Chañarcillo

Chañarcillo
Mining town

Chañarcillo train station in 1862
Chañarcillo

Location in Chile

Coordinates: 29°32′S 71°01′W / 29.533°S 71.017°W / -29.533; -71.017Coordinates: 29°32′S 71°01′W / 29.533°S 71.017°W / -29.533; -71.017
Country  Chile
Region Atacama Region
Province Copiapó Province

Chañarcillo is a town and mine in the Atacama Desert of Copiapó Province, Atacama Region, Chile, located near Vallenar and 75 kilometres from Copiapó. It is noted for its silver mining. The town grew up after the Chañarcillo silver mine was discovered on May 16, 1832 by Juan Godoy.[1] This event sparkled the Chilean silver rush.[2] It grew in prominence in the second half of the nineteenth century and became important in the Atacama mining industry and one of the most important mines to the Chilean economy.[3] It was connected by railway before 1862. Today it is something of a ghost town, since mining activity has declined today.

Magnificent groups of large crystals have been found at Chañarcillo, including proustite, stephanite, chlorargyrite and adamite.

References

  1. ↑ Swinglehurst, Henry (1893). Silver mines and incidents of travel: letters and notes on sea and land. T. Wilson.
  2. ↑ Villalobos, Sergio; Silva, Osvaldo; Silva Fernando and Estelle, Patricio. Historia de Chile. Editorial Universitaria 1995. First Edition: 1974. p. 469-472.
  3. ↑ Melcher, Gerardo (2004). El norte de Chile: su gente, desiertos y volcanes (in Spanish). Editorial Universitaria. p. 24. ISBN 956-11-1708-8.


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, August 20, 2013. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.