Sociedad Nacional de Minería (lit. National Mining Society) or SONAMI[1][2] is a guild grouping mining companies operating in Chile. With 76 member companies listed as of 2025 it is more inclusive than Consejo Minero which groups only the 16 largest mining companies.[3][4] SONAMI was established in 1883[3][2] during a time when gold, silver and copper mining in Chile were experiencing a decline.[5]
SONAMI declares its objectives to be to promote mining activity, represent the interests of its member in Chile and abroad and to offer information services.[3]
| Categories | Trade magazine |
|---|---|
| Frequency |
|
| First issue | December 15, 1883 |
| Company | Sociedad Nacional de Minería |
| Country | Chile |
| Language | Spanish |
| Website | www |
The society publishes the newsletter Boletín Minero since 1883.[2] SONAMI has been involved in the shaping of Chilean legislation on various moments in history such as the Chilean Mining Code of 1888, the Chilean Law on Mining Concessions in the 1980s and the 2003 DS 76 decree of the Ministry of Mining.[2]
The San Lorenzo Prize (Premio San Lorenzo) is awarded by SONAMI each year to people or institutions who contribute to mining in Chile. It is named after Saint Lawrence the patron saint of miners and is awarded on the Day of the Miner which is the feast day of Saint Lawrence.[6] Some recipients are:
- 2023: Enrique Merino Cortés; Planta Delta and Faena Tambo de Oro.[6]
- 2022: Planta Magnetita[7]
See also
edit- Codelco, a Chilean state-owned copper mining company
- ENAMI, a Chilean state-owned mining services company
- Hernán Videla Lira, president of SONAMI from 1937 to 1965
- Pirquinero, artisanal miner in Chile and neighbouring countries
References
edit- ^ Ulloa Urrutia et al. 2017, p. 7.
- ^ a b c d "Sociedad Nacional de Minería F.G". Memoria Chilena (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-04-29.
- ^ a b c "Sobre SONAMI". sonami.cl. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
- ^ Ulloa Urrutia et al. 2017, p. 50.
- ^ Godoy Orellana, Milton (2019). "Llamado a un fabuloso porvenir. Explotaciones auríferas y poblamiento en el desierto de Atacama: el mineral de El Guanaco y la Placilla de Aguada de Cachinal, 1880-1930" [Called to a fabulous future. Gold mining and settlement in the Atacama Desert: The Guanaco Ore and the Placilla Aguada de Cachinal, 1880-1930]. Cuadernos de Historia (in Spanish). 51. doi:10.4067/S0719-12432019000200009.
- ^ a b "SONAMI celebró el Día del Minero y la Minera en la comuna de Salamanca". SONAMI (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-05-22.
- ^ "SONAMI premia a Compañía Minera del Pacífico por planta Magnetita". SONAMI (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-05-22.
Bibliography
edit- Ulloa Urrutia, Alfie; Contreras Biekert, José Luis; Gana Aravena, Joaquín; Miranda Toledo, Rodrigo; Chauveau Gerber, Paul; Villalobos Valenzuela, Fernando; Farías Soto, Javiera (2017). Productividad en la Gran Minería del Cobre (in Spanish). Comisión Nacional de Productividad. ISBN 978-956-7725-08-3.