Students from the second and third years of the Tinogasta Agricultural Technical Secondary School visited the processing plant facilities of Zijin-Liex during an activity organized in coordination with the Tinogasta Mining Environmental Control Center. The event, attended by Physics, Chemistry, and Biology teachers, allowed the students to gain firsthand knowledge of how the lithium industry operates: its stages, controls, and the professional profiles that sustain it. The initiative created direct contact between young people from western Catamarca and the productive sector that is increasingly shaping the region’s employment outlook.
By Panorama Minero
The visit was organized into two complementary stages. At the plant, the students were welcomed by chemical engineer Antonio Chen and supervisor Silvestre Muñoz, who explained how the production process works, its main stages, and the operational controls implemented within the facility. Later, in the chemical laboratory, Martín Maldonado introduced the analysis, quality control, and monitoring tasks carried out in that area of the operation.
Beyond the technical tour, the day offered students a concrete perspective on the lithium value chain: from extraction to mineral processing, as well as the importance this resource has in daily life through its presence in everyday devices and technologies. Rather than an abstract discussion about a strategic mineral, the experience provided direct exposure to the operational reality of a functioning industrial plant.
The students also had the opportunity to observe the hygiene and safety conditions implemented at the operation—an aspect often overlooked when mining is discussed in classrooms, but which in practice structures much of the daily work within any industry facility.
Broadening Perspectives on Career Opportunities
One of the most tangible effects of these types of activities is the expansion of the possibilities young people envision for their future. By visiting an active mining operation, students come into contact with a variety of professional and technical profiles that rarely appear in school curricula: chemical engineers, plant supervisors, laboratory analysts, occupational safety specialists, among others.
This becomes especially relevant in localities such as Tinogasta and Fiambalá, where lithium-related mining activity represents one of the main sources of genuine employment and local economic development. For young people in these communities, understanding from within how the industry operates provides concrete information for making decisions about their life projects.
“We continue supporting technical education and creating spaces that bring young people closer to the world of work,” company representatives stated.
Extraordinary CSR Contribution
Separately, Zijin-Liex confirmed an extraordinary contribution of AR$250 million intended for the execution of infrastructure projects in the city of Fiambalá, which will be decided by the local community.
The contribution is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility program, aimed at supporting infrastructure development and improving the quality of life of the Fiambalá community.
Through funds linked to mining activity, significant infrastructure projects have already been completed in Fiambalá, including the Medanitos bridge and the bridge on the road to the Hot Springs, the new Bus Terminal, the new Fiambalá Hospital, and urban paving works, among other strategic interventions for local development.
In addition, construction is advancing on the new Palo Blanco Hospital, while plans are underway for the renovation and enhancement of the thermal complex.
