On July 8, Capstone Copper (TSX: CS; ASX: CSC) announced it has received the key DIA environmental permit for its Mantoverde Optimized (MV-O) expansion project in Chile’s Atacama region. The permit marks a major milestone, allowing the company to move forward with a low-capex brownfield expansion of its sulphide concentrator. The MV-O project will boost processing capacity from 32,000 to 45,000 tonnes per day and extend the mine life from 19 to 25 years, enabling an additional 20,000 tonnes of annual copper production for approximately $150 million in capital. Capstone sees MV-O, together with its nearby Santo Domingo project, as a foundation for building one of the largest low-cost copper districts globally. Long-lead item procurement worth $20 million has already been approved in Q2 2025, with full construction pending board sanctioning. Mantoverde is 70%-owned by Capstone and 30% by Mitsubishi Materials. Commercial production from the sulphide circuit began in September 2024, with throughput already exceeding nameplate capacity in early 2025.