Geotechnical Risks Workshop brings together various expert voices who advocate for the mining industry’s commitment to the safety of its workers, the environment and communities.
Organized by FF GeoMechanics, the Chilean Society of Rock Mechanics and the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, the event addressed topics of global interest for Mining and the life of each worker.
A diverse panel of experts met on June 21 in the conference room of the Catholic University of Valparaíso (PUCV), for the development of the Workshop: Geotechnical Risks, organized by FF GeoMechanics, Chilean Society of Rock Mechanics (SCMR ) and the PUCV, which was carried out in hybrid format; in person and with broadcast on YouTube of the SCMR.
Fernando Fernández, CEO of FF GeoMechanics, contributed his vision regarding geotechnical risks in Mining, covering accident rates, application of risk models in underground mining, as well as the delivery of real examples associated with stability studies of slopes and tailings dams.
In addition, Fernando referred to the challenges that society as a whole will have to assume regarding advances in robotics, future planetary and underwater mining activities, seeking control of risks and care for the environment.
On the other hand, he highlighted that, despite the rapid advance of mining technology, which has developed in line with the increase in specializations and knowledge in geotechnical and geomechanical disciplines, accidents and unwanted events continue to occur, in these areas. Given the latter, Fernando called on certain Mining companies in which these events occur: “due to certain erroneous policies, they try to highlight only successful situations, which is why a little more self-criticism and learning of lessons is missing. associated with this type of situations.”
Likewise, Fernando highlighted the small number of publications corresponding to risks in mining, in general, and in particular with regard to geotechnical and geomechanical risks.
Fernández ended his presentation with a phrase that more than one of our readers heard in a talk related to Mining: “No production goal or operational contingency justifies exposure to uncontrolled risks.”
Other exhibitors and workshop participants were:
Antonio Bonani, Corporate Manager of GRMD Codelco; Emilio Farías, Director of Geomechanics of Codelco Underground Mines; Jorge Díaz, General Manager of La Patagua Mining; Nayadeth Cortés, PUCV Professor and Ericks Rosas, Independent Geomechanical Engineer, in addition to the debate panel in which they participated: Juan Jarufe, professor at the University of Santiago de Chile; Andrea Russo, SRK Corporate Consultant and Fernando Fernández himself, CEO of FF GeoMechanics.
The event included opening remarks by Carlos Carlesi, Director of the School of Chemical Engineering of the PUCV, and Kimie Suzuki, President of the Chilean Society of Rock Mechanics and Professor at the University of Chile, who also assumed the role of moderator of the event.
