Twenty third and fourth year students from the Bernardo O'Higgins Mining Technological Institute of Rancagua (ITMBO) participated in a theoretical-practical workshop on "Introduction to the circular economy and sustainability", organized by the Pro O'Higgins Corporation and Codelco El Teniente Division.

This activity was part of Pro O'Higgins' “En Ruta TP” program, which seeks to strengthen the link between companies and technical-professional education high schools in the area, to improve youth employability and provide the human capital required by today's world of work.

Braulio Guzmán, general manager of Corporación Pro O'Higgins, explained that "the importance of these workshops lies in the connection and articulation that they generate, since it turns out to be a benefit for both sectors, because Codelco, through the technology transfer sessions, contributes to updated training that is relevant to the needs of the company and, on the other hand, the high school sees the delivery of content and practices that are present in the educational plans contextualized and updated."

Katherine Mujica, Head of Circular Economy Operations at El Teniente, said: “For us, it was an excellent opportunity to share knowledge about the circular economy. We believe that these lessons open the door for students to understand these processes and understand that unused materials have a second chance.”

In their own voices, the students participated in a talk about the importance of sustainability in mining and the experiences of the Division's Circular Economy Unit. In the practical part of the workshop, they set up a clean point in the courtyard of their establishment, using recycled materials provided by the Division's Waste Management Centre (CMRIS).

“Learning from the future of mining”

In October 2022, El Teniente's Circular Economy Unit was created to support the corporate goal of reducing industrial waste by 65% by 2030. During the workshop, students learned about the unit's focus on innovation, technology development, and partnership building, key elements to achieving more sustainable management.

Carlos Fuentes, ITMBO's professional technical coordinator, stressed that "we are grateful for the support received so that students learn not only about mining, but also about sustainability and other important topics. This helps improve our curricular grids with more sustainable mining that links the topic of innovation."

Isidora Martínez, a fourth-year student studying electricity, commented that “it is important that these initiatives give us tools to promote sustainability values in society.”

Meanwhile, student Kiara Gutiérrez added that “I found it to be an entertaining and educational activity. This is the first time I have heard about the circular economy, but I feel that they taught us interesting aspects for our future and we learned about the future of mining.”