Codelco has strengthened its technology collaborations by signing a two-year memorandum of understanding with Schneider Electric, focusing on digital innovation and energy efficiency to modernise its mining operations and accelerate decarbonisation efforts.
Codelco has moved to deepen its technology partnerships after signing a memorandum of understanding with Schneider Electric on 3 February 2026 that lays out a two‑year programme of collaboration on digitalisation a...
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nd energy efficiency across its mining operations.
According to the announcement, the MoU creates a framework for co‑development of solutions spanning the project lifecycle from engineering and proofs of concept through to operation, maintenance and asset optimisation. Planned areas of work include automation of industrial and electrical systems, advanced analytics, process optimisation, digital twins, energy management and predictive emissions monitoring. The agreement also foresees pilot projects, technology testing, workshops, knowledge exchange and access to Schneider Electric’s Innovation Hub soon to open in Santiago, Chile.
Industry observers say the deal formalises Codelco’s ongoing strategy of partnering with technology vendors to accelerate decarbonisation and operational modernisation rather than developing all capabilities in‑house. “The challenges we face today in safety, productivity, and sustainability are increasingly complex and cannot be resolved in isolation. The way to address them is through collaboration with the various stakeholders in the ecosystem, and this is part of the strategic vision we are strengthening at the Corporation. Being technology partners with Schneider Electric reaffirms this vision and allows us to move towards a mining industry prepared for the present and the future,” said Julio Díaz, Vice President of Mining Resources, Development, and Innovation at Codelco.
Schneider Electric framed the alliance as part of its broader push to support customers’ digital transitions. Jorge De la Rivera, Vice President of Industrial Automation for South America at Schneider Electric, said the partnership “reflects the company’s commitment to supporting the Chilean mining industry in its digital transformation and transition to increasingly efficient, safe, and sustainable operations. At Schneider Electric, we firmly believe that the combination of technology, expertise, and collaboration is key to addressing the current challenges of the mining industry. Putting our global capabilities in automation, energy management, and digitalisation at Codelco’s service is a concrete step toward co-creating solutions that will generate a real and long-term impact for the country.”
The memorandum sits alongside a string of recent technology accords Codelco has announced. In July 2025 the company signed an MoU with Huawei Chile to explore on‑site connectivity, electrification and use of artificial intelligence for automation and process optimisation. In November 2025 Codelco agreed a separate strategic pact with NTT DATA to investigate advanced connectivity, generative AI, robotics, quantum computing, autonomous operations and clean technologies. These arrangements indicate a multipartner approach that combines different vendors’ strengths with Codelco’s operational expertise.
Documentation from Codelco’s 2025 operational and financial reports shows the corporation is already testing electrification and energy‑saving technologies. The report notes a pilot of Caterpillar’s Dynamic Energy Transfer system at Radomiro Tomic, scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2026, which the company projects could cut emissions from haulage by as much as 60–70% and reduce fuel use and engine wear.
Schneider Electric brings recent product developments to the table that could be applied in mining contexts. The company launched the One Digital Grid Platform in 2025, an AI‑enabled, modular solution aimed at modernising grid planning, operations and asset management; the platform integrates cloud services and AI tools to support real‑time troubleshooting and optimisation. Schneider’s global record of signing MoUs to advance digital transformation and sustainability in other jurisdictions underscores the vendor’s strategy of scaling platform and automation offerings through local partnerships.
Analysts note the benefits of integrating energy management, digital twin modelling and advanced analytics in large, energy‑intensive mining operations but caution that pilot projects must be validated at scale. The MoU’s two‑year term, with a possibility of extension, will allow both parties to identify specific projects and formalise them through binding agreements.
Beyond technology deployment, the Schneider Electric collaboration includes training and links with educational institutions aimed at strengthening STEM talent pipelines for mining. Codelco has emphasised that workforce development is central to sustaining the long‑term value of digital investments.
The agreement reinforces a broader industry trend in Chile and globally where miners combine multiple vendor partnerships, pilots and in‑house programmes to meet tightening sustainability targets and rising expectations for safer, more efficient operations. Codelco and Schneider Electric say the new alliance is intended to move from experimentation to operational solutions that deliver measurable efficiency and emissions outcomes.
Source: Noah Wire Services
