The Stream, January 14: Copper Mining in Chile’s Desert Gets Thirstier

The Global Rundown

Water consumption by copper mining in Chile is projected to increase dramatically in coming years. In India, river-linking projects could begin as early as April, and hundreds of illegal water burials are clogging a Ganges tributary with bodies. Your BPA-free water bottle may not be as healthy as you think. The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence shipping industry is receiving a large shot of investment.

“The future of water supply in Chilean mining will come from the sea.” — Jorge Cantallopts, research head at Chile’s state copper commission, on the expected increase in water consumption by the Chilean copper mining industry. (Reuters)

By The Numbers

66 percent – Projected increase in water consumption for Chile’s copper mining industry by 2025. The majority of copper mining in Chile takes place in the Atacama Desert, and the increased water demand is expected to be met mainly through desalination. Reuters

102 – Number of bodies found floating in a tributary of the Ganges River in the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh. The bodies are thought to be water burials, which are illegal in India but still occur as a result of traditional beliefs and/or the high costs of cremation. Associated Press

Science, Studies, And Reports

A new study has shown that the replacement for bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that was largely phased out in water bottles, baby bottles and other products due to health concerns, could be just as bad as BPA itself. BPA has now often been replaced by a similar chemical called bisphenol-S, or BPS. Scientists at the University of Calgary have published the results of a study which found that BPS affects prenatal neurodevelopment in zebrafish just as much as BPA. The paper, which published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, ends by urging a phaseout of all bisphenols from consumer products. Huffington Post

On The Radar

The results of an investment survey show that nearly $US 6 billion is currently being spent on asset renewal and infrastructure improvements in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence shipping system. Investments are being made in ports, terminals, ship fleets and waterway infrastructure. Chamber of Marine Commerce

Work on the first in a series of planned river-linking projects in India could begin as early as April, according to an official from the Indian water ministry. This particular project would connect the Ken and Betwa rivers and is expected to bring drinking water to 1.35 million people. Bloomberg