Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-11-06
AMERICAN MILLIONS
OPEN CHILEAN MINES
Guggenheins Opening Copper
and Bethlem Steel, Iron
Mines

United States have for some time been
making large investments in various
Latin American countries, particularly
in mining enterprises in South Ameri.
ca. The huge scale upon which some
of these ventures have been projected
is brought out in an article in the Au-
gust number of the Bulletin of the Pan
American Union, Washington, D. c.,
contributed by Mr. John Paul Bush
nell, formerly of Washington but now
located at Chauquicamata, Chile.
Among the enterprises enumerated
are the Armour packing plants in Ar
gentina; the Dupont nitrate mines in
Chile; the Bethlehem Steel company IS
immense iron mines near Coquimbo,
Chile; the Morgan interest in the Ger
ronde Paseo Copper company,s mines
in Peru; the Braden Copper company IS
extensive copper plant at Rancagua,
near Santiago, Chile; and last, but per-
haps greatest of all, the Guggenheim
corporation, known as the Chile Explo
ration company, now completing the
gigantic copper industry at Chuquica-
mata, near the town of Calama, on the
Antofagasta railway.
The mineral region Of Chuquicamata
is situated in the barren Chilean "pom-
pa, $50 miles from the port of Anto-
fagasta, at an altitude of $500 feet;
and 40 miles from the snow-capped
peaks of the Andes. The existence of
the ore body has long been known, and
in fact has been worked on the sur
face for many generations by the ma
tives; also to small extent by English
companies. 1t is large body of dis
seminated ore of considerable length
and breadth and of unknown depth
Samples taken at 1900 feet below the
surface show copper in greater quanti-
ties than near the surface. The actual
superficial area showing copper covers
more than $50 acres.
Numerous mining and engineering
problems present themselves, some on
account of the character of the ore an,
others ON account of the location. The
electrolytic process for obtaining the
copper being decided upon, tremend.
Gus amount of electrical power was re.
or water from any source in this
mediate section, it was found necessary
to build power plant on the coast at
Tocopilla and to carry the power of
10000 volts by transmission line of
100 miles in length to the mill site at
Chuquicmata. incidentally new types
of towers and insulators were devised
by the company's experts, who also
overcome the problem attendant on the
quick temperature rises and the higl
altiaude. Water for general as well
as domestic use was available by the
building of many pipe lines from the
mountain streams of the Andes and
pumping it long distances to the storage
tanks ON the property. The waters Of
these streams however are not palatable
because of the great amount of nitrate
in the soil through which they pass, and
consequently the drinking water has to
be brought by tank cars from springs at
Paniri and Tatio in BOLIVIA. The mill is
three-quarters of mile from the mine
proper and is connected Herewith by
railroad of standard gauge which uses
large locomotives of the latest type,
imported from the United States.
According to Mr.. Bushnell, the min.
ing camp is a model of its kind. Careful
attention has been given to the living
conditions and accommodations of the
employees. There are now about $50
North Americans and Europeans and
more than 5000 natives housed on the
property. To meet the question of sani-
tation of efficiency the company Sc
cured the services of one of Gen. Cor
gas staff at Panama. Policing is done
by company of earbineros, the mount.
ed police Of Chile, who have quarters
at the camp. Many plans have been
laid for the betterment of camp life.
Spacious club houses for both North
Americans and natives are to be pro.
vided with billiard rooms, swimming
pools, etc; school houses and churches
are being erected; trees and gardens
are to be supplied; streets and roads
are to be improved, and an extensive
farm where fresh vegetables, fruits,
etc, will be raised for the direct con-
sumption of the employees is to be add
ed. The cost of the great undertaking
has been enormous, and that before
pound of commercial copper could be
produced. 1t has been daring enter
prise, but the plant stands today COM
plete success, new departure in the
production of copper, model mining
camp, and one of the greatest copper
industries Of the world.