Mining’s old guard needs strong medicine
A new report details subpar investor returns in the mining industry over the last decade, particularly big cap diversified companies which have not adapted to new realities.
Karen Poniachik, well known Chilean journalist who became the country’s first female minister of mining and sat in the board of Lundin Mining (TSX: LUN), among other companies, has died at the age of 57.
She led Chile’s mining ministry from March 2006 to January 2008, as part of the first government of Michelle Bachelet — so far the only woman to have been elected the country’s President.
Poniachik steered the negotiations that helped Chile to become a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), being the first South American nation accepted in the group.
“Karen brought a wealth of experience, wisdom and insight to our board gained through her distinguished career and many contributions to mining in Chile,” Lundin Mining chairman Adam Lundin said in a statement. “She will be greatly missed by many.”
Since 2011 and until her death on October 12, Poniachik was the director of the Columbia Global Center in Santiago, Chile’s capital, where she promoted research on issues such as climate change, gender equality, health and innovation.
In addition, the senior executive had been appointed by President Gabriel Boric as one of the new representatives of Chile in the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), a body that provides APEC leaders with perspectives, private sector recommendations and action plans.
Although the cause of death has not been officially released, Poniachik was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 35.
