• A Chilean public-sectoral delegation, led by Minister of Mining, Aurora Williams, and including InvestChile and other key institutions, actively participated in the Raw Materials Summit 2025 and a high-level roundtable with the European Commission, reinforcing Chile’s strategic role in the global energy transition.

As part of the seventh edition of the Raw Materials Summit, organized by EIT RawMaterials and co-funded by the European Union, Chile led the workshop “Critical Minerals in Chile: Perspectives on Public Policies, Copper and Lithium Projects”, with the presence of government officials and representatives from the country’s strategic institutions.

The workshop, held in Brussels, Belgium, was led by Minister of Mining, Aurora Williams, and included the participation of Juan Pablo Candia, Acting Director of InvestChile; Iván Mlynarz Puig, Executive Vice President of state-owned mining company ENAMI; Claudia Rodríguez, Executive Vice President of the Chilean Copper Commission (Cochilco); Jerónimo Verdugo, Superintendent for Lithium Development at ENAMI; and Hernán Cáceres, Executive Director of the National Lithium and Salt Flats Institute.

During the event, which brought together dozens of representatives from European companies, key topics were discussed including Chile’s national strategy for critical minerals, investment figures, flagship copper and lithium projects, opportunities in renewable energy and green hydrogen, sustainable mining, and community engagement.

Additionally, progress was highlighted in areas such as the roadmap for the new Paipote smelter, Maricunga Salt Flat, and Andean Salt Flats projects, as well as bilateral cooperation between Chile and the European Union.

Vanessa Séverin, Investment Commissioner for Europe, and Christoff Janse, Mining Sector Lead, also represented InvestChile at the event.

As the world’s largest copper producer (24% of global supply) and holding 41% of lithium reserves, Chile has positioned itself as a key player in the development of clean technologies such as electric vehicles, energy storage, and digital infrastructure.

Chile-EU institutional dialogue on sustainable value chains

On their second day in Brussels, the Chilean delegation took part in the second meeting on the implementation of the Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) Roadmap between Chile and the European Union, held at the European Commission headquarters.

The meeting was led by Minister Aurora Williams and Félix Fernández-Shaw de Lorenzo, Director for Latin America, the Caribbean and Relations with All Overseas Countries and Territories at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA).

Senior representatives from the European Commission, the European Investment Bank, and other key institutions including InvestChile also participated.

During the meeting, progress was made on a joint agenda on cooperation, financing, and specific mining exploration, operation, and innovation projects.

«We are concluding the mission in Brussels, Belgium, the objective of which was to strengthen ties between Chile and the European Union at this raw materials summit. We have discussed important concepts, such as smelting and refining in our country and the National Lithium Strategy, which enables us to supply the critical minerals that the European Union needs,» said Minister Williams.

«Chile is continuing to position itself as a reliable partner committed to a mining future that is sustainable, innovative, and promotes open dialogue. Partnerships with the European Union are key to strengthening our capabilities and contributing as a country to a fair and global energy transition,» she noted.

Chile and the global energy transition opportunity

Both events reaffirm Chile’s leading role as a reliable supplier of strategic minerals that are essential for addressing climate change and energy transition challenges.

With public policies focused on sustainability, increasing environmental standards, and a robust institutional framework, the country is aiming to attract investments that drive technological development, innovation, and inclusive growth.

At InvestChile, we reaffirm our commitment to facilitating the development of international projects that promote more resilient, clean, and competitive value chains for Chile and its global partners.