This three-year contract covers water intake and the production of desalinated water by reverse osmosis.

Cerro Lindo is a mine located south of Lima, in the Ica region, on the edge of the Topará River ravine. The river water is used by the local Chavín communities and downstream in the Topará Valley. Passing through an arid and desert region, the river's low flow rate is a real challenge for developing the region's agriculture.

In 2007, Cerro Lindo became the first mining site in Peru to stop using river water for its mining operations. Its desalination plant supplies the site with industrial process water without weighing on the region's water stress.

The seawater intake is on the Peruvian coast. The water is desalinated by Veolia using the reverse osmosis process, before being transported 40km away at the Cerro Lindo site, which is at an altitude of 1,850m. The desalination plant has an industrial process water production capacity of 48L/s of water to meet the Cerro Lindo site's needs.

Starting in 2016, the output will be raised to 60L/s of desalinated water, that is, a 20% improvement in the plant's performance from its current level. Veolia stated that it was selected for its capacity to ensure continuous production availability, and system and water treatment reliability in accordance with the most stringent safety and environmental standards.

Ramon Rebuelta, director, Latin America zone at Veolia, explained: “Seawater desalination for process water is a rapidly expanding activity in areas of Latin America suffering from water stress. By choosing Veolia, Milpo has confirmed that the Company's solutions and expertise, especially in the area of water production for the mining industry, are crucial to ensuring high quality, environmentally friendly operations.”