One of the charges was considered "very serious" - the highest of three levels of infringement - for non-compliance dating back to a 2014 sanction.

Chile's environmental regulator has filed four charges against Anglo American's major Los Bronces copper mine for failing to comply with environmental permits, the agency said Monday.

The charges could carry a fine of nearly 17 billion pesos (US$17.17 million), according to the Environmental Superintendency (SMA).

Los Bronces is one of Chile's largest copper mines, producing 255,000 metric tons last year, and a key project for Anglo American, which has been a takeover target for larger rival BHP.

Anglo American did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

One charge was deemed "very serious" - the highest of three levels of infringement - for non-compliance dating back to a 2014 sanction.

At that time, the SMA found that Anglo American Sur, the local unit that operates Los Bronces, failed to resolve the acid drainage at the Esteriles Donoso tailings deposit, designed to contain mining waste.

"The company has not implemented a definitive solution... it constitutes a repetition of previously sanctioned acts," the SMA said in a statement.