With the presence of national and regional mining sector leaders, the second edition of the Symposium on Artificial Intelligence Applied to the Mining Industry will take place at the National University of Salta. Laplace (Argentine Mining Workers Association), Royón (Lithium Task Force), Cacciola (Argentine Chamber of Mining Companies), and representatives from companies and industry chambers will be present.
In this second edition of the Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and its Application in the Mining Industry, which will be held on November 13, a new meeting will take place to deepen knowledge and make projections. Once again, students, workers, professionals, and companies interested in learning more about this topic are invited to participate.
The discussions will take place, as they did last year, in the auditorium of the Faculty of Exact Sciences at the National University of Salta, between 8:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Speakers from universities, unions, companies, and organizations will provide insights on AI from their sectoral perspectives. The promoters of this initiative—Prensa GeoMinera, 11 Diario, Tierra News, and the Ilusionideas Agency—have ensured live streaming via YouTube and Instagram.
It is expected that, in this new event, company representatives will share their views based on the expectations of each mining site or project. They will present perspectives on the immediate future by discussing the current operational state of each company. This will allow for a more precise understanding of the near future of each company in its operational aspect. The confirmed companies include Río Tinto, represented by Guillermo Caló, and SSR Mining, Mina Pirquitas, represented by Cristian Ramos. In addition, representatives from the Abra Plata and Veladero projects, though not yet confirmed, are expected to attend. A special guest, engineer Flavia Royón, Executive Secretary of the Lithium Board, will provide an overview of the potential of lithium in the NOA region. Also present will be Romina Sassarini, Secretary of Mining for Salta and President of the Federal Mining Council, who will offer a governmental perspective.
Additionally, key figures from the sector will participate, such as the General Secretary of the Argentine Mining Workers Association (AOMA), Héctor Laplace, who will provide the workers' viewpoint. Roberto Cacciola, the main representative of the Argentine Chamber of Mining Companies (CAEM), will also speak, as will Luis Vacazur, a member of the Chamber of Mining and Tourism Service Providers of the Puna (CAPROSEMITP).
On the academic side of this initiative, Gustavo Gil, Dean of the Faculty of Exact Sciences at the National University of Salta, will give a presentation, along with anthropologist Mario Palma, head of the Empower Foundation and a teacher and researcher at the National University of Patagonia Austral. Salta-based AI expert Andrés Cornejo will also participate, with a clear intention to demystify the concept of AI. Furthermore, Lic. Silvana Culjak, with extensive experience in human resources in the industry and currently working at Glencore Pachón, will be present. The organizers may include other professionals to discuss the arrival of AI in the mining industry.
2023 Edition
In the first edition of the Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and its Application in the Mining Industry, the various speakers at the auditorium of the Faculty of Exact Sciences at the National University of Salta agreed on the timeliness of addressing this topic, as it poses a significant challenge for the near future.
On that occasion, academic, corporate, and labor representatives stated that "AI will make a significant contribution to the activity in all processes." They assured that it would benefit workers and professionals in mining, particularly in aspects related to occupational health, hygiene, and safety. It was also highlighted that "it will provide precision tools that will help save time and improve the quality of calculations and estimates," enhancing production and process effectiveness.
There was consensus that this innovative process and its application allow for a deeper understanding of the advantages of AI. Jointly addressing this issue with businesses, universities, unions, and society will enable "learning that its application and knowledge will lead to the best conclusions, preventing any setbacks in labor relations." For this year, there are expectations to further deepen knowledge of company realities, workers' union approaches, and the perceptions of other academic institutions.
