• The country celebrated its first Lithium Day in Berlin, an event that marked a milestone in sustainable mining cooperation between Chile and Germany, highlighting investment opportunities in critical minerals and clean energy.

As part of an official European tour, Chile’s Minister of Mining, Aurora Williams, and Director of InvestChile, Karla Flores, led the Chilean delegation at the inaugural Lithium Day in Berlin.

The event was organized by the Embassy of Chile in Germany and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), with support from InvestChile and the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The event brought together more than a hundred representatives from governments, companies, and research centers, with the goal of strengthening cooperation between Chile and Germany in the sustainable development of the lithium and mining industry.

Cooperation for the mining of the future

The opening session featured welcome remarks from Magdalena Atria, Chile’s Ambassador to Germany, and Dr. Beate Baron, Director General of Industrial Policy at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

The keynote address was delivered by Minister of Mining, Aurora Williams, who highlighted the importance of lithium for the global energy transition.

The first panel, titled “Chile’s Lithium Industry: An Opportunity for Europe?,” brought together Karla Flores, Director of InvestChile; Francesco Gattiglio (Albemarle Corporation); Jonathan Vanherberghen (Rio Tinto); and Karol W. Bednarek (German Association of the Automotive Industry); and was moderated by Vanessa Séverin, Investment Commissioner for Europe at InvestChile.

The second panel, “Chile & Europe – Can We Build a Sustainable Industry Together?,” featured Hernán Cáceres, Executive Director of the National Lithium and Salt Flats Institute; Stefan Debruyne (SQM); Sven-Uwe Schulz (Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources); and Jean Paul Gueneau de Mussy (European Lithium Institute, eLi). It was moderated by Francisco Orozco, Industry and Technology Attaché at the Chilean Embassy in Germany.

Germany: A strategic partner for Chile

During her presentation, Karla Flores emphasized Germany’s role as a key market for attracting investment in sectors essential to the energy transition, particularly in critical minerals.

She also presented the Chilean Mining Project Portfolio, developed jointly with the Ministry of Mining, which includes 22 projects worth over US$30 billion.

The Chilean delegation also included Claudia Rodríguez, Acting Executive Vice President of the Chilean Copper Commission (Cochilco); Hernán Cáceres, Executive Director of the National Lithium and Salt Flats Institute; and Omar Cortés, Head of the General Geology Department at the National Geology and Mining Service (Sernageomin).

German-Chilean forum and bilateral meetings

On the second day in Berlin, the agenda continued with Aurora Williams and Karla Flores participating in the German-Chilean Forum for Mining and Mineral Resources, organized by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which brought together over 100 attendees.

At the event, InvestChile Director, Karla Flores, moderated the panel “From Risk to Resilience: Why Chile Matters to Germany’s Resource Security”, featuring Tobias Kind-Rieper (Anglo American), Thomas Engels (Aurubis AG), José Ignacio Silva (Hot Chili Limited), and Ignacio Mehech (CleanTech Lithium).

The event was also attended by Dr. Volker Treier (German Chamber of Commerce and Industry); Cornelia Sonnenberg (AHK Chile): Dr. Beate Baron (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy); Magdalena Atria; Juan Ignacio Díaz (International Copper Association); Jorge Crossley (Anglo American); Rodrigo Cortés (Advanced Mining Technology Center, Universidad de Chile); Ramon Rada (Ferrostaal Chile); and Christoph Danner (German Engineering Federation); among other representatives from the public and private sectors.

Partnerships for sustainable mining

In the afternoon, the delegation held meetings with Andreas Rade, Managing Director at the German Association of the Automotive Industry, and Karol W. Bednarek, who is responsible for critical raw material availability.

Subsequently, Aurora Williams and Karla Flores met with Frank Wetzel, State Secretary at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, to discuss new opportunities for bilateral cooperation.

This mission reinforces Chile’s leadership in sustainable mining and its commitment to forging strategic partnerships that promote responsible, future-oriented investments.

The delegation’s activities will continue on Monday in London.

Check out the best photos from the activities in Berlin: