Good practice:

SANTA BÁRBARA FOUNDATION: R&D and training for productivity and safety in the mining sector

Santa Bárbara is possibly the main center for professional training in extractive industries at the national level, both in the interior mining sector, as well as in the open pit and it does an important job in the mining regions, supporting companies that operate in the sector in terms of training and technology, and re-qualifying unemployed personnel from the processes of restructuring and closure of coal mining operations.
The mining sector need a “Mining Schools” to adapt to the needs required by the reality of mining industry in general and in our region, to get the most complete professional training of citizens.
Added value of an entity like Santa Barbara: an access to training, R&D, knowledge, new products and technologies.
Santa Bárbara Foundation has pursued these same REMIX´s objectives in two ways:
- professional training - the entity has sought to develop and professionalize the mining sector, offering a catalogue of specific training specialties in extractive industries that contribute to maintaining a constant, specialized workforce, which is essential to boost productivity in the sector, with low levels of accidents and therefore contributing to social acceptance of the sector improve significantly
- developing specific actions - minimizing the environmental impact of mining activities: environmental restoration, specific maintenance and improvement of environments affected by mining activities and R&D projects to find new production solutions

The total budget invested in this initiative is: 50.022.241 €.
The annual budget is: 2.250.000 €.

In the last 10 years, the Foundation has provided training for employment - 2100 people, with a rate of labour insertion of 50%. The objective here is twofold: on the one hand, to offer work alternatives to workers from declining mining activities, and on the other hand, to provide human capital duly trained to work in emerging mining activities.
The entity has participated in more than 30 research projects - to improving production processes and ancillary activities in the mining industry.

Integration and collaboration
Information and training
Innovation as horizontal axes in the development of all actions
Planning
Funding processes

It can be an inspiring initiative for other regions and the lessons learned can be shared with other entities that want to working in training and R&D tasks. The objective is always acting within the field of training in the mining sector, reduce accidents ... and put the mining sector at the forefront of R&D by researching technologies that own a mine to be adjusted to the needs of both dunning and post mining miners.
It is also important to note that an initiative like this, can be a good way to revitalize and look for alternatives in areas where mining activity is being abandoned, through the application of mining techniques and technologies in other sectors of activity. The mining facilities can be a good test bench for new products, explosive and flammable materials, new machines for underground operations, etc.