Minera Los Frailes, a subsidiary of Grupo México and holder of the mining rights for Aznalcóllar, continues to make progress in the development of the future mine. The company has formally awarded the water treatment plant contract to Aqualia Industrial, the industrial division of Aqualia, which provides integrated water solutions for industrial projects. The project requires an investment of €60 million and marks the beginning of the construction of the infrastructure needed for the development. 

Minera Los Frailes selected Aqualia Industrial two years ago, following a competitive process, to develop a state-of-the-art plant that will be essential to meeting the operation's environmental objectives.  

Following the granting of the Unified Environmental Authorisation (AAU), the company has completed the preliminary operational and administrative procedures required for construction, including obtaining the building permit from the Aznalcóllar Town Council. As a result, Aqualia Industrial can begin construction of the facility, which is expected to take 20 months to complete. Priority will be given to locally manufactured equipment and Andalusian subcontractors, in line with the project's overall approach. 

The plant is a key infrastructure asset for water management within the mining project, which aims to provide a definitive solution to the environmental challenges that have affected the area for decades. 

The facility will employ a multi-stage physicochemical treatment process, combining neutralisation and final polishing to adapt treatment to the characteristics of each water stream. More than 80% of the water used in the operation will be reused within the process after treatment. 
Minera Los Frailes is currently investing €5.5 million in a geological and geotechnical investigation programme aimed at improving knowledge of the site's mineral resources and evaluating the possibility of extending the project's lifespan. The work will also provide further understanding of the geotechnical conditions required for safe and efficient mining operations. 

The company also expects to award the engineering contract for the mineral processing plant shortly, one of the main elements of the first investment phase. This phase, led by Grupo México, involves €450 million, of which €350 million corresponds to two major industrial contracts: the mineral processing plant and the underground mining works. 

The project is expected to involve more than 1,000 professionals over the next three years, alongside the development of the main infrastructure. Construction of the water treatment plant is already underway. 

The future operation will be developed through underground mining and will incorporate technological solutions designed to improve safety and operational efficiency. These include autonomous systems and conveyor-belt transport, which will reduce workers' exposure to certain tasks and optimise ore handling.  
By 2029, when mining operations are scheduled to begin, the project is expected to create around 2,000 jobs: approximately 1,200 direct and indirect jobs and a further 800 induced jobs resulting from the project's economic impact on the region. During the construction phase, employment is expected to exceed 1,000 positions, many of them linked to technical and highly skilled profiles. 

Environmental sustainability is another key pillar of the project. Nearly 20% of the total investment is allocated to environmental initiatives, focusing particularly on the protection of water resources, conservation of the surrounding environment and remediation of historical mining liabilities. 
In terms of waste management, the project does not include the construction of tailings dams or sludge ponds. Mining process residues will be converted into cemented paste backfill for filling underground voids, reducing the need for permanent storage facilities. 

Alongside the reactivation of mining activities, the company is implementing a programme to rehabilitate legacy mining liabilities, including works on spoil heaps and historically affected land. Restoration solutions will be based on geomorphological design and the use of by-products, incorporating circular economy principles. 

The project will also include a dedicated environmental monitoring system, with controls on water and receiving environments to ensure compliance with environmental standards throughout operations.