TheAtacama Region (Spanish:Región de Atacama,pronounced[ataˈkama]) is one ofChile's 16 first orderadministrative divisions. It comprises threeprovinces:Chañaral,Copiapó andHuasco. It is bordered to the north byAntofagasta, to the south byCoquimbo, to the east by the provinces ofCatamarca,La Rioja andSan Juan ofArgentina, and to the west by thePacific Ocean. The regional capitalCopiapó is located 806 km (501 mi) north of the country's capital ofSantiago. The region occupies the southern portion of theAtacama Desert, the rest of the desert is mainly distributed among the other regions ofNorte Grande. As a generalization south of Copiapó River the region is mostly semi-arid and north of it is a true desert. The inland area in the north also differs from the southern part by hosting active volcanoes part of theCentral Volcanic Zone of Andes. The region has a long tradition of mining.
The Atacama Region is the third least populated region of the country, afterAisén andMagallanes. Of its total population, over 50% are located in the cities ofCopiapó andVallenar.
Much of the region is desert, and encompasses considerable mineral resources.[5] Numerous flora and fauna species are found in the Atacama Region. Onesubspecies of thelesser rhea, known by the scientific nameRhea pennata tarapacensis, is a notable large terrestrial bird in this region, which subspecies is consideredendangered. The diminished numbers of this bird are due to prehistoric and modern hunting but more significantly due to agricultural land conversion in order to feed theexpanding human population.
Mining accounts for 41%[9] of the region's GDP and 90% of its exports.[citation needed] Moreover, various geological surveys have identified new deposits.[citation needed] In Atacama Regionmedium and small-scale mining has a larger share of mining properties relative to large-scale mining that is dominant in the more northern regions ofTarapacá andAntofagasta.[10] The region's mining activity is centered on copper mining, but it host most of Chile'siron andgold mines. In Atacama Region there are numerous small-scale mines, which sell their output toENAMI (the national mining company) for processing at itsPaipote smelter. The region's main copper deposit isCandelaria, which produces around 200,000 tonnes per year and is controlled byPhelps Dodge, an international corporation.[needs update] The next in size is El Salvador, owned byCODELCO, with an annual output of around 81,000 tonnes. Both mines export through the port ofChañaral.[citation needed]
Irrigated fields in the outskirts Copiapó.
Over recent decades, freshfruit also emerged as regional export item, when theCopiapó andHuasco valleys joinedChile’s fruit-growing boom. They enjoy a comparative advantage because, thanks to the sunny climate, fruit ripens earlier than in the rest of the country and reaches northern hemisphere markets first.Grapes are the main crop and, on a smaller scale,olives,tomatoes,peppers,onions,broad beans,citrus fruits,nectarines,apricots,oregano, andflowers.The region's organic wealth, its clear waters and sheltered bays, together with its entrepreneurial experience, favor the development of aquaculture. Species produced include the northern scallop, Japanese and Chilean oysters, abalone, turbot, algae, and different varieties of mussels. Other products with more value added include boned fish fillets, smoked and salted fish, roe, and fishburgers.
The unique weather conditions in theAtacama Desert, with extremely rare cloudy days, are ideal for solar power generation.[11] ManyPV andCSP plants are being built in this area.[11]
^Simon, Adam C.; Knipping, Jaayne; Reich, Martin; Barra, Fernando; Deditius, Artur P.; Bilenker, Laura; Childress, Tristan (2018). "Kiruna-Type Iron Oxide-Apatite (IOA) and Iron Oxide Copper-Gold (IOCG) Deposits Form by a Combination of Igneous and Magmatic-Hydrothermal Processes: Evidence from the Chilean Iron Belt". In Arribas R., Antonio M.; Mauk, Jeffrey L. (eds.).Metals, Minerals, and Society. Society of Economic Geologists Special Publication. Vol. 21. pp. 89–114.doi:10.5382/SP.21.ISBN9781629493084.
^Ulloa Urrutia, Alfie; Contreras Biekert, José Luis; Gana Aravena, Joaquín; Miranda Toledo, Rodrigo; Chauveau Gerber, Paul; Villalobos Valenzuela, Fernando; Farías Soto, Javiera (2017).Productividad en la Gran Minería del Cobre (in Spanish). Comisión Nacional de Productividad. p. 283.ISBN978-956-7725-08-3.
