On January 28, representatives from the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation, led by Minister Aldo Valle, participated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at developing high-purity copper in Codelco's Ventanas Division.
On behalf of the SAPHIR Millennium Institute, the agreement was signed by its director, Dr. Sergey Kuleshov, an academic at the Faculty of Exact Sciences of Andrés Bello University (UNAB), together with authorities from the public, academic, and industrial sectors. Also present at the ceremony was Dr. Jilberto Zamora, associate researcher at the SAPHIR Millennium Institute and academic at the Faculty of Exact Sciences at Andrés Bello University, reinforcing the inter-institutional and academic nature of this milestone.
The memorandum aims to advance the production of oxygen-free (OF/OFE) copper with purity levels equal to or greater than 99.99%, which will enable the exploration of manufacturing complex parts for high-tech sectors such as advanced electronics and energy.
In this challenge, the SAPHIR Millennium Institute will work in coordination with Codelco's Ventanas Division, the Valparaíso Scientific and Technological Center (CCTVal) of the Federico Santa María Technical University, and other academic institutions, contributing expertise in applied physics, engineering, technological development, and advanced human capital training.
This agreement represents a significant step toward mining with greater added value, where scientific research and technology transfer play a central role. For the Millennium Institute SAPHIR, it also constitutes a concrete opportunity to contribute, through cutting-edge science, to the country's productive and technological development.