Thickened tailings
One of the main
problems associated to mining is disposing of “tailings”. These residuals are a
mixture of rocks, minerals, water and earth. The thickened tailings technology
allows a higher rate of water recovery from the tailings, while also producing
less harmful environmental effects (flying dust, risk of liquefaction, etc.).
In terms of our conceptual framework, thickened tailings are a “repairing”
technological alternative.
One of our case
studies has been the development of this technology in Chile, for which we
interviewed, between November and January, executives at two suppliers of
engineering services associated to tailings, a South African expert that was in
Chile as visiting professor, executives from a mining company that is using
this technology, as well as other experts in the Chilean copper mining sector
that have observed what has happened with this technology. We conducted
in-depth interviews with all of them, trying to understand: how this technology
has been difused and adapted to the local reality; interactions between
different actors during this process; the way in which this technology produces
less environmental problems, and the challenges and future prospects for the
technology. Our next report will include a detailed analysis of our
conclusions.
Center for Mathematical
Modeling
We are also interested in knowledge-intensive
activities that could help diversify the Chilean economy starting from the
accumulated experience in natural resources. The case of the Center for
Mathematical Modeling at Universidad de Chile falls in this category. Their
mission is “to create new mathematics and
use them for solving problems of other sciences, the industry, and public
policies”.
Our study focuses specifically on the Laboratory of
Geomechanics for Mining, that has worked chiefly in the problem of rock
blasting with Codelco’s Teniente Division. The rock blasting phenomenom is one
of the worst risks in underground mining operations, and a better understanding
of it would produce two very important improvements: avoiding deadly accidents
and allowing for a higher rate of mineral extraction.
We interviewed the leader of this research group,
as well as his counterpart in the El Teniente mine, in Rancagua, and other
experts in the mining and academic sectors. We obtained interesting conclusions
regarding the role of big mining companies in the development of cutting edge
research and knowledge creation at universities; the potential role for Chilean
research in the world context; the characteristics of successful collaboration
between mining companies and research centers; and in general the possibilities
to develop and commercialize new, knowledge-intensive technologies starting
from the experience the country has in mining.
