Introduction

Mining is the most important economic activity in Chile and brings professionals from diverse disciplines that together have made it possible to position the country as an international benchmark in the mining industry. The major challenges of the mining industry have a significant potential impact on Chile's progress and its future.

The new generation of mining systems faces complex situations: deepening reserves, lower grade ores, large-scale mining with requirements for greater productive capacities, design, and optimization of the underground-pit transition, development of alternative mining systems, among others. Another challenge is to develop an "invisible" mining industry, taking advantage of scientific and technological advances to project to the community a mining industry that is sustainable, mitigating, intelligent, and friendly.

These challenges make it necessary to train experts who can manage technological matters specific to the industry and foster knowledge to move beyond the current frontier. These future experts will be required to lead the research and development that will ensure sustainability. This vision, shared by the industry, increasingly requires specialists with a doctoral level of training.