Calama A Chuquicamata Mine, Chile story
As expected in the Atacama Desert, Landsat doesn’t detect much vegetation—only some green along the Río Loa and next to the city of Calama. Calama has seen a rising population because of the influx of mine workers. The images show this visible urban area expansion. Notice the airport expansion that took place between the 2010 and 2016 images.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 190,336 |
| 2017 | 171,875 |
| 2012 | 160,794 |
| 2007 | 151,296 |
| 2002 | 142,211 |
Location
Jan. 9, 1988, Landsat 5 (path/row 1/75) — Calama, Chile
Dec. 17, 1999, Landsat 7 (path/row 1/75) — Calama, Chile
Jan. 21, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 1/75) — Calama, Chile
Dec. 23, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Calama, Chile
Jan. 27, 2018, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Calama, Chile
Jan. 1, 2020, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Calama, Chile
Jan. 6, 2022, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Calama, Chile
Chuquicamata Mine, Chile Additional Imagery & Stories
Mining
As part of the mining, huge amounts of material are dug up and removed. The ore is crushed within the pit, and conveyors bring the ore to the mill. Ne...
Moving a Town
The town of Chuquicamata was established as a mining camp when mining operations opened. After much mining and open pit expansion, the town ended up b...