The trade fair, held at Espacio Riesco, will run until August 28, bringing together representatives from industry and academia linked to mineral exploration.
The seventh edition of the Exploration and Mining Fair, Fexmin 2025, opened with the traditional cueca dance. The event gathers more than 65 companies across the mining value chain, along with authorities and experts, to address industry challenges, particularly those related to the development of new projects.
In her opening remarks, Fexmin president Patricia Narváez emphasized that this fair is “the showcase through which we present the work and results of all types of prospectors, explorers, and miners,” while also demonstrating that Chile will remain “a leading mining country, not only in mineral production but also in generating knowledge and adopting new technologies.”
Narváez also outlined current challenges facing the mining industry, such as “unclear, excessive regulations that complicate implementation, as well as resistance from communities and the general public.” However, she expressed confidence that public policies to encourage exploration “will be implemented by the current authorities, as well as those who will govern the country in the near future.”
Meanwhile, Claudia López, president of the Chilean Association of Geologists, which organizes the fair, stressed that Fexmin “faithfully reflects our commitment to the development and strengthening” of Chilean mining. She underscored that Chile has a “historic responsibility and opportunity to be a key supplier of copper, lithium, and critical minerals,” calling for “favorable conditions for investment, clear incentives, stable regulations, and a long-term policy that transcends short-term political interests.”
Minister Williams reaffirms government’s commitment to mining
Mining Minister Aurora Williams also participated in the opening ceremony, announcing that, within the framework of the National Critical Minerals Strategy, a High-Level Advisory Committee will deliver recommendations this week for designing public policies that foster the “responsible and sustainable development” of these resources.
“This strategy will promote investment, diversify mining production, and add value to the country’s mineral resources,” Williams added, highlighting the availability of a geoscientific data management platform to showcase Chile’s mineral exploration opportunities.
She also underlined the government’s commitment to “ensuring that Chile continues to be a leading mining nation, recognized not only for what it produces but also for how it produces, with a long-term vision and responsibility towards future generations.”
Global economy and critical minerals
The opening session of Fexmin 2025 featured a presentation by Juan Carlos Guajardo, executive director of Plusmining, who discussed the geopolitical and economic trends that mining has had to navigate in Chile and Latin America, in line with decisions made by global powers.
Guajardo explained that the international market dynamic, “once governed by rules, has come to an end. Now we face a framework dominated by relative power, where a stronger actor negotiates with another, and balances are achieved based on those power differences.” He detailed the different measures adopted by China and the United States in their domestic economies and how these have impacted international markets.
In this context, Latin America is favored, as it holds a “very significant advantage” in critical minerals—key inputs for new technologies and the energy transition—accounting for about 30% of global reserves, according to Guajardo.
In terms of global share, the region holds 41% in copper, 18% in gold, 52% in silver, 22% in zinc, 15% in lead, and 20% in iron. Chile, Brazil, and Peru stand out as the leading mining countries in Latin America. Nonetheless, he stressed that there is still much to explore, calling for the development of political guidelines to confront competition and avoid becoming “trapped in growing attention around mineral resources.”
Source: Minería Chilena