The mining sector has been making fewer headlines in the financial press than we were used to 10 or 15 years ago. However, in January, the largest mining merger of the past twelve months was completed, marking the entry of a new player into the Chilean mining sector.

The company in question is Pan American Silver, a mining company with operations and projects in Peru, Argentina, Mexico, and Guatemala, which acquired Yamana Gold’s Latin American operations for US$4.8 billion. Yamana has projects and operations in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Nicaragua, and Mexico.

Through this transaction, Pan American will add Yamana’s portfolio of projects in Latin America—valued at nearly US$10,000 million—to its assets. TThis includes the US$400 million Agua de la Falda reopening project currently under study, located in Antofagasta, where it is a partner with Codelco. The bulk of Yamana’s projects are located in Argentina.