Chilean copper belt
Also called: Atacama copper · Topic: Primary Activities: Gathering, Pastoralism, Agriculture and Mining · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Chilean copper belt is a chain of rich copper deposits in the Andes mountains and the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. The ore is dug from giant open pits, which are huge holes cut down from the surface. This belt makes Chile the world's largest copper producer. The DR Congo is second, having passed Peru in 2023, and Peru is third (verify current). Copper matters because it carries electricity in wires, motors and power grids.
Example
Chuquicamata and Escondida in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile are among the largest open-pit copper mines in the world.
Don't confuse with
- Katanga–Zambia copper belt: lies in Central Africa on the DR Congo–Zambia border and produces cobalt as well as copper. The Chilean belt is in the Andes of South America.
Related concepts
- Lithium Triangle
- Pilbara
- Bayan Obo
- China's dominance in critical minerals
- Shale gas
- Deep-sea mining
- International Seabed Authority