Copper sulfide mining at Chuquicamata and the spread of arsenic in drinking water in Chile, 1952–1971: A derivation of extractivism

Abstract

This article describes and analyzes an unfortunate consequence of implementing a sulfide treatment plant at Chuquicamata in northern Chile, the world's largest copper mine during the twentieth century. In 1952, the plant increased its water demand for mining processes, limiting the regional population's drinking water supply. In addition, a misleading public policy forced the region's population to consume water from the naturally poisoned arsenic Toconce River. The water's high concentrations of arsenic generated unforeseen consequences on the health of the inhabitants of the Atacama Desert, a derivation of the region's mining expansion and extractive policies that have not yet received sufficient attention.