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Through an analysis of copper and lithium production in Chile, this article focuses on the material conditions for the energy transition. Chile is the world’s largest producer of copper and second largest producer of lithium, two strategic metals associated with network electrification and renewable energy production. The rise in global demand and prices for these metals since the 2000s has many implications for Chile, on different scales. While the world market is increasingly dependent on Chilean exports, national development trajectories are also being determined by the extractive sector. They especially raise questions about the role of large mining companies in territorial development, as well as the consideration for the mining actors’ environmental impacts. In a context of climate change, ecological issues also represent a challenge for companies to maintain their activities in the short and medium term in the areas where they are located.