Mining is one of the economic activities that generate most growth and development in Chile. From its beginnings, the sector was one of the most polluting, but is currently undergoing a true revolution towards sustainability.
The “Latam Mobility: ConoSur 2023”, received a differentiating panel with two women at the head to talk about “Sustainable Mining: The Great Opportunity of the Conosur to Accelerate the Transition to Sustainable Mobility”.
Nancy Perez, Member Board of Director of Empresa Nacional de Minería (ENAMI), said that Chile currently has a great opportunity to move towards a more sustainable development.
She explained that ENAMI is in charge, among other aspects, of how to help small-scale miners to export their products. “We put our processing capacity and technological changes to make the leap to the modernization we need.
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“We are catalysts of change for local development in the communities. We seek technology transfer for a more sustainable mining that aligns with the National Lithium Strategy and the National Smelter Strategy.”
For Pérez, it is not only a question of modifications in transportation and products to be used, but also a change in habits to generate awareness of the great opportunity that Chile has to move towards a more sustainable mining.
Tradition Compatible with Modernization
Carolina Lomuscio, People Manager of Compañía Minera del Pacífico, explained that they are an iron producer and trader with 100 years of history, present in the third and fourth regions of Chile.
“We have eight production sites. The issue of transportation is an essential element and to contribute to this fundamental sector, we produce 17 million tons per year”, she said.
Lomuscio explained that they have different proposals such as “creating different mining” to accelerate changes and adapt to the future in an agile way through initiatives and generate changes.
“We have made changes in the adaptation of working days, reduction of working days, executive committee with parity of men and women. We are going to contribute to the sustainable development of the territory and the people,” she stated.
He emphasized the importance of the replacement of fleets to electric units to achieve energy efficiency. “It is a path we have set ourselves and the key is to accelerate the change,” concluded Lomuscio.
