Chile - Strengthening the Environmental Department in the Chilean Geological Survey SERNAGEOMIN

Country / Region: Chile / AmericaFocus: Environmental geology/land-use planning

Begin of project: January 1, 1994

End of project: December 31, 2004

Status of project: February 22, 2005

Industrial projects Source: BGR

In 1994, an environmental law was passed in Chile that demanded proof from all the country’s industrial projects that their activities were consistent with the safeguarding of the environment and with the sustainable use of natural resources. The implementing provisions regulate the system of environmental impact assessments (SEIA) and have been in effect since 1997. Since this time, the environmental authority, CONAMA, has been acting as the coordination unit under the commission of selected technical authorities. Since that time, it has been incumbent upon the state mining and geological survey, SERNAGEOMIN, to test and approve all new projects in the mining sector.

In the course of this new regulation and within the context of the project in SERNAGEOMIN, the environmental department DIGA was created and has been continually strengthened by training and continuing education of its partner personnel as well as through its acquisition of specialized equipment. Since 2001 and beyond its commitment, SERNAGEOMIN has independently assumed the tasks of testing and control of environmental compatibility of mining companies.

Project partners are the state mining and geological survey “Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería, SERNAGEOMIN” and other involved intermediary organizations (Mining ministry, CONAMA).

In the second phase of the project (8/1997 to 7/2001), the project component environmental geology was added and skills were added in the SERNAGEOMIN for the collection and processing of environmentally relevant information, which has since  increasingly entered into  regional planning and which aims for the sustainable use of natural resources and a reduction of risks from natural catastrophes (see project “Development of an environmental information system in SERNAGEOMIN”).

The German contribution primarily includes organizational and technical advising, extensive training and continuing education programs as well as services and supplies

Project contributions:

• Geoelektrische Messungen im Rahmen der Technischen Zusammenarbeit mit Chile

Partner:

Comisión Nacional del Medio Ambiente (CONAMA)

Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN)

Ministerio de Minería