Álvaro Puig

Geologist. Bachelor of Science in Geology, graduated from University of Chile and MPhil at the Oxford Polytechnic (England) with the investigation of the isotopic composition of Pb in galenas (PbS) from different hydrothermal systems and deposits in the Central Andes published in the journal Economic Geology, Vol 83, N°4, 1988. He has held senior positions in the National Geology and Mining Service of Chile, in 1979 he was in charge of creating the IIG-SERNAGEOMIN K-Ar laboratory for which he was awarded the «Mente et Malleo» award in 2015, together with the task force for their contribution to national geology. He has participated in national Geological Mapping projects, and is co-author of two 1:250,000 scale Geological maps. He has published more than 30 contributions in specialized national and international journals in the fields of petrology, geochronology and geochemistry. He has also worked in the Mining Industry as a mine geologist and in the area of ​​Exploration of new copper and gold resources, being Director of National Explorations from 2000 to early 2017 at CODELCO where he had an active participation in administrative and technicians, on all new discoveries from 1991 to the present. In addition to its participation in the first reconnaissance of lithium and potassium resources in the company’s salars in the highlands of northern Chile. In his long career, he has supported the qualification of undergraduate and graduate students from the Universities of Chile and Concepción.

He is currently retired and has served in two periods as Director of the SGCh and has been its President from 2018 until 2021.