industry, Energy, and Mines, announced the news in the town of Aznalcollar, alongside its mayor, Juan José Fernández Garrido, who has been a stalwart supporter of the mine's reopening. The mayor believes this move will revitalize the local economy, which has suffered from population decline since the mine's closure due to a disastrous event 27 years ago, when a dam failure released millions of tons of toxic waste into the Guadiamar River.

“It hasn’t been an easy road to reach this point. This project represents one of the most complex undertakings we've processed in the Junta de Andalucía,” highlighted Paradela. The final approval took longer than expected, as initial forecasts following the unified environmental authorization last summer suggested preparatory work could start by late 2024 or early 2025.

The authorization process encountered delays due to various objections from environmental groups. They have raised concerns about the lack of safety measures and potential toxic discharges into the Guadalquivir River resulting from the mine's excavation activities.

The project is set to inject approximately 500 million euros into the economy, creating around one thousand direct, indirect, and induced jobs during the construction phase, and about 2,000 during the operational phase. The mine is expected to operate for at least 20 years, considering the three-year preparatory phase as stated by Paradela.

Future operations aim to extract around 45 million tons of polymetallic sulfides, including zinc, lead, and copper, with an estimated annual production of 2.7 million tons.

The memories of the disaster nearly three decades ago have prompted the Andalusian administration to stress the differences between the new project and its predecessor, emphasizing enhanced safety and control measures which environmentalists continue to scrutinize. “This isn’t merely a reopening; it’s a completely new venture involving an underground mine rather than an open-pit mine, without waste dams,” stressed Paradela. He also pointed out that some waste from the mineral processing will be reused as backfill within the mine, while other portions will be deposited in one of the former mine pits, Aznalcóllar, for restoration purposes.

With the exploitation project now authorized, Minera Los Frailes will embark on a three-year pre-opening phase. This includes constructing a water treatment plant and a tunnel for water transportation, alongside the mine’s underground galleries, a process expected to last 18 months. The project will also involve draining water from the Los Frailes pit, where the mine will be located, and extracting part of the water from the neighboring Aznalcollar pit, which contains higher levels of contaminants.

By late 2027 or early 2028, the actual mining activities are expected to commence, focusing primarily on copper, zinc, and lead extraction over the next 17 years.

“Today marks a pivotal moment for the Aznalcollar mine. Aznalcollar has its mine, the region has its mine, and the 8,000 miners who were awaiting this project's approval now see hope as the future of mining in Andalusia hinges on Aznalcollar,” stated the mayor during the event.

The mine holds 45 million tons of copper, zinc, and lead reserves, and the company plans to extract 2.7 million tons annually. Alongside the mining activities, the project also includes the rehabilitation of the surrounding area, spanning 500 hectares, which houses the two pits, the waste pile, and contaminated soils.

However, as Paradela acknowledged, the project still faces legal challenges. The environmentalists have filed an appeal with the administrative court of the Andalusian Superior Court of Justice against the unified environmental authorization. Additionally, there is an ongoing legal procedure concerning the Junta's concession of the exploitation rights to Minera Los Frailes, which is jointly owned by Grupo México and Magtel, and contested by Emerita Resources, expected to be resolved by 2025. A few months ago, another court rejected Emerita’s appeal against Minera Los Frailes to gain exploitation rights, ruling against their claim.