Rare-earth resources in Chile
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Chile is relatively unexplored[1] for rare-earth elements (REEs). The Chilean Ministry of Mining has led efforts to characterize REE resources in the country.[2] Chile's main REEs resources have been identified as of 2026 to lie in the commune of Penco near the coast in central Chile and in the Norte Chico between Coquimbo and Copiapó.[3]
Old tailings from the mining of other resources have also been identified as potential sources of rare-earth metals in Chile.[1][4] Reprocessing of the tailings for REE extraction is expected to be water and energy intensive and will also generate new tailings.[4]
Rare-earth mining Chile operates under the general laws that apply to other forms of mining lacking a specific legal framework.[1] In March 2026 Chile signed an agreement with the United States with regards to the exploitation and commercialization of rare-earth metals. This move has been interpreted by analysts an attempt by the United States to diminish Chinese influence in the rare-earth metals market.[3]
Penco Module and nearby deposits
Since at least 2016 the company Aclara Resources, which its owned in 55.9% by Hochschild Mining and 10.1% by CAP, has been developing plans to commercially exploit rare-earth metals nexto to Penco.[5] The project, known as Penco Module (Spanish: Módulo Penco), has as of March 2026 its environmental impact assessment was under evaluation by the Environmental Assessment Service.[5] If approved the mine is planned to produce an average of 811 tons of RRE-oxides annually,[5] starting production in 2028.[6] The mine in Penco is part of scheme by Aclara Resources that includes more mines in Brazil and a rare-earth separator plant in Louisiana in the United States to be supplied with the output from its future mines.[5] The mining project in Penco had been previously rejected by the National Forest Corporation for its impact on the tree species Citronella mucronata.[6] The 2026 Chilean wildfires occurred in January over much of the project area wiping out both the native forest histing the Citronella mucronata and exotic forest plantations.[6][7] The fact that the wildfire could potentially benefit the mining project and that it allegedly started simultaneously in patches of native forest led to accusations of the fires being intentional on behalf of Aclara Resources.[6][7]
About 60 km south of Penco regolith formed from granites of the Coastal Batholith of central Chile in Cordillera de Nahuelbuta have been investigated as a source of rare-earth metals.[8] North of Penco NeoRe and Chilean Cobalt Corp have together explored for REE in the coastal communes of Chanco, Cobquecura and Pelluhue.[5]