Aurora Williams

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Williams and the second or maternal family name is Baussa.

Aurora Williams
Minister of Mining
Incumbent
Assumed office 16 August 2023
President	Gabriel Boric
Preceded by	Marcela Hernando
In office 11 March 2014 – 11 March 2018
President	Michelle Bachelet
Preceded by	Hernán de Solminihac
Succeeded by	Baldo Prokurica
Personal details
Born	(1962-08-13) 13 August 1962 (age 62) Antofagasta, Chile
Political party	Social Democrat Radical Party Radical Party
Website	www.minmineria.gob.cl/ministerio/aurora-williams-baussa-ministra-de-mineria/

Aurora Elvira Williams Baussa (born 13 August 1962) is a Chilean business engineer. She was the Chilean Minister of Mining from 11 March 2014 to 11 March 2016. In an August 2023 Cabinet reshuffle, Boric re-appointed Williams as Minister of Mining, where she would replace Marcela Hernando.[1]

Education

Williams studied commercial engineering at the Catholic University of the North and earned a master's degree from the University of Lleida in Business Administration and Management.[2]

Career

During Michelle Bachelet's first term as President [es] from 2006 to 2010, Williams served as a regional ministerial secretary of public works in Antofagasta. This role made her the official responsible for the reconstruction in the area of the city following the 2007 Tocopilla earthquake.[3] later, she worked as an administrative and financial manager for the Antofagasta Terminal International (ATI), a mining company that handled 60% of all mining shipments in Antofagasta Region.[4]

In March 2014, Williams became Minister of Mining, making her the second woman to hold the post since Karen Poniachik.[4] In this capacity, she immediately became president of the board of directors of the state-owned National Mining Company (Chile) [es] (ENAMI) and the Chilean Copper Commission [es] (COCHILCO).

During her term as Minister of Mining, Williams repealed the Ley Reservada del Cobre,[5] approved capital funding for the COCHILCO from Codelco,[6] and passed legislation for small copper mining businesses.[7] She was also responsible for the closure of the controversial Chilean-Argentine Pascua Lama and the Dominga projects,[8][9][10] and for the rescue of two miners following a flood in a mine in Chile Chico.[11]

Boric re-appointed Williams as Minister of Mining in August 2023, where she would replace Marcela Hernando.[1]

Citations

1. Ningthoujam, Natalia (2023-08-17). "Chile's President Reorganizes Cabinet For 3rd Time Amid Low Approval Rating". Latin Times. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
2. "Seminario "Proveedores y Minería: hacia una Economía del Conocimiento"". STEPS AMÉRICA LATINA (in Spanish). 17 April 2015. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
3. "Qué Pasa (magazine)". Qué Pasa (in Spanish). 30 January 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
4. "Aurora Williams, Segunda Mujer Ministra de Minería en Chile" (in Spanish). Portal Minero. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
5. "Ley Reservada del Cobre dejó hoy de ser secreta". La Tercera (in Spanish). 17 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
6. "Bachelet promulga Ley de Capitalización de Codelco". Minería Chilena (in Spanish). 19 January 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
7. "Bachelet promulga ley que crea mecanismo de estabilización del precio del cobre para pequeña minería". Economía y Negocios (in Spanish). 20 December 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
8. "Gobierno y críticas desde Argentina por Pascua Lama: "Vamos a respetar la autoridad ambiental"". Emol.com (in Spanish). 20 May 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
9. "SMA sanciona con la clausura definitiva al proyecto minero Pascua Lama" (in Spanish). Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente. 18 January 2018. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
10. "Comité de ministros rechazó el proyecto minero Dominga". Cooperativa (in Spanish). 21 August 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
11. "Empresa minera oficializó fallecimiento de trabajadores atrapados en Chile Chico". Cooperativa (in Spanish). 27 June 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2018.