2017 has been a significant year for Chile's mining and energy sectors, as both industries marked a turning point for what is expected in 2018.
In the case of the mining is., the big news was the slow but progressive recovery which the industry has shown, after experiencing difficult years due to the drop in mineral prices, especially copper, the main export product of the South American country.
In recent months, the mineral has experienced significant increases in its value, allowing the sector to recover, as verified by the increase in the projection of the investment project portfolio and the greater contribution from mining to Chile's fiscal coffers.
But that good news also comes with challenges:The consequences of the closure of the Dominga mining project, considered unviable by the Committee of Ministers, opened a debate on the current institutional framework and environmental protection, issues that will remain on the agenda of the mining sector.
This debate will focus on added value in production, the competitiveness of the sector and the productivity of companies, as well as strategies to continue developing lithium, a strategic mineral for Chile, among other topics.
For its part, the Energetic industry has also had a positive year, such as the successful tender for energy supply to free customers, the entry into force of the Tariff Equity Law and the creation of a single national electricity system.
These facts have been recognized by the main players in the local energy world, which reflects the work of the institutions involved, both private and public, in a new positive year for the sector.
At the same time, energy also faces enormous challenges, such as electromobility, a form of transport that is "here to stay", according to experts.
This is a technological development to boost energy efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions and a technique to be followed in the future in the country in terms of buses and cars and which is reflected in the "Electromobility Strategy for Chile."
The initiative aims to prepare the country for the arrival of vehicles with greater energy efficiency and lower gas emissions, allowing, on the one hand, to meet commitments in terms of climate change policies and energy saving goals and, on the other hand, to make the country's transport sector more competitive.
On the other hand, the announcement of the suspension of the large hydroelectric project of Aysén, in the south of the country, marked a turning point in the development of large energy projects in Chile.
This year, in addition to the successful mining and energy projects, initiatives were also launched that generated expectations in both sectors.
In this regard, it is worth highlighting the entry into operation of the Antucoya plant, owned by the company Antofagasta Minerals, in the north of the country, the only large-scale copper mining site that was inaugurated this year; and the entry into operation of Cerro Pabellón, the first geothermal generating plant in Chile and South America.
According to experts, these projects demonstrate the development of the mining and energy sectors in the country, which have shown greater dynamism than in previous years.
In Chile, the mining industry is constantly searching for the best solutions to optimize production processes and become increasingly more efficient.
With the support of modern technologies, companies are finding answers to their main challenges, but these solutions do not always arrive in a timely manner, so there is an awareness that future problems must be planned for now.
Closer coordination with supplier companies can turn these challenges into business opportunities, and the following is recommended by the manager of Codelco's Business and Innovation Corporation, Jaime Rivera, at Exponor Chile 2017, held in the city of Antofagasta:
"If we are looking at a problem in 2040, we should already be starting at this time, at least in the conceptual part, in order to move forward in solving that problem," he said.
For the president of the Association of Industrialists of Antofagasta (AIA), Marko Razmilic, the Exponor Chile 2017 exhibition reflected "the challenges of the mining-industrial sector to reduce its production costs, adding to this the scenario of deceleration presented by the Chilean and global economy."
All projections indicate that Chile's economy will begin to recover next year, with the mining and energy sectors likely to continue to boost its growth by generating new businesses and promoting productive linkages between Chilean and foreign companies.
Fuenye: Xinhua
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