El Salvador
El Salvador is a mining hub situated in northern Chile, within the vast expanse of the Atacama Desert. El Salvador is perched at an altitude exceeding 7,500 feet above sea level, and it is positioned approximately 75 miles to the northeast of Chañaral’s port.
In 1959, the Potrerillos mine ceased operations, and the Andes Copper Mining Company, a subsidiary of the U.S.-based Anaconda Company, initiated new mining activities at Indio Muerto, which eventually became known as El Salvador.
Later on, this mining complex transitioned into the ownership of the Chilean state-run mining company, Codelco. In tandem with this development, a planned community, referred to as El Salvador, was meticulously constructed in proximity to the mining operations to accommodate the workforce, embodying a classic company town.
