Integrated operations centers: The revolution of Chilean mining

Over 40% of mining in Chile is now managed through Integrated Operations Centers (IOCs), transforming the sector with new job profiles, higher productivity, and opportunities for foreign companies in technology and specialized services.

What just a few decades ago might have seemed like something out of a science fiction movie is now a well-established reality in Chilean mining: engineers and specialists controlling drills and processing plants located over five hundred miles away from control rooms filled with screens.

According to Chilean business publication Diario Financiero, integrated operations centers (IOC) now manage more than 40% of the country’s main economic activity and form a core part of mining industry giants such as Codelco, BHP, Antofagasta Minerals, and Anglo American.

Rodolfo Cáceres, a partner and Director of Technology at consultancy firm Vantaz Group, considers this «a silent revolution.»

«The goal of an IOC isn’t just to enable operations to be conducted remotely—that’s only one stage. The ultimate objective is to create value for the company through a strategic project, integrating operations and moving away from the traditional siloed structure,» he added

New workforce profiles in mining

One of the most visible changes is in the workforce itself. BHP, which pioneered the implementation of this model in 2019, now operates with 65% of its engineers being recent graduates, based in the Titanium building in Santiago.

«It used to take us six years to train a control room operator. Now, it takes just six months,» said Marcelo Castillo, Director of BHP Copper Advanced Services, during the AmCham-Honeywell Mining Summit.

The model has also enabled greater inclusion: at BHP’s remote operations center, 51% of operators are women, and the door has opened to hiring people with disabilities.

As Cáceres points out, «these new profiles break the paradigm—they are far removed from the physical labor that is traditionally associated with the sector.»

IOC success cases in Chile

• Codelco: The state-owned company has five IOCs, starting with El Teniente mine. «We have more than 100 analytical models in operation, some with 24/7 support,» said José Ramón Abatte, Corporate Manager of Technology and Automation Projects. The company expects productivity improvements of 5% to 15% thanks to the use of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence, along with a 30% increase in detecting risky behaviors.
  
  
• Anglo American: The company’s integrated remote operations center (IROC), located in the Titanium building in Santiago, opened in 2021. «Beyond technology, this is about organizational culture. Today we operate all Los Bronces mine assets from our center,» highlighted, María Victoria Madrid, the area’s manager.
  
  
• Antofagasta Minerals: At Los Pelambres mine, the integrated management center has achieved remarkable results, including a 54% increase in tailings transport system performance, a 28% improvement in coarse ore transport stability, and greater efficiency in grinding. According to Karen Foster, the center’s manager, they are currently working on phase two, which aims to integrate the operation’s entire value chain.

Opportunities for innovation and foreign investment

The growth of IOCs in Chile is not just a technological leap. It also creates opportunities for foreign companies providing advanced software, artificial intelligence, automation, cybersecurity, data analytics, and training services.

As Rodolfo Cáceres told Diario Financiero, «these centers are definitely here to stay.»

Chilean mining is not only innovating in its processes, but also positioning itself as a magnet for international companies looking to develop high-value solutions in one of the most dynamic sectors of the global economy.

The consolidation of integrated operations centers in Chile represents a cultural, technological, and workforce shift that boosts mining sector productivity and multiplies opportunities for investment in specialized services.

With more than 40% of the country’s mining industry already operating under this model, Chile has reaffirmed its leadership as a mining innovation hub and an attractive destination for international investors.

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