Historical outline

The University of Chile holds 170 years of tradition educating Mining Engineers. The program was created on December 7th, 1853, under the direction of Prof. Andrés Bello and under the government of President Manuel Montt.

For almost hundred years, the program depends directly upon the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and its Engineering School. In 1948, the Institute of Metallurgy was created, starting with 8 researchers and laboratories of Extractive Metallurgy and Microscopy. In 1960 the Engineering School stablished the Laboratory of Mine Exploitation with 4 researchers. Finally, on July 22nd, 1964, the Faculty merged the Institute of Metallurgy and the Laboratory of Mine Exploitation stablishing the Department of Mining Engineering. Its first Director was the Professor Ernesto Kausel Schneider (1964 - 1967).

After Prof. Kausel, the following faculty members assumed the direction of the Department:

• Carlos Díaz Uribe (1967 - 1973)
• Jaime Silva Garín (1973 - 1982)
• Marco Antonio Alfaro Sironvalle (1982 - 1987)
• Eliana Almendras Carvajal (1987 - 1990)
• Augusto Millán Urzúa (1991 - 1993)
• Juan Karzulovic Kokot (1994)
• Eliana Almendras Carvajal (1994 - 1995)
• Luis Ayala Riquelme (1995 - 1996)
• Bruno Behn Theune (1996 - 2001)
• Aldo Casali Bacelli (2001 - 2012)
• Julián Ortiz Cabrera (2012 - 2014)
• Xavier Emery (2014 – 2018)
• Willy Kracht (2018 - 2022)

Since July 2022, the Head of Department of Mining Engineering is Prof. Gonzalo Montes.

Since the graduation of the first for students in 1856, these professionals have made important contributions for the development of Chilean mining. The Mining Engineers of the University of Chile have lead important mining and metallurgical technological changes with worldwide recognition, such as block caving, heap leaching and El Teniente Converter.

Since the creation of the Mining Engineering program in 1853 until today (2022), 1.533 engineers have graduated. Out graduates have proved leadership skills, public calling, entrepreneurship and management skills that have contributed to the development of companies such as CODELCO, ENAP and ENAMI. They have also lead a diverse number of public and private firms, both in Chile and abroad, in addition to Union Associations and public entities.

The Doctoral program in Mining Engineering program started in 2010. Since then, the program has strengthened the regional leadership of the Department in the formation of mining and extractive metallurgist specialists.

This leadership has also been recognized by regional and international rankings. Indeed, the program in Mining Engineering of the University of Chile ranks among the best 8 worldwide in the 2018 QS University ranking based upon academic reputation, employer reputation and research impact.