OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
64
C hile ’ s mining panorama offers a geography of extremes . Arid desert coexists with fertile fields against the backdrop of the Andes mountain range uniting the whole territory . A long and narrow country , Chile ’ s coastal strip offers rapid commercial exchange with the world ’ s largest economies . These unique characteristics have allowed it to become a leader in the exploitation of natural resources . Chile boasts 22 % of global copper reserves and is the world ’ s largest producer ( 28 %). Meanwhile , it is the second biggest lithium producer holding 48 % of reserves and delivering 34 % of global production .
President Sebastián Piñera has offered support for investment and development in the mining sector as one of the fundamental strategies of his government program to promote economic and employment growth of the country . Speaking to Mining Global at this year ’ s Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada ( PDAC ) convention in Toronto , Chile ’ s Minister of Mining , Baldo Prokurica , urged the need to support and encourage the medium-scale mining industry with its unique challenges in terms of productivity and sustainability .
“ We have a stable taxation system ,” he explains . “ Within both the Ministry of Mining and the Ministry of the Economy , a special working group comprised of lawyers and engineers who are there to assist companies interested in investing in Chile so that they can make contact with local authorities in order to move forward with the licensing and permits process .”
JULY 2019