The growing demand for critical minerals, driven by electrification, digitalization, and the expansion of data centers, has placed water at the center of the debate. At CERAWeek 2026, Oscar Scarpari analyzed how a structural constraint can be transformed into a long-term solution based on collaboration and integration.

Behind the global energy and digital transition, there are not only new technologies or energy sources, but also an increasing demand for critical minerals, particularly copper, whose production poses increasingly complex challenges in terms of natural resources—especially water.

This was one of the core ideas present in the two appearances of Oscar Scarpari, CEO of Techint E&C, at CERAWeek 2026, where he participated both in the Agora space with a presentation on desalination projects, and in the Carbon & Climate Hub, in a session focused on the role of water in today’s international context.

The growth of electrification, data centers, and artificial intelligence has emerged as a systemic phenomenon, with impacts throughout the entire productive and energy chain. But it is not only about where new infrastructure is located—it is also about the set of activities that enable its operation and supply.

“Sometimes we focus on a single point, like the data center itself, but there is also the power plant, the energy source, the raw materials, or the semiconductor factory. The whole chain has to be part of the conversation, not just one part,” Scarpari said.

Projections indicate that copper demand could grow by nearly 70% by 2050, driven by both traditional economic development and the energy transition and digitalization.

“Latin America plays a strategic role in this scenario: it concentrates around 40% of global production and will be one of the main supplying regions in the coming decades, with Chile and Peru leading, and growing potential in other countries in the region,” he highlighted.

This relevance, however, coexists with a structural constraint affecting much of global mining. In Latin America, many current and future deposits are located in areas of high water stress, where water is scarce and competes with essential uses such as human consumption and agriculture.

“Producing copper is extremely water-intensive, and today many mines are located in areas where water is under stress or competing with other uses,” Scarpari warned.

In the face of this challenge, desalination emerges as a structural and long-term solution. From an engineering standpoint, it is a mature, proven, and available technology capable of supporting the development of new projects without putting pressure on continental water sources.

“Desalination is a fully available technology and has been used for decades in different parts of the world,” he explained.

The case of Chile clearly illustrates this process. Supported by regulatory frameworks and long-standing public policies, the country has advanced in progressively replacing the use of continental water with seawater in mining, enabling new operations in environments of extreme water scarcity, such as the Atacama Desert.

During his Agora presentation, Scarpari described infrastructure projects that integrate desalination plants, pumping systems, and long-distance pipelines to transport large volumes of water from the coast to mining operations located more than 3,000 meters above sea level and at distances exceeding 160 kilometers.

“We are talking about infrastructure that consumes nearly 2,000 liters per second and transports water more than 3,000 meters in altitude and over distances greater than 160 kilometers,” he said.

In recent years, these types of solutions have evolved from schemes designed for a single industry to broader territorial integration models. Scarpari emphasized the importance of considering all stakeholders and having clear rules that accompany projects from their conception.

“It doesn’t matter if the project is in northern Chile or the United States: the key is collaboration and considering all stakeholders. Behind good projects, there is regulation and shared policies,” he stated.

This approach is reflected in experiences such as Antofagasta, where urban water supply is fully based on desalinated water, and new schemes are emerging for the reuse of treated wastewater for mining—models that help close the water cycle and further reduce pressure on natural resources.

“Ten or fifteen years ago, solutions were isolated, designed for a single industry. Today we see full integration among multiple players to achieve accessibility and sustainability,” he explained.

Ensuring water access also requires improving cost efficiency and scalability to avoid new forms of competition and expand access to an essential resource:

“The challenge now is to make the technology increasingly cost-efficient to avoid competition and expand access to water for the entire population, not only those who can afford it,” he concluded.