Constitutional court rejects request against dominga and clears way for new attempt to stop the project

The Constitutional Court declared inadmissible the motion of unconstitutionality filed by Oceana, the Environmental Defense Movement of La Higuera, the Los Choros Rural Drinking Water Committee, and the Association of Small Agricultural Landowners of Los Choros, ruling that it lacked plausible or reasonable grounds in accordance with Article 93 of the Constitution and the Organic Constitutional Law governing the court itself.
The legal action sought to prevent the First Environmental Court from enforcing its rulings in the context of the litigation over the environmental resolution favorable to Dominga. The Constitutional Court ruled that the request did not meet the standard of admissibility, adding to a series of previous decisions that have dismissed attempts to halt the project’s progress through the courts. In June of this year, the same court rejected a jurisdictional dispute filed by the Environmental Assessment Service, validating the powers of the Environmental Court.
According to Andes Iron, the ruling reinforces the rule of law, confirming that Dominga fully complies with Chile’s legal framework and has been upheld by all relevant technical and judicial authorities, except for those driven by purely political considerations.
The company warned that it is inappropriate to continue using legal actions and institutions to prevent the execution of a project that has already been approved. “Good investments cannot be held up by underhanded actions that only seek to delay projects that comply with the law. Dominga has successfully passed all technical evaluations and is now moving forward with obtaining its sectoral permits. This initiative will bring progress to the Coquimbo Region and opportunities for families of La Higuera,” said Francisco Villalón, Andes Iron’s Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Manager.
Although some proceedings remain pending, brought either by government authorities or by project opponents, the company is confident that its strong legal and technical record will continue to support the project’s advancement. Securing the remaining sectoral permits will clear the way for construction to begin, reinforcing Andes Iron’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable regional development.
With an investment of US$2.5 billion, Dominga represents an unprecedented boost at the regional level, in an area with a long mining tradition that has been neglected and impoverished for many years.