Skip to main content
Home

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

Main Menu

  • EROS Home
  • Image Gallery
  • Video Library
  • Earthshots
  • Remote Sensing Classroom

Earthshots

  • Earthshots
    • Chuquicamata Mine, Chile
      • Mining
      • Moving a Town
      • Calama
  • Download Cards
  • More Information
  • Contact Information
Earthshots Logo

Mining A Chuquicamata Mine, Chile story

Mining
  1. Earthshots
  2. Chuquicamata Mine, Chile
  3. Mining
Description

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.

New pits open up as the time series of Landsat images progresses. Landsat shows not only the expansion of the mining pits but also the extent of the material piled up alongside the pits.

The shifting shape of gray and blue on the right is the Talabre tailings impoundment. The Talabre is a natural depression, and the tailings, the materials left over after the ore is extracted, are dumped into several basins. The basins are separated with dikes, and the impoundment is bordered by dams, all made with dry tailings.

An underground mining operation is now underway. Testing indicates that 2.3 billion tons of copper ore lie below the open pit. The underground mining is scheduled to begin operations in 2020.

View Related Imagery & Stories

Location

Jan. 9, 1988, Landsat 5 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Jan. 9, 1988, Landsat 5 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Dec. 17, 1999, Landsat 7 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Dec. 17, 1999, Landsat 7 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Jan. 21, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Jan. 21, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Dec. 23, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Dec. 23, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Jan. 27, 2018, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Jan. 27, 2018, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Jan. 1, 2020, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Jan. 1, 2020, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Jan. 9, 1988, Landsat 5 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile
Dec. 17, 1999, Landsat 7 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile
Jan. 21, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile
Dec. 23, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile
Jan. 27, 2018, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile
Jan. 1, 2020, Landsat 8 (path/row 1/75) — Chuquicamata, Chile

Chuquicamata Mine, Chile Additional Imagery & Stories

Calama
Calama

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...

Read More
Moving a Town
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...

Read More
  • DOI Privacy Policy
  • Legal
  • Accessibility
  • Site Map
  • Contact USGS

  • U.S. Department of the Interior
  • DOI Inspector General
  • White House
  • E-gov
  • No Fear Act
  • FOIA