27/04/2026
Dr. Walter Cañón, researcher at the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA) and academic at Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, took part in INTECMIN 2026, a meeting focused on innovation and technology for the mining industry, where he discussed the strategic role of rare earths in productive and technological development. In his presentation, titled “Rare earths: from the laboratory to the market”, the researcher argued that the main challenge is not the availability of these elements, but the complexity of their separation, purification and industrial scale-up processes. These are materials with magnetic and luminescent properties key to electronic devices, screens, energy storage systems and many technological applications. Cañón focused on the national scenario. He explained that Chile has potential not only in exploration, but also in the use of secondary sources such as tailings, clays and electronic waste, which opens a concrete path towards more sustainable mining. “Chile has a concrete opportunity to join the rare earth value chain, not only through extraction, but also through process innovation and the use of secondary sources, making it possible to move towards circular and more sustainable mining,” he said during his presentation. The researcher also presented part of his scientific work, which includes the design of rare earth complexes with applications in molecular magnetism and luminescence, along with the development of multifunctional nanomaterials. One of the most important advances is a portable device for detecting rare earths in mining solids, developed in collaboration between Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Universidad Diego Portales and CEDENNA. This technology seeks to improve chemical and mineralogical characterization directly in the field, a key step to optimize processes and reduce exploration costs. Cañón’s participation in INTECMIN 2026 reinforces the role of scientific research in developing solutions for the mining of the future, where efficiency, sustainability and added value will be decisive factors.
