Prieto Abogados was honored in the Deal of the Year – Project Finance: Energy and Natural Resources category at the Latin Lawyer Awards 2025 for its key role in advising on the EPC contract and financing of the Minera Centinela expansion, one of the most significant and sustainable mining projects in Latin America in recent years.
Prieto advised the Chilean-Italian consortium Empresa Constructora Bonatti – SK, formed by Bonatti, an Italian leader in the construction of plants and pipelines for the international energy industry, and Sigdo Koppers Ingeniería y Construcción, a well-known Chilean construction and assembly company for the international energy and mining sectors. The team led the negotiation of an EPC contract for a seawater conveyance system, including the construction and commissioning of a new 144-kilometre-long impulsion system with a capacity of 650 litres per second (SIAM II), to be built alongside the existing infrastructure (SIAM I) for the operation of Minera Centinela, owned by Antofagasta Minerals.
The EPC contract was entered into with the development consortium formed by Almar Water Solutions, a leading Spanish water infrastructure developer, and Transelec, a renowned Chilean power transmission company. This consortium will lead the financing, acquisition, and operation of the SIAM I and SIAM II facilities through a US$1.5 billion senior financing, provided by a syndicate of more than 25 local and international banks and financial institutions.
The project forms part of the Nueva Centinela development, which will add approximately 144,000 tons of copper, 3,500 tons of molybdenum, and 130,000 ounces of gold per year. Notably, it will not use inland water resources or involve desalination, preserving the region’s natural resources while limiting emissions associated with mining operations. The project is considered one of the most important for Chile’s mining industry in recent times, due to the scale of the financing, its positive environmental impact, and the estimated 1,500 new jobs it will generate in the region.
This award highlights Prieto Abogados’ commitment to providing innovative and strategic legal solutions for complex, large-scale projects. The recognition underscores the firm’s leadership in project finance and its ability to contribute to initiatives that drive sustainable development and economic growth in the region.
Prieto Abogados played a key role in negotiating the EPC contract, related agreements, and financing documents associated with the project. The firm’s team — Nicolás Yuraszeck, Mario Gorziglia, José María Lagos, Emilia Valenzuela, Josefa Reyes, and Aníbal Larraín — was instrumental in successfully managing the complexity of this high-impact transaction.