SAN LORENZO’S INDEPENDENT WORKERS’ UNION FOR SMALL MINERS (STI)
INAUGURATES THE OPENING OF THEIR COMMUNITY EXPLOSIVES DEPOT

Daina Aguilera Barraza, President of STI Pirquineros San Lorenzo, led the commissioning of the Community Explosives Depot delivered to the union in February of 2015.

The “Opening of the new service for the Salamanca Miners’ Union: the Community Explosives Depot,” is a project funded by SERCOTEC and sponsored by Minera Los Pelambres and Minera Tres Valles, that until now was in a phase preparing to begin operation. Today the project has managed to fulfill all legal requirements in order to, finally, be able to inaugurate the opening and make effective use of this explosives collection center, by having an approved resolution as well as legally accredited users.

Sebastian Cortes, Superintendent of Sustainability & Communications at Minera Tres Valles, commented on the opening, “this activity makes us proud and we hope it will be a contribution to the development of small local mining. This opening gives way to a new stage that dignifies the work of small-scale miners by legalizing their work, providing a safer environment for their activity, and giving peace of mind to their families.”

To this, Daina Aguilera, president of the union, added: “We did this work thinking of our own needs but also of the needs of others, and throughout the course of this project we have received the support of all those who are present today. We are now in the process of operation, which will require a lot more work in the future. 

Today we received our resolution, which will allow us to begin, however, the challenges that lie ahead are still great because as small-scale miners, our needs are many and so our work continues. The reason for this ceremony is to give thanks to you all and to share with those who helped us. To Minera Tres Valles, thank you. Because of you, today we can say that we own mines, not just mining points, and we are small entrepreneurs making our work more dignified.”

The ceremony took place on Wednesday October 21, 2015 at 1 PM on site at the Explosives Depot, located in the Manquehue sector of Salamanca. The mayor of Salamanca, Gerardo Rojas, local authorities, and representatives from the SEREMI of Mining for the Coquimbo Region, SERNAGEOMIN, the Chilean Police, Minera Los Pelambres and Minera Tres Valles including Operations Manager, Mario Valdés, and Superintendent of Sustainability and Communications, Sebastián Cortés, were all in attendance.