Minas de Chuquicamata opened in 1920 and were first operated by Americans who brought the equipment and the technology. It was nationalized in 1971 by the government of Salvador Allende. The mines are therefore now owned 100% by the Chilean Government, managed by the Codelco (Corporacion nacional del Cobre de Chile). The mine is as mindboggling because of its dimension, as some of the figures below :
• The Mines of Chuquicamata are the largest copper mines in the world. They are 5 kms long by 3 kms wide by 1 km deep.
• Still 20,000 persons work there.
• The mine is operated 24 hours a day, every day.
• The production of copper is 1500 tons per day.
• 100 kgs of rocks yield 1 kg of copper.
• Copper represents around 35% of the Chilean exports.
• 40% of the production of the mine is sold to Asian countries, 22% to China alone.
• 100 trucks are used for mining. One truck costs 5 millions US $. They last ten years and are maintained once every two weeks.
• One tire costs 40,000 US $ and they last one year.
• It takes 20 minutes for one truck to reach the bottom of the mine, but it requires 50 minutes, once loaded, to climb the hill.
• A truck driver makes 3 to 4,000 US $ per month, which is considered a very good salary in Chile.
• The last time it rained in this area is 2006, 5 years ago.
• For environmental reasons, Codelco moved the whole city down to Calama. It took 8 years to do this and the last family left the city of Chuquicamata in 2008, only 3 years ago. In the past, all the mining families were lodged for free, but they did own their house. When they moved to Calama, they were able to buy their current house at a third of the price.
