Hermes Cartes – Senior Process Engineer, Project Manager

Chemical Engineer, Universidad de Concepción, and MBA at Macquarie Graduate School of Management (Sydney). Over 20 years of experience in Operations Management in diverse industries such as mining, chemical, manufacturing, consulting, and transport. Professional specialist in chemical speciality production from ore and brines, with knowledge in several unit process operations such as crystallization, leaching, solid-liquid separation, chemical reaction, and comminution. He worked in SQM for 16 years in SQM Salar and SQM Nitrate & Iodine from Process Engineer to Operations Manager. He also worked in Indalum (Aluminium and PVC), Transap (Railway), Migrin (Silica and Quartz), and PMG Chile (Consulting). His expertise includes project and operation management, production planning and strategic planning; and within his skills are critical thinking and creative problem-solving.

Marcelo Bravo – Senior Process Engineer Consultant

Chemical Engineer of Universidad Católica del Norte, Diploma in Administration, Adolfo Ibáñez University, with a master’s degree in Engineering Sciences with a mention in Mineral Processing, University of Antofagasta. Marcelo has experience in the research and development of processes of Potassium, MOP and SOP, Lithium carbonate, design of solar evaporation ponds in Salar de Atacama, Chile (SQM and Rockwood-Albemarle); in Argentina in Salar de Hombre Muerto, (Minera del Altiplano-FMC), Salar de Olaroz, (Sales of Jujuy-Orocobre), Salar de Cauchari (EXAR-Lithium Americas Corp.). He has performed studies on the Salt Flats of Pedernales and Maricunga (Codelco Chile) and several salt flats of Chile and Argentina and Bolivia in Uyuni and Coipasa (GNRE-Comibol) Salt Flats.  He is a specialist in operational solutions, development of process engineering (research, data analysis, process control, design of bench-scale experiments and pilot tests), and team management in the development of projects in their engineering stages (conceptual, basic, and detailing).

Claudia Pohl Ibáñez – Industrial Engineer

Industrial Engineer of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Claudia has more than 25 years of experience in Planning & Operational Studies Management, Project Manager and Finance Controller. She worked in SQM for 23 years, in Finance and SQM Lithium and Potassium, as S&OP Manager, Chief of Staff, Project Manager and Cost Controller. She was responsible for the operational budget and the cost control of the expansion projects, and for the coordination between the areas involved in the production of Lithium, Potassium and Potassium Sulphate.

Luis Atenas – Mining Engineering

Luis has a degree in Mining Engineering from the Universidad de La Serena and is an Environmental Monitor at the same institution. He is also a Mining Safety Monitor for the National Geology and Mining Service and an Explosives Programmer.

He has 38 years of experience in the mining field, working in open pit and underground metallic mining; non-metallic mining; and salt mining. He is an expert in the area of earthworks and a specialist in the construction of solar brine concentration ponds. Luis has participated in the construction of approximately 25 million m² of evaporation area in Salar de Atacama (SQM), mastering the technique of building in salt and with salt as material; and has a record of 5 million m² in Nueva Victoria (SQM), building with different borrow materials.

In Argentina he has built pit walls in the highlands (for the company Livent) and also pits for industrial piling (company Neolithium), among other works related to lithium mining.

Luis has also extensive experience in the operation of solar concentration plants, including “salt harvesting”, both with specialized equipment and conventional equipment (approximately 35 million m³ between SQM Chile and the companies Livent, Sales de Jujuy and Minera Exar, in Argentina). In addition, he has expertise in the design of solar concentration systems, according to the terrain and physical conditions where they are located. 

Alea Aitue Reyes Mourgues – Civil Metallurgical Engineer

Civil Metallurgical Engineer from the University of Concepción, Alea has over 16 years of experience in project management and service delivery in the industrial and mining sectors. Her expertise includes administrative management for the development of activities related to the integration of the paleontological subcomponent into the Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA). Alea also has solid experience in the development of explosive products, as well as providing specialized technical consulting for the mining sector. Her on-site training has enabled her to identify needs and critical points in processes, ensuring efficient solutions tailored to the demands of the environment.

Mauricio Gálvez – Senior Engineer

Industrial Chemical Engineer, graduated from the University of Antofagasta, with specialization courses (diplomas) in the areas of Operations Management and Innovation at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Mauricio has more than 20 years of experience in the non-metallic mining production system, including 22 years in SQM, working in the areas of logistics, projects, production planning and processes of solar evaporation ponds system. Since 2021 he works at Ad-Infinitum as process engineer. He has experience in the search for process optimization and implementation of information improvements, and team building, resulting in performance increases in production systems and improvements in information management.

Giancarlo Antequera – Senior Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Engineer from Universidad de Santiago de Chile and Master in Asset Management and Maintenance at Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Giancarlo has more than 25 years of experience in investment projects, operational efficiency and maintenance of large-scale industrial plants, non-metallic mining, food and environment. He has worked at SQM (Salar de Atacama operation, KCL plant, MOP and SOP, Nitrates-Iodine and Railway); Nestlé (milk processing plants – standardization, evaporation, drying, coffee processing – roasting, concentration and drying, refrigerated desserts – blending, pasteurization, packaging – and steam generation); and at Hidronor (industrial waste treatment).

Pamela Taborga, PhD – Mineral Process Engineering

Ms. Taborga is a Chemical Engineer from the Universidad Técnica de Oruro (2011). In 2013, she started a PhD in Mineral Process Engineering at the Universidad de Antofagasta. Her thesis is related to Lithium Carbonate Precipitation. In 2016, for 3 months she conducted a research internship at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems in Magdeburg, Germany. In 2017 she worked on a project funded by CONICYT, “PhD thesis in the productive sector”, carrying out experimental tests with materials provided by Albemarle Ltda. Since 2014 she is working in Ad infinitum on projects related to solar evaporation ponds, topics like design, control, mass balance, and research of synthesis processes of lithium and potassium compounds.

Fabiola Aqueveque – Chemical Process Engineer

Fabiola is a Chemical Process Engineer and has a degree in Quality Management from the Universidad Católica del Norte. She has more than 15 years of experience in brine and non-metallic mining processes. She worked in SQM Salar de Atacama in the process control of evaporation ponds, in production scheduling of potassium salts and brines for lithium production, in salt harvesting planning, and in engineering and project control. At Ad-Infinitum she has developed bench scale tests, wind tunnel process simulation to concentrate brines, solar evaporation tests to obtain concentrated brine, coordination and supervision of sampling in KCl plant. Currently, she works as an engineer in process control for obtaining concentrated brines and as a consultant in salt extraction.

Manuel Zúñiga

With a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Manuel also holds a postgraduate degree in risk prevention in the productive sector from the same university.

Mr. Zúñiga has extensive experience in research within the field of analytical chemistry, including publications in specialized journals such as Talanta. He has a deep understanding of the chemical industry, having worked at prominent companies such as Aguas Andinas, SQM, and Minera Zaldívar, where he successfully led process control and quality laboratories. Additionally, he has proven expertise in environmental and industrial chemical analysis. Notably, Manuel excels as a leader in developing and validating chemical methodologies for process control, employing mass balance techniques specifically in the production of Carbonate and Hydroxide at SQM.

María José Tardón – Process Engineer

Chemical engineer and PhD in Engineering Science at the Universidad de Concepción, she started her professional career working as a researcher and teacher, developing thermodynamic studies of fluid mixtures and teaching different engineering courses to students. Her doctoral thesis titled “Isopycnic and Barotropic Phenomena. Interfacial tension and molecular simulation in binary mixtures and extension to ternary systems (FONDECYT Project No. 1100938)” was completed in 2012. Since then, Ms. Tardón has worked as an independent technical consultant, developing studies of matter and energy balance and heat integration. It is worth mentioning the consultancy in the EWTECH project (2012-2016), an electrodeposition process in a modular plant that was finally patented by Proter S.A. María José has relevant experience in innovation and development of chloride leaching tests and experimental design having held the position of Project Engineer in the mining-metallurgical technical consulting company Empírica SpA. She has been responsible of preparing technical reports for SQM in WSP Ambiental S.A. under the SK-1300 standard and has developed a critical design review of a copper sulfate production project by leaching of copper smelter dusts. Since 2022 she is working in Ad infinitum on projects related to prepare technical report in NI-43-101 standard for no metallic mining process and concentration of brines and developing studies relating to testing and experimental data analysis for brines vapor-concentration and other non-conventionally technology of concentration.

Yerko Aenishanslins Bravo – Senior Project Manager

Chemical Engineer from Universidad Católica del Norte. Yerko has more than 20 years of experience in the areas of industrial processes, operational improvements, production, chemical plant operation and strategic planning. He has led process and production areas in SQM and ALBEMARLE. In previous functions, he worked in unit operations of drying, prilling, crystallization and solar evaporation. In the last 15 years he has specialized in the design and implementation of strategic plans to increase the productivity of the areas in which he was involved and training in methodologies that seek operational excellence such as Lean Management, Kaizen, 5s, PDCA and TPM indicators in maintenance. Yerko is competent in developing and leading effective work teams, oriented to continuous improvement, using problem solving methodologies and search for root causes.

Marcela Casini – Senior Consultant Geologist

Senior Consulting Geologist & hydrogeologist, with 20 years of experience working in salares. MAusIMM Member 327782 Competent Person in compliance with JORC code, and Qualified Person for NI43-101 Reports

Specialized in exploring, assessing, and developing resources and reserves for brine projects in salares. Intimately familiar with the latest best practices for brine exploration as accepted by the Securities Commissions of the world.

CIM (Canadian Institute of Mining) Member #750899

In 2003 she started to work for Rio Tinto exploring  for industrial minerals in salares from the Puna Argentina.

She worked  12 years for Lithium Americas Corp. as a senior hydrogeologist, leading the exploration to estimate resources & reserve, she was the leader responsible  of the design , strategy and development of the production wells field to deliver enough brine to produce 40,000 tons per year of Lithium Carbonate .

Since 2016 Competent Person and exploration manager for Power Minerals (ASX: PNN). Responsible of the  exploration strategy and resources and reserve estimations

From 2014 to the present, she has been acting a lithium specialist  advisor   for  companies as Fortecue (FMG), Quantum Leap, Lithium South development, Golder-WSP, CATL, , Behre  Dolberar, Add Infinitum, Wintershal, Litica, and World Bank.