Salar Plant, Salar de Atacama (Albemarle)

Audit details

Assessment type: Initial Audit

Assessment scope:  The assessment will include brine extraction, concentration, and waste disposal areas at the Salar Plant site, located in the Salar de Atacama sector (commune of San Pedro de Atacama), El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region of Chile. During the assessment the impacts and issues associated with the site will be reviewed, and each operation and facility will be visited.

Albemarle proposed in its assessment application form that 21 chapters of the IRMA Standard apply at the Salar de Atacama site, and the company proposes that the following chapters are not relevant (during Stage 1 of the audit, ERM-CVS will assess the company’s proposal for why chapters are not relevant):

• 2.4 – Resettlement
• 3.4 – Mining in Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas
• 3.6 – Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining
• 4.7 – Cyanide Management
• 4.8 – Mercury Management

Audit status: Initial Audit published. IRMA 50 achieved. Read the audit report in english and en español.

Certification body: ERM Certification and Verification Services. (website)

Audit-related complaints

• To provide feedback or to file a complaint about mine performance — its actions or inactions — contact Albemarle directly: Ellen Lenny-Pessagno.
• To provide feedback or file a complaint about the audit results (e.g., achievement level, scores, content of audit reports) contact ERM-CVS at post@ermcvs.com
• To file a complaint about the audit firm (e.g., performance, competencies, potential conflicts of interest, etc.) or the IRMA process: file a complaint with IRMA.

NOTE: No matter what your complaint is about you can always register it with the IRMA Secretariat using one of the methods listed on the Feedback and Complaints page.

More information