Mining Industry Leadership Shift: Former Collahuasi CEO Takes the Helm at Codelco Following Alvarado’s Exit

Original article: Puerta giratoria minera: exCEO de Collahuasi salta desde la gran minería privada al mando de Codelco

Jorge Gómez, the former CEO of the private mining company Collahuasi, has assumed leadership of Codelco, following the departure of Rubén Alvarado, who had held the position since September 2023.

In early June, Rubén Alvarado announced his resignation from Codelco. His exit came amid a scandal involving alleged internal emails suggesting that the former leader was aware of efforts to inflate production figures
at the end of the previous year—an accusation that Alvarado has denied.

Among the incidents noted, the plan known as “Operation Rastrillo 2025” was highlighted, aimed at recovering and reintroducing materials such as oxides, slags, metallurgical dusts, and mining waste that are typically excluded from conventional refining processes.

Internal controls reportedly detected an overstatement in the calculation of approximately 27,000 tons of copper.

One of the most troubling incidents during Alvarado’s administration was the collapse that occurred at the El Teniente Division in July 2025. This event triggered strong internal criticism regarding the handling of the emergency and led to the exit of several executives from the state-owned company.

Following the disaster, the Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation, while an internal administrative summary revealed inconsistencies and significant concealment of information related to safety protocols, which ultimately resulted in the dismissal of high-ranking officials within the mining company.

Jorge Gómez: From Private Mining to Leading Codelco

After Alvarado’s resignation, it was announced that Jorge Gómez would replace him. Gómez had served for over 13 years as CEO of Minera Collahuasi—controlled by Anglo American and Glencore—from December 2012 to June 2026.

The civil mining engineer from the University of Atacama also worked for Antofagasta Minerals, where he was Vice President of Operations. In 2011, he joined Codelco as Vice President of Southern Operations, but left the state-owned company a year later to take on the role of CEO at Collahuasi.

The leadership transition took place after Gómez visited Codelco’s headquarters at Huérfanos 1270 in Santiago to meet with executives and staff.

In his first official statements, released through a video, he outlined the priorities of his administration. “My commitment is to listen and work alongside the people to build a safer, more stable, and sustainable operation,” he stated.

He emphasized that “operational discipline, prevention, and teamwork are the foundation for meeting commitments and restoring trust in Codelco,” a critical aspect that the state-owned company has sought to reinforce after recent scrutiny.

Bernardo Fontaine, chairman of Codelco’s board, welcomed the executive and highlighted the significance of the moment for the corporation. He noted that the state-run company faces crucial challenges, believing that Gómez’s leadership, experience, and ability to manage complex organizations will be instrumental in implementing the necessary changes and improvements.

“In this way, Codelco will regain its leadership, the kind that makes it so beloved by Chileans,” the board chair remarked, as cited in a press release.

*Featured Image: Codelco.