In January 2017, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House) reported that BHP Billiton had finished building the seawater desalination scheme for its Escondida copper mine in Chile, with first water due in March 2017. The reverse osmosis plant was rated at 216,000 m³/day (57 MGD); its output was to be pumped some 170 km uphill from Antofagasta port to the mine. BHP's half-year report to 31 December 2016 cited USD 3.43 billion of capital spending on the plant. Doosan built it, with Black & Veatch, Bechtel and Flowserve involved.
The report showed how Chilean copper mining sought to cover its water demand with desalinated seawater, combining plant, long pipelines and pumping stations in a single investment worth billions.