Latin America's Mining Dialogue and Dutch Water Innovation - Chile EN
Latin America's Mining Dialogue and Dutch Water Innovation
The Water Congress is an annual event held in Santiago de Chile, where the link between water and mining is thoroughly discussed at scientific, applied scientific, and practical levels. Mining—especially in Latin America—often takes place in arid regions, and large amounts of water are needed for both operational processes and for housing the many people working on-site. This water is also essential for local populations and their activities (consumption, agriculture, industry). At times, this leads to conflicts, for example when there isn’t enough water left or when water becomes contaminated due to upstream mining activities.
This year’s theme for the Water Congress is “Water for Technology, Technology for Water.”
The Netherlands has much to offer in the field of water technology and has therefore decided to be the guest country at the upcoming edition of the congress (October 7–9, 2025, in Santiago). IHE Delft is co-organizer of the event.
The goal is to present the Netherlands and Dutch water technology solutions to the more than 400 paying participants. The congress offers an excellent opportunity for companies and institutions to showcase themselves, connect, and engage with high-level experts who are often responsible for making the mining sector more sustainable, with a focus on water. The content of the congress is led by Codelco, Chile’s largest copper mining company.
The Dutch contribution includes:
- A speech by the ambassador during the opening of the congress
- A video message from the Dutch Water Envoy, Meike van Ginneken
- Hosting the opening reception, attended by authorities and approximately 400 paying participants
- 16 linear meters of booth space where participating Dutch companies can present themselves individually
- A keynote by IHE Delft, the international UNESCO water education institute based in Delft
- Support from the embassy in matchmaking with relevant contacts for participating companies
Participation costs for the congress are normally €1000. For €1500, companies can join the Dutch delegation and be represented at the congress (1 ticket per company). This does not include travel and accommodation costs.
If companies are interested in the congress but unable to attend in person, we offer a remote participation option for €500. This includes logo and name display at the booth, distribution of a brochure or flyer, and listing as a participant. Staff at the booth will collect and distribute information on behalf of the company.
We are able to offer this package thanks to a subsidy received from RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency).
Please learn more on the website: Water Congress 2025
When interested in participating, please contact:
Felix Quartero at: felix.quartero@minbuza.nl
Frans Janssen at: frans.janssen@minbuza.l