{{short description|Chilean politician}} {{family name hatnote|Williams|Baussa|lang=Spanish}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Aurora Williams | image = Aurora Williams Bausa, ministra de energía.jpg | office = Minister of Mining | term_start = 16 August 2023 | term_end = 11 March 2026 | president = Gabriel Boric | predecessor = Marcela Hernando | successor = Daniel Mas | term_start1 = 11 March 2014 | term_end1 = 11 March 2018 | president1 = Michelle Bachelet | predecessor1 = Hernán de Solminihac | successor1 = Baldo Prokurica | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1962|8|13}} | birth_place = Antofagasta, Chile | party = Social Democrat Radical Party<br/>Radical Party | website = {{URL|http://www.minmineria.gob.cl/ministerio/aurora-williams-baussa-ministra-de-mineria/}} }}
'''Aurora Elvira Williams Baussa''' (born 13 August 1962)<ref>{{Cite web |title=El primer gabinete de Michelle Bachelet – Especial de Emol.com |url=https://www.emol.com/especiales/2014/actualidad/nacional/gabinete-bachelet/ministerio-mineria.asp |access-date=2025-07-11 |website=www.emol.com}}</ref> is a Chilean economist and politician affiliated with the Radical Party (PR).<ref name="regio">{{cite web|date=8 April 2018 |title=Partido Radical cuestiona a Aurora Williams por su cargo en municipio de Antofagasta |url=https://regionalista.cl/partido-radical-cuestiona-a-aurora-williams-por-su-cargo-en-municipio-de-antofagasta/ |work=www.regionalista.cl}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> She currently serves as Minister of Mining under President Gabriel Boric, having been reappointed to the post in August 2023.<ref name="Ningthoujam">{{Cite web |last=Ningthoujam |first=Natalia |date=2023-08-17 |title=Chile's President Reorganizes Cabinet For 3rd Time Amid Low Approval Rating |url=https://www.latintimes.com/chiles-president-reorganizes-cabinet-3rd-time-amid-low-approval-rating-545865 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Latin Times |language=en}}</ref> She previously held the same position during the second administration of President Michelle Bachelet from 2014 to 2018, becoming the first and, so far, only person to serve a full presidential term as Minister of Mining in Chilean history.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=5 December 2018 |archive-date=5 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205223157/http://www.minmineria.gob.cl/historia/ |date=2018 |url-status=dead |title=Historia del Ministerio de Minería |url=http://www.minmineria.gob.cl/historia/}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>
== Early life and education == Williams was born in Antofagasta, Chile, to Federico Williams Rojo and Rina Ester Baussa Ortiz.<ref name="anales">{{cite web|access-date=17 August 2021 |title=Anales de la República; Aurora Williams Baussa |url=http://anales.cl/williams-baussa-aurora/ |work=www.anales.cl}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> She earned a degree in ''ingeniería comercial''—a program combining economics and business administration—from the Catholic University of the North, followed by a master's in Business Administration and Management from the University of Lleida in Spain.<ref>{{cite web |date=17 April 2015 |title=Seminario "Proveedores y Minería: hacia una Economía del Conocimiento" |url=https://stepsamericalatina.org/seminario-proveedores-y-mineria-hacia-una-economia-del-conocimiento/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827044104/http://stepsamericalatina.org/seminario-proveedores-y-mineria-hacia-una-economia-del-conocimiento/ |archive-date=27 August 2016 |accessdate=14 February 2018 |work=STEPS AMÉRICA LATINA |language=es}}</ref> She also completed an MBA in Business Management and Training at IEDE Business School in Chile.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=14 February 2018 |archive-date=27 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827044104/http://stepsamericalatina.org/seminario-proveedores-y-mineria-hacia-una-economia-del-conocimiento/ |date=17 April 2015 |language=es-ES |periodical=STEPS AMÉRICA LATINA |title=Seminario “Proveedores y Minería: hacia una Economía del Conocimiento” |url=https://stepsamericalatina.org/seminario-proveedores-y-mineria-hacia-una-economia-del-conocimiento/}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>
==Career== Williams has worked in both the public and private sectors, primarily in executive roles. She served as client manager and later as administrative and financial manager at the Antofagasta Sanitary Services Company, and then as client manager at Aguas de Antofagasta. Her roles focused on resource management, goal planning, and procurement.
During Michelle Bachelet's first presidential term (2006–2010), Williams was appointed Regional Ministerial Secretary (Seremi) of Public Works for the Antofagasta Region. In this capacity, she oversaw infrastructure investments in the region and coordinated the reconstruction efforts following the 2007 Tocopilla earthquake.<ref>{{cite news |date=30 January 2014 |title=Qué Pasa (magazine) |url=http://www.quepasa.cl/articulo/politica/2014/01/19-13673-9-los-debutantes.shtml |accessdate=14 February 2018 |work=Qué Pasa |language=es}}</ref>
Subsequently, she worked as administrative and financial manager at Antofagasta Terminal International (ATI), a port concessionaire responsible for 60% of private mining exports in the region and associated with the Luksic Group.<ref name="seis">{{cite web |title=Aurora Williams, Segunda Mujer Ministra de Minería en Chile |url=http://www.portalminero.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=87014770 |accessdate=14 February 2018 |publisher=Portal Minero |language=es}}</ref>
=== Minister of Mining (2014–2018) === In March 2014, Williams was appointed Minister of Mining by President Michelle Bachelet, becoming the second woman to lead the ministry after Karen Poniachik.<ref name="seis" /> As minister, she also assumed the presidency of the boards of the state-owned National Mining Company (ENAMI) and the Chilean Copper Commission (COCHILCO).
During her tenure, she:
* Oversaw the repeal of the ''Ley Reservada del Cobre'', removing the secrecy surrounding defense-related copper revenues.<ref>{{cite news |date=17 April 2015 |title=Ley Reservada del Cobre dejó hoy de ser secreta |url=http://www2.latercera.com/noticia/ley-reservada-del-cobre-dejo-hoy-secreta/ |accessdate=10 April 2018 |work=La Tercera |language=es}}</ref> * Promoted the capitalization of Codelco to finance its structural projects.<ref>{{cite news |date=19 January 2017 |title=Bachelet promulga Ley de Capitalización de Codelco |url=http://www.mch.cl/2017/01/19/bachelet-promulga-ley-capitalizacion-codelco/# |accessdate=10 April 2018 |work=Minería Chilena |language=es}}</ref> * Introduced legislation creating a Price Stabilization Mechanism for Small-Scale Mining.<ref>{{cite news |date=20 December 2017 |title=Bachelet promulga ley que crea mecanismo de estabilización del precio del cobre para pequeña minería |url=http://www.economiaynegocios.cl/noticias/noticias.asp?id=428045 |accessdate=10 April 2018 |work=Economía y Negocios |language=es}}</ref> * Oversaw the definitive closure of two controversial mining projects: the Chilean-Argentine ''Pascua Lama'' project and the ''Dominga'' project.<ref>{{cite web |date=20 May 2014 |title=Gobierno y críticas desde Argentina por Pascua Lama: "Vamos a respetar la autoridad ambiental" |url=http://www.emol.com/noticias/economia/2014/05/20/661236/ministra-de-mineria-responde-a-argentina.html |accessdate=10 April 2018 |website=Emol.com |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=18 January 2018 |title=SMA sanciona con la clausura definitiva al proyecto minero Pascua Lama |url=http://www.sma.gob.cl/index.php/noticias/comunicados/911-sma-sanciona-a-pascua-lama-2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411174331/http://www.sma.gob.cl/index.php/noticias/comunicados/911-sma-sanciona-a-pascua-lama-2018 |archive-date=11 April 2018 |accessdate=10 April 2018 |publisher=Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=21 August 2017 |title=Comité de ministros rechazó el proyecto minero Dominga |url=http://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/pais/medioambiente/contaminacion/comite-de-ministros-rechazo-el-proyecto-minero-dominga/2017-08-21/084035.html |accessdate=10 April 2016 |work=Cooperativa |language=es}}</ref> * Led the government's response to the fatal flooding incident at the Cerro Bayo mine in Chile Chico in 2017, where two miners were trapped and later found dead.<ref>{{cite news |date=27 June 2017 |title=Empresa minera oficializó fallecimiento de trabajadores atrapados en Chile Chico |url=http://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/pais/trabajo/accidentes-laborales/empresa-minera-oficializo-fallecimiento-de-trabajadores-atrapados-en/2017-06-27/194252.html |accessdate=10 April 2018 |work=Cooperativa |language=es}}</ref>
She also created the ''National Lithium Commission'', aimed at developing a public policy for lithium mining in Chile. The commission classified lithium as a strategic mineral and recommended the State retain ownership of lithium resources.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=10 April 2018 |archive-date=23 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323202419/http://www.mch.cl/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/01/Informe-Final_Comision_Litio.pdf |date=1 February 2016 |language=es-ES |title=Litio, una fuente de energía, una oportunidad para Chile. Informe final |url=http://www.mch.cl/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/01/Informe-Final_Comision_Litio.pdf}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> However, following negotiations, the Chilean Economic Development Agency (CORFO) reached an agreement with private mining company SQM (Soquimich) to continue exploiting lithium until 2030.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=10 April 2018 |date=17 January 2018 |language=es-ES |periodical=Cooperativa |title=Corfo y SQM firmaron acuerdo de conciliación por la explotación del Salar de Atacama |url=http://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/economia/empresas/corfo-y-sqm-firmaron-acuerdo-de-conciliacion-por-la-explotacion-del/2018-01-17/204529.html}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><ref>{{cite news|access-date=10 April 2018 |date=26 January 2018 |language=es-ES |periodical=Cooperativa |title=Corfo tras acuerdo con SQM: Chile recuperó el litio para Chile |url=http://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/economia/empresas/corfo-tras-acuerdo-con-sqm-chile-recupero-el-litio-para-chile/2018-01-26/083422.html}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> This followed a failed public tender during Sebastián Piñera's first administration, which had awarded lithium rights to SQM despite the company's ongoing legal disputes with the State. The controversy led to the resignation and later prosecution of then-Deputy Mining Secretary Pablo Wagner for document forgery.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=10 April 2018 |date=21 October 2016 |language=es-ES |title=Caso litio: exsubsecretario de Piñera enfrenta formalización por fallida licitación a SQM |url=http://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/chile/2016/10/21/caso-litio-exsubsecretario-de-pinera-enfrenta-formalizacion-por-fallida-licitacion-a-sqm.shtml}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>
=== Other roles === Between March and October 2018, after leaving the national cabinet, Williams served as Executive Secretary of the Municipal Corporation for Social Development in Antofagasta.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=10 April 2018 |date=29 March 2018 |language=es-ES |title=Exministra de Minería asume como secretaria ejecutiva de la Cmds de Antofagasta |url=http://www.revistatecnicosmineros.com/2018/03/exministra-de-mineria-asume-como-secretaria-ejecutiva-de-la-cmds-de-antofagasta/}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><ref>{{cite news|access-date=5 December 2018 |archive-date=6 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206001711/https://regionalista.cl/web/2018/10/29/antofagasta-aurora-williams-presento-su-renuncia-como-secretaria-ejecutiva-de-la-cmds/ |date=29 October 2018 |language=es-ES |title=Antofagasta: Aurora Williams presentó su renuncia como secretaria ejecutiva de la CMDS |url=https://regionalista.cl/web/2018/10/29/antofagasta-aurora-williams-presento-su-renuncia-como-secretaria-ejecutiva-de-la-cmds/}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> Her appointment by right-wing mayor Karen Rojo caused discontent within her own Radical Party.<ref name="regio2">{{cite web|date=8 April 2018 |title=Partido Radical cuestiona a Aurora Williams por su cargo en municipio de Antofagasta |url=https://regionalista.cl/partido-radical-cuestiona-a-aurora-williams-por-su-cargo-en-municipio-de-antofagasta/ |work=www.regionalista.cl}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>
=== Return as Minister of Mining (2023–2026) === In August 2023, President Gabriel Boric appointed Williams as Minister of Mining in a cabinet reshuffle, replacing Marcela Hernando.<ref name="Ningthoujam" />
== Personal life == Williams has been married to Homero Francisco Bonilla Pizarro since 2000<ref name="anales2">{{cite web|access-date=17 August 2021 |title=Anales de la República; Aurora Williams Baussa |url=http://anales.cl/williams-baussa-aurora/ |work=www.anales.cl}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> and has one daughter.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=14 February 2018 |last=LUN |language=es-ES |title=LUN.COM Mobile |url=http://www.lun.com/LunMobileIphone//Pages/NewsDetailMobile.aspx?dt=2014-05-14&BodyId=0&PaginaID=14&NewsID=272354&Name=I12&PagNum=0&Return=R&SupplementId=0&Anchor=20140514_14_0_I272354}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><ref name="#1">{{cite news|access-date=14 February 2018 |date=30 January 2014 |language=es-ES |periodical=Revista Qué Pasa |title=Los debutantes - Revista Qué Pasa |url=http://www.quepasa.cl/articulo/politica/2014/01/19-13673-9-los-debutantes.shtml}}<!-- auto-translated from Spanish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>
== Honors ==
=== Foreign honors ===
* border|55x55pxGrand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit ({{flagg|unu|Spain}}, 24 October 2014).<ref>[https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2014/10/25/pdfs/BOE-A-2014-10890.pdf]</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[https://www.gob.cl/en/ministries/ministry-of-mining/ Official profile] - Chilean government website
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Aurora}} Category:Living people Category:1962 births Category:Catholic University of the North alumni Category:Ministers of mining of Chile Category:Radical Social Democratic Party of Chile politicians Category:Radical Party of Chile politicians Category:University of Lleida alumni Category:People from Antofagasta Category:Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit Category:Women government ministers of Chile Category:Michelle Bachelet cabinet ministers Category:Gabriel Boric cabinet ministers