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: Chuquicamata was officially closed at noon

Chuquicamata was officially closed at noon Saturday

September 1, 2007 14:03

AFP

CHUQUICAMATA .- The mining camp of Chuquicamata, the largest in Chile and once the most modern in Latin America, was officially closed at noon on Saturday after 92 years of existence.

The historic camp, located about 1,600 km north of Santiago in the middle of the Atacama desert, was closed with an official ceremony involving executives of state-owned Codelco, which operates the adjacent site of Chuquicamata, and government authorities.

ancient inhabitants also participated in "Chuqui", who recalled his years of living in the camp that in its period of greatest growth came to house more than 24,000 people, mostly workers in the mine.

The event on Saturday ended a week of festivities that included a Friday night concert and fireworks in the presence of thousands of ex chuquicamatinos, who returned for the last time this city located at the gates of the mine that give his name.

"Here I spent the best years of my life. Now I go and 'geez' I'm going to mourn" , said one of its inhabitants.

Located at 2,800 meters above sea level, the camp "and is part of the Chilean report," said Sergio Jarpa, corporate vice president, Codelco Norte division belonging to the Chuquicamata mine.

The Executive announced that the historic center of town will be protected as heritage zone ", so it will not be covered by the rubble that has been falling over the old buildings on the site.

Its infrastructure, which became the largest mining camp in Chile, including a hospital, a church, theater, cinema, school, sports clubs and a wide trade to supply workers to the booming copper mining.

Hazard

The decision to close was taken in 2002, to give more effectiveness to the mine and protect the health of its inhabitants, who could feel the effects of lead and other mining wastes.

The site is built in a circular and open. Each time it grows to its exploitation of the territory is carried around. This growth raises a significant amount of dust that could affect the health of individual families.

"because there is closed to make way for a better quality of life, better environmental conditions," said Mining Minister Karen Poniachik , on Friday unveiled a commemorative plaque in the town square camp began built in 1915.

The ancient inhabitants of 'Chuqui' have moved mostly to the nearby city of Calama. The company estimates that in the first half of October will end up moving the last families.

Codelco, the largest single producer of copper last year produced 1.78 million metric tons of metal, or 11% of total generation worldwide.