SMI Chile: Bridging Australian and Chilean Expertise for Responsible Mining in Latin America

Speaker

Dr Mary Andrea Valdés Tapia

Abstract

Chile is the world's largest copper producer and a leading source of lithium, and its mining industry faces many of the same challenges as Australia's: declining ore grades, water scarcity, the energy transition, social licence, workforce and community health, and rising expectations for ESG performance. SMI Chile, the Sustainable Minerals Institute's International Centre of Excellence in Chile, brings UQ research and JKTech's applied expertise to these challenges in partnership with Chilean industry, government and universities. This seminar will introduce SMI Chile to an Australian audience: who we are, how we work and what we deliver. I will outline our research and development lines and training centre, share examples of applied projects with major mining companies such as Codelco, and describe our current priorities: consolidating a sustainable operating model, broadening our health and safety work to include community health, expanding training and partnerships across Latin America, and strengthening links between industry, government and academia. I will also offer an insider's view of the Chilean mining context: the policy and regulatory landscape, the roles of state-owned and private miners, the supplier ecosystem, and the expectations of the communities and regions where mining takes place. The key message is that Chile is a natural partner for Australian researchers, students and industry. SMI Chile offers a ready-made platform, with established relationships, local knowledge and an on-the-ground team, for collaborative research, field-based studies, student and staff exchange, joint proposals and technology transfer. I will close by identifying concrete opportunities for engagement and inviting attendees to discuss how their own work could connect with Chile and the wider Latin American region.

Bio

Dr Mary Valdés is Executive Director of SMI Chile, The University of Queensland Sustainable Minerals Institute's International Centre in Chile. She has more than 25 years of experience across academia and the mining industry, including roles with ArcelorMittal and Codelco, and twelve years at the School of Mining Business at Universidad Católica del Norte, including a year as director. Her research focuses on management control systems in SMEs and the Chilean mining value chain. Mary holds a PhD in Management from the University of Ottawa, co-founded the ESG consultancy ECOMINA, and was named one of Chile's 100 Inspiring Women in Mining in 2024.