Halo Minerals PLC (AIM: HALO) has secured a significant legal victory after Chile’s First Environmental Tribunal rejected a challenge to the environmental approval of its Playa Verde copper recovery project.
The Tribunal dismissed the claim in its entirety, upholding the October 2025 environmental approval granted by Chile’s Committee of Ministers and confirming that the permitting process had been conducted lawfully.
The court ruled that the Committee of Ministers had sufficient technical evidence to conclude the project does not pose a significant risk to human health and endorsed Halo’s commitment to reduce arsenic concentrations in processed material returned to the beach to a maximum of 47mg/kg.
The Tribunal also agreed that Playa Verde will improve the environmental condition of the site by reducing arsenic levels in historic tailings, while classifying one procedural issue relating to contaminants other than arsenic as a non-essential defect that does not affect the legality of the approval.
Halo said the ruling substantially de-risks the project as it advances towards development.
The company continues to optimise the project’s economics to bankable feasibility study standard, with updated CAPEX and OPEX estimates expected in the coming weeks. It is also progressing permitting work, environmental studies and discussions with potential funding partners.
In parallel, Halo has appointed specialist Chilean community and ESG advisers to support stakeholder engagement as the project moves towards financing and development.
The company continues to target a final investment decision (FID) for Playa Verde by the end of 2026, subject to the completion of technical studies, permitting activities and project financing.
Andrew Dennan, Chief Executive Officer of Halo Minerals, commented:
“We are delighted by the Tribunal’s decision, which represents a significant milestone de-risking Playa Verde and validating the extensive technical, environmental and scientific work undertaken by the project team over many years. The Tribunal has confirmed the legality of the Project’s environmental approval and has dismissed the claim in full. Importantly, the judgment recognises that Playa Verde will improve environmental conditions within the project area through the reduction of arsenic concentrations in historic tailings material whilst supporting the recovery of copper from an existing waste deposit. We would like to thank our Chilean team, advisers and stakeholders for their continued support throughout this process. We look forward to progressing the development of Playa Verde and updating shareholders on the next stages of the project in due course.”
