What is your job about?
It depends on the schedule of the day, whether it's pump repairs or housekeeping . At the moment, I'm working on loading the mill's balls, using forklifts, so I also spend time there, in addition to my main job, which is recovering copper particles.

In simple terms, pulp arrives here, to which chemicals, lime, foaming agents, among others, are added, which make the copper particle adhere to a bubble that rises to the surface and makes it float. This is how we recover the copper.

What things should you pay more attention to?

The size of the bubble, that it does not burst, that it has a good cushion (foam thickness), that the mixture has a good speed and is not just water. The reagents that we add have to be in a proportion of certain grams per tonnage and since what comes from the mill is not a fixed tonnage, it varies, we add the necessary tonnage according to what is arriving.

Communication with the expert operator is also essential, because he sees the cameras and graphics on the screens and we see the terrain.

What do you like most about your job?

We have a very good relationship with our colleagues. And also the dynamics of the work itself, because it is not routine, every day we have to do something different, we incorporate new things.

My family group is made up of my three children, aged 22, 15 and 5, and me. They are proud of their mother. Every day I go out to work for them, with the support of my family, my parents, my sister and brother, who also support me.

Well, heavy machinery is something that I have always liked and here I have had the opportunity to be in constant training. Because I am up to date with the courses that we have by obligation, but there are others that I have requested and insisted on out of personal interest, because I come here to make a contribution and the more I can give, the better. Mining is something that keeps me up at night and hopefully one day I will be able to drive a CAEX truck.

How did you get into the division?

My brother, who works in the mine interior for a collaborating company, told me that Codelco was going to open a course for women, called the Apprentice Program. I found out, sent my information and little by little I began to advance, to pass the stages.

Joining Codelco seemed like a distant prospect to me. I always sent my CV to contracting companies until this opportunity came up and I am happy to be here, putting my shoulder to the wheel every day.

The closest I had ever been was when I worked as a casino assistant. Since I'm not much into customer service, I was a greenhorn until they moved me to the warehouse, where I drove trucks to supply the casinos in La Junta.

What does it mean to you to be a woman in mining?

I feel proud and empowered, because a woman operating machinery is rare. I like being part of the exceptional and being known for being one of the few women who operate machinery, because sometimes there are some colleagues who like it, but they are afraid and I always tell them, if we do our job properly, with safety above all, there is no need to be afraid.

And in that sense, what safety message would you like to give to your colleagues?

Here we live security every day, at all times and with every movement. It is part of our daily routine. We have to have the documents, do the checklist , take a drowsiness test when necessary, be attentive at every step. I would tell them that taking care of yourself and your colleagues is the most important thing, because we all have someone waiting for us at home and the idea is to arrive safe and sound, just as we left in the morning.

What does it mean to you to work for a company like Codelco, which delivers its surpluses to all Chileans?

It is a pride to contribute a grain of sand to the surplus with the daily work we do, to fulfill the commitment of giving everything for Chile and I also stick out my chest for all women.