Mina La Escondida

La Escondida Mine

Useful Information

photography — Mina La Escondida, Atacama, Chile. Public Domain.

Location:	In the Atacama Desert, 170 km southeast of Antofagasta, northern Chile. (-24.271620, -69.071108)
Open:	no restrictions. [2025]
Fee:	free. [2025]
Classification:	Copper Mine
Light:	n/a.
Dimension:	A=3050 m asl.
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Corporate Affairs Manager, Minera Escondida Limitada, Avenida de la Minería N° 501, Antofagasta, Fax: 55-243520, E-mail: Minera Escondida Antofagasta, Avda. de la Minería 501 (Casilla 690), Antofagasta, Tel: 5655-247-935, Fax: 5655-247-545. Minera Escondida Santiago, Avda. Americo Vespucio Sur 100 Piso 9, Las Condes, Clasificador 11 Correo 10, Santiago, Tel: 562-330-5000, Fax: (562-207-6520.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1978	J David Lowell proposes an exploration program along the porphyry copper belt between Chuquicamata in the north and El Salvador in the south.
14-MAR-1981	'Pozo 6' the last scheduled borehole hits copper ore.
1990	begin of mining.

Geology

There is a deposit of porphyry which is 18 km long and 3 km wide, running from north to south. It formed with the 600 km long West Fissure (Falla Oeste) system. The deposit is a very low grade ore with a concentration of only 1.3 % copper. It is profitable because of the extreme amount of material which is very easily mined and processed.

Description

Mina La Escondida (Hidden Mine) is a huge open pit mine located in the Atacama Desert at 3,100 m asl. Escondida produces copper concentrate by means of a flotation process of sulphide ore and copper cathodes using a leaching process of oxide ore.

There is a viewpoint with display panels and leaflets providing information about the operations of the Escondida Mine. There are also tours into the mine, a sort of programmed visits. However, the mine is extremely remote, and it is visited only by few tour operator. In order to see it, a guided tour organized by a university or geologic institution might be the best thing. For a visit a request letter must be sent to the Corporate Affairs Manager at Antofagasta, at least one month in advance, which explains the reason for the visit and includes the names and ID numbers of the visitors. Visitors must be at least 14 years old and in good health, because of the big altitude.