News
SMI Chile team delivers workshop to test water management tool
The collaborative workshop took place at the campus of the Universidad Católica del Norte and brought together representatives from academia, industry and the public sector, with the aim of validating scenarios and criteria related to water use and supply in the...
José Ojeda publishes analysis on the scope of circularity in mining
In the March print edition of Revista Minería Chilena, an SMI Chile researcher examines the impact and innovation opportunities arising from the recent regulatory change that now allows the use of copper slag in infrastructure projects.
Revista Minería Chilena publishes column by Nathalie Jamett
Coinciding with the opening of the ACADES 2026 Congress, SMI Chile Senior Researcher Nathalie Jamett argues in this opinion piece for the need to transition towards shared water management as the most efficient and sustainable model to address the severe water stress affecting mining regions in Chile.
SMI Chile marked International Women’s Day with a discussion on gender gaps in scientific research
Following the presentation of a study on the main barriers limiting women’s development in research, leading representatives from Chile’s scientific ecosystem discussed the key challenges and priorities for advancing gender equity.
Yendery Ramírez presented at the FoMPEM international congress
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.
SMI-ICE-Chile collaborates with Minera Centinela on a tailings energy efficiency project
The Responsible Production and Mining Process Optimisation team began an important project with Antofagasta Minerals to increase energy and financial efficiency for the Centinela mining tailings pumping operation.
Doug Aitken presented at international seminar on water productivity in Chile and Australia
Within the framework of the Coquimbo Region’s Water Transformation Program, an interesting international seminar was held last week to analyze water productivity between Chile and Australia.
Dennis Vega presented on technologies to reduce carbon footprint and accelerate the energy transition at a congress in Perú
The leader of Responsible Production of SMI-ICE-Chile spoke at the International Congress of Metallurgical Engineering, Materials and the Environment, recently held in the city of Trujillo.
Nigel Wight and CSRM team publish scientific paper on the El Soldado mine disaster
Together with a group of researchers from the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining at the University of Queensland, the SMI-ICE-Chile researcher published a insightful study on the social consequences of this tailings dam collapse that occurred 60 years ago in Chile, one of the most serious mining tragedies in the world.
We brought together representatives of the mining industry to discuss the challenges of social performance
SMI-ICE-Chile welcomed social performance leaders from mining companies to its headquarters to join forces and collaborate on the challenge of creating social value in mining areas.
Angélica Andrade shared her experience regarding the Brumadinho tragedy.
The international speaker and representative of the Brumadinho community visited us to share her work at CSRM (UQ) on the lessons learned from one of humanity’s greatest mining tragedies.
60 years after the El Cobre tragedy: memories preserved and lessons learned
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.
Jacques Wiertz presented at the opening of Tailings 2025
The leader of the Environmental Rehabilitation and Ecosystem Dynamics area at SMI-ICE-Chile made a sharp assessment of the main challenges the mining industry must address in terms of tailings management.
SMI-ICE-Chile and SMI UQ teach a course on tailings water chemistry at the Tailings 2025 Congress
The event had a high turnout of registrants and was held within the preliminary framework of the International Congress on Tailings Management, organized by Gecamin.
SMI-ICE-Chile’s work to curb acid drainage from mine dumps
Using pyrite microencapsulation technology, a team from the Environmental Rehabilitation and Ecosystem Dynamics area is working to address one of the mining industry’s greatest environmental and economic challenges.
SMI-ICE-Chile and the UDD team present results from the first field in the Lagunillas bofedal
Researchers from SMI-ICE-Chile and the C+ department of the UDD held an internal seminar to present the preliminary results of the first monitoring campaign, conducted for the project «Estimation of the net balance of greenhouse gas emissions from the Lagunillas Wetland and carbon offset proposal,» which is being carried out for a mining company.
SMI-ICE-Chile conducts safety training for Nexa Resources supervisors in Peru
SMI-ICE-Chile provided three courses on risk management for supervisors of the mining company’s operations in the neighboring country.
SMI-ICE-Chile delivers training program on safety and critical control management
We have successfully completed a series of courses on comprehensive safety for Chilean and international professionals in the mining, gas and oil industry, taught in part by a specialist from The University of Queensland, Libby Humphries.
Expusimos en seminario internacional de seguridad minera en Lima
Alexander Dabner presentó una ponencia sobre el control de los riesgos críticos en el Seminario Internacional de Seguridad Minera-ISEM 2024, realizado en Lima, Perú.
SMI-ICE-Chile Holds Its 2026 Strategic Planning Retreat
In a spirit of optimism, following the significant achievements attained during 2025, the teams that make up our Centre gathered at the facilities of Universidad del Desarrollo to take stock of past progress and define strategic objectives in a context that presents major opportunities.
A new chapter for SMI-ICE-Chile
The University of Queensland’s International Centre of Excellence in Chile ends a year of unprecedented growth in 2025 with important new developments, beginning a stage of independently funded operation, and under a new executive management.
SMI-ICE-Chile concludes international Mining Skills training program
The Australian transnational educational project, aimed at strengthening the development of a skilled workforce in the critical minerals sector, has successfully completed three months of training in mine safety, environment, and sustainability in the cities of Salta, Argentina, and Antofagasta, Copiapó, and Santiago, Chile.
Jacques Wiertz interviewed on tailings challenges by Reporte Minero
Dr. Jacques Wiertz was one of the experts interviewed in a feature published by the specialised media outlet Reporte Minero, entitled “Tailings and water: the new challenges of mining management in the face of climate change”.
Minería Chilena Magazine Highlights Positive 2025 Results for SMI-ICE-Chile
The specialized mining publication reports the announcement of the start of an operational phase with independent financing for our Center, following excellent results and changes in executive management. icon_documents_alt icon Read the news at the following link...
Reporte Minero informs about the new stage of SMI-ICE-Chile
The mining industry publication highlights the significant growth of our Centre in this new phase as an independent entity and under a new Executive Management.
Specialized media highlight the Mining Skills program
The Chilean Mining Magazine and the media outlet Reporte Minero publish news articles highlighting the realization of this Australian transnational educational project, focused on mining safety, environment and sustainability, which has already successfully completed its first version in Chile and Argentina.