Northern Chile

• Chuquicamata
• Laguna Chaxa
• Laguna Miñiques
• Laguna Miscanti
• Licancabur Volcano
• Toconao
• Valle de la Luna
• Valle de la Muerte
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Chuquicamata

In the northern Chilean desert of Atacama you'll find this huge open pit copper mine.

Chuquicamata was first mined in pre-Hispanic times. The word itself is from the Aymara language and refers to the chuco or chuqui Native American Indian group, which worked the copper deposits found there to make their weapons and tools.

Pictures by Petirrojo and displayed under Creative Commons.