(13-08-2025) The mining boom is not exclusive to Argentina. In fact, mining across Latin America is expanding and facing a strategic challenge: the shortage of skilled workers. Dominique Viera, President of the Association of Mining Industrial Suppliers (APRIMIN) of Chile, warned that the region will compete for the available talent. Viera cited the example of the Mining Skills Council in Chile, which projects a shortage of 34,000 jobs in the coming years in areas such as maintenance and operations.
“We are going to compete for workers in Argentina, Peru, and Chile because skilled labor is lacking”, Viera stated, stressing that this situation should not be seen as a threat but as an opportunity for Argentine suppliers and technicians to access quality jobs throughout the region.
The value of the mining ecosystem
Viera debunked the idea that mining is centered solely on large companies. In Chile, three out of four jobs come from supplier companies, amplifying the social and economic impact.
These firms are not only involved in extraction but also in logistics services, hospitality, catering, healthcare, and maintenance, shaping a diverse ecosystem that sustains modern mining operations.
The sector’s future is not only industrial: automation, data analytics, and remote operations are already trends. “Today the big boom in mining is data”, Viera noted, citing examples such as autonomous trucks, operated remotely at Chilean sites.
In this context, the strategy is not about “reinventing the wheel”, but about importing global knowledge and adapting it to the local reality, integrating technology and training to improve productivity without unnecessary delays.
A sensitive issue
This competition for human resources is not minor. In recent weeks, controversy has arisen over the presence of foreign suppliers in Argentine projects, such as the Vicuña District, which includes the Josemaría and Filo del Sol projects in the province of San Juan.
However, Viera argued that the key is not nationality but professional competence. The arrival of global companies and regional collaboration can become drivers of transformation for Argentina’s mining value chain.
“I would prefer that we unite to demand high environmental and social standards globally”, Viera proposed, emphasizing the shared responsibility between miners and suppliers.
In this way, Viera outlined Chile’s expansionist strategy. While on the Argentine side there are warning signs and some distrust (with the “buy local” flag raised high), Chile is promoting an ambitious plan to internationalize its more than 8,000 mining supplier companies, with Argentina as one of the main targets.
Source: MásEnergía