In this episode, we chat with Andy Dennan, CEO of Halo Minerals to explore the story behind their Playa Verde copper project in Chile and what sets it apart in today’s evolving mining landscape.

We start with an overview of Halo Minerals and what drew the team to Playa Verde, before diving into why this tailings project could represent a more sustainable approach to copper development. Andy shares insights on the environmental advantages, as well as the key challenges the project faces as it moves forward. We also discuss the growing importance of copper in the global energy transition, and how projects like Playa Verde fit into the broader conversation around critical minerals, supply chains, and resource security.

Finally, we touch on Chile’s role as a mining jurisdiction, common pitfalls around permitting and community engagement, Halo’s recent IPO in London, and what success looks like for the next 12 months.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Halo Minerals focuses on ESG metals by reprocessing surface-accumulated legacy mining waste, effectively turning environmental liabilities into critical resource assets.
Beyond copper recovery, the Playa Verde project includes a commitment to reduce arsenic concentrations to 47 parts per million or less, eventually returning the beach to the local community for recreational use.
With copper demand driven by AI data centres, renewable energy, and EVs, projects in stable jurisdictions like Chile are becoming essential for global supply chain security.
By processing pre-crushed tailings at the surface rather than traditional hard-rock mining, the project avoids the high energy costs, blasting, and long lead times associated with greenfield developments.

BEST MOMENTS

"It feels a lot less lonely being in the mining industry than the oil and gas industry... in the wake of that sort of ESG movement, people were really focused on the footprint globally of these heavy industries."

"We get to make money while doing good for the world or operating with a lower environmental footprint than new greenfield mines."

"We’re sort of one supply disruption away from $20,000 a ton copper price."

"The value of a copper deposit today is more weighted by where it is and who it can be sold to without a 50% penalty... jurisdictions with free trade agreements with the US, like Chile, have become the most valuable real estate in the mining world."

GUEST RESOURCES

https://halominerals.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/halominerals/

https://x.com/HaloMinerals

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Mail: ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠

X: ⁠https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast⁠

Web: ⁠http://www.mining-international.org⁠

CONTACT METHOD

⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠

Podcast Description

Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/