News

Together with Mauricio Vera, an executive from Codelco – Salvador Division, the SMI-ICE-Chile researcher presented at one of the plenary sessions on: «Learning and reflections from the Salar de Pedernales Enhancement Plan.»

With outstanding participation as speakers, the Center’s research team concluded its participation in this International Conference, organized by Gecamin, which brought together executives, professionals, and academics with expertise in the environment, sustainability, and social responsibility.

The spin-off company OreSand Inc., headed by Professor Daniel Franks of the Sustainable Minerals Institute, is already in talks with the Chilean mining industry about the possibility of applying this renowned technological development in Chile, which drastically reduces waste and produces sand as a by-product.

SMI-ICE-Chile researcher Dr. Yendery Ramírez Ángel spoke at the Foundation of Mineral Processing & Extractive Metallurgy (FoMPEM) international conference, organized by the University of Antofagasta and Wuhan University (China), which recently took place in San Pedro de Atacama.

With the support of the Australian Embassy in Chile, SMI-ICE-Chile held the meeting «Puentes Australes: Forging the future of mining through Australia-Chile collaboration», which was attended by the Minister of Mining Aurora Williams, leaders of the main mining companies operating in Chile, union representatives, academics and experts from the University of Queensland and the technology transfer company JKTech.

In the context of Rick Valenta’s visit to Chile, Director of Sustainable, we held a fruitful working meeting with officials from the Universidad del Desarrollo and the Center for Research in Technologies for Society (C+) of the UDD School of Engineering, an institution with which we have maintained a close relationship for several years.

As part of the Salar de Pedernales Enhancement project, researchers from SMI-ICE-Chile published a study in Plant Environment Interactions on the factors that contribute to water deficit and salinity in the main species that make up the vegetation systems of this salt flat and its surrounding streams.

Laura Mottola represented us as a speaker at the CIIT Latam Congress 2025, recently held in Lima. Doug Aitken took advantage of the opportunity to hold a series of meetings with government authorities, academic and industry leaders to explore opportunities for collaboration in the neighboring country.

On March 28, 1965, an earthquake with its epicentre in Cabildo and La Ligua collapsed two tailings’ dams at the El Soldado copper mine, killing more than 300 people and almost completely burying the town of El Cobre. It is one of the biggest mining tragedies in Chile and worldwide.