Three years ago, his twin brother came to work in the same area: “People who didn't know us sometimes saw me here, then they went somewhere else and saw him. Some told me 'hey, you're really weird, we're seeing double'.”

What is your job about?

As maintenance personnel, we are responsible for ensuring that systems and equipment are always available. We perform thermography (temperature measurements), check lubrication systems, perform routine scheduled maintenance and also major maintenance.

We mainly see crushers, in which we have to make very precise measurements, since they have very expensive components, so we must be very thorough to make maintenance as efficient as possible, within the time we have.

Today we are eight mechanics. There are guidelines where we go in pairs, because these are tasks that do not require more people, such as thermography, which is taking the temperature of certain equipment; but when we have to dismantle a crusher, for example, the entire team goes.

What do you feel is the main challenge in your work?

We have many challenges here. It is a plant that has been around for many years, and I think the main challenge is to do the work in the safest way possible, so that we all get home safely. To do this we have to maintain standards, order, and cleanliness, which prevent many accidents.

Today there are many security tools, we have procedures and I believe that we have to do our work consciously, adhering to the procedures, which are the bible of our work.

How long have you been at El Teniente?

About twelve or thirteen years. I started as a contractor, at the SAG Plant, where I worked for five years and learned a lot. That was when I said this is what I want, I liked the mechanical area and I started to study. When I applied to the company, I started at the Filter and Drying Plant, where I stayed for two years. Then I went to the Conventional Grinding Plant, went back to Filters and finally got to the Crushing Plant, where I have been for about five years.

I was always interested in El Teniente, honestly, and when I joined, it was a new world, because I didn't know the work here. I started to learn, I liked it, I studied and to this day I continue learning, because I like what I do.

What do you like most about your job?

The technical part, doing preventive maintenance, making adjustments correctly, taking measurements, analysis, I really like all those things. I have always been interested in the why of things. Why does the crusher work this way? Why does it have to grind the rock to a certain size? And I start to investigate, to look for information.

What do you feel El Teniente has brought to your life?

Many things. I have things that, perhaps, if I had been somewhere else, I wouldn't have. It gave me stability, the opportunity to study, to grow, to develop as a person. I have learned a lot and I have met very good people as well. And I always emphasize that here at Chancado, the team is one of the best there is.

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

I take it with great responsibility and commitment. All parts of the process are important and it is important that we do the job well, that we keep the equipment available, to ensure that there are surpluses.

It is important to know that what we do is for the benefit of people and I am happy to contribute with my work and knowledge.