Despite recently calling upon mining companies to conserve fresh water usage within the country, the Chilean government is now mooting its importation from Argentina. Last year, BHP Billiton seriously considered draining water from across the Chile-Argentina border. At that time the company acknowledged that it could take supplies from the sea, and then desalinate them. However, the option was considered too costly.
Read more at http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=9431.