Mining in the Atacama Region, Chile: Cerro Blanco

Mines of Cerro Blanco: p.1 | p.2 

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The mining sector of Cerro Blanco still shows in a impressive way the mining situation of past eras. Up to the present day, constructions, foundations, ruins, slag accumulations and old roads are surprising due to their immense dimensions and extensions.

The access roads were of high quality (they used to be, because today they may have been cut by alluvial deposits or are eroded deeply), especially they were wide and of little slope and always inclined from the mine to the smelter. In 1869 the district produced 1,462,716 kilograms of fine copper and 652,489 kilograms of fine silver. It was more than the district of Puquios, but compared to today it is not even 4% of a mine like Punta de Cobre.