Chanaral

Chañaral lies in the dry coastal country of the southern Atacama Desert, where mineral-bearing hills reach toward the Pacific. The discovery of copper deposits at Las Ánimas and El Salado encouraged miners to settle in the district. In 1833 Diego de Almeyda founded Chañaral de las Ánimas on the coast, providing an outlet for the ores of the interior. Its growth was closely tied to the difficult movement of minerals and supplies across the desert.