Following the strong performance of its last edition, Expomin, Latin America’s leading mining trade show, is moving forward with preparations for its 2027 edition with a significant announcement for the industry: the European Union (EU) will participate as a special guest at the event, which will take place from April 20 to 24, 2027, at Espacio Riesco in Santiago, Chile.
“For Fisa, it is excellent news and a source of pride that the EU will be the special guest of Expomin 2027. It speaks to the current momentum of the trade show and the work that has been done in recent editions to consolidate it as the premier mining event in Latin America,” stated Carola Fuentes, General Manager of Fisa.
The EU’s confirmation as a special guest is linked to the role Expomin has achieved as a platform for exchanging experiences in the face of shared challenges: the green transition, the growing demand for critical minerals, sustainability, and the development of responsible value chains. “The EU is a key player in the development of solutions in sustainability, technology, and innovation applied to mining.” “Having that experience at Expomin will enrich the conversation and open new opportunities for collaboration within the industry,” Fuentes added.
The European bloc’s participation includes the presence of member countries, leading companies in the mining and technology sectors, research centers, representatives from academia, and public organizations, with a focus on applied innovation, clean technologies, digitalization, the circular economy, sustainability, and human capital development.
This participation is part of the relationship that Chile and the EU have strengthened in recent years through the Memorandum of Understanding on critical raw materials (2023) and other cooperation mechanisms aimed at developing sustainable value chains and research into strategic minerals such as copper and lithium.
The EU Ambassador to Chile, Claudia Gintersdorfer, stated: “Participating as a guest of honor is a privilege that recognizes the fundamental role of the EU and its Member States. We want to share all our experience and know-how in the areas of innovation, sustainability, energy transition, and technological development. The more than 250 European companies present in Chile are world leaders in technology and innovation.”
The Ambassador also addressed the main areas of cooperation. “With Chile, we share the strategic objective of diversifying our supply chains to make them more resilient. The EU is co-financing projects so that Chile can move beyond being just an exporter of concentrates and become a hub of innovation. With the OPTIMINER project, recently launched with funding from Horizon Europe, the Fraunhofer center seeks to optimize water and energy efficiency in Chilean mines using AI and advanced sensors.” Furthermore, through the European Copernicus satellite system, implemented in Chile by the Center for Mathematical Modeling (CMM) at the University of Chile, there is a project to monitor the hydrogeological balance of the Andean salt flats, crucial for water and resource management.
“We are committed to advancing the strategic partnership with Chile in mining. Socio-environmental sustainability is the guiding principle of our industry, and we are perfectly aligned with the challenge of minimizing environmental and social impacts. Under our ‘Team Europe’ approach, we will mobilize embassies, chambers of commerce, research centers, financial institutions, and companies from the Member States to build a successful participation in Expomin together,” Gintersdorfer emphasized.
It is worth noting that at Expomin 2025, the EU and its Member States co-organized the “Team Europe meets Chile” meeting, aimed at exploring how bilateral cooperation and public-private collaboration can drive sustainable development in the mining industry.
The 2025 edition of Expomin, organized by Fisa—part of the international GL events group—attracted more than 83,000 visitors, brought together over 1,300 exhibiting companies from more than 35 countries, featured over 100,000 square meters of exhibition space, and projected business deals exceeding US$1.4 billion. The International Congress fostered discussions on the sector’s main challenges with national and international authorities, executives, academics, and experts. The fair also marked a milestone with its first-ever Citizenship Day, which engaged more than 4,000 people in educational, cultural, and outreach activities, reinforcing Expomin’s role as a forum for dialogue between the mining industry, society, and the country’s development.
