File number: chea0078

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Chile: has two of the world's largest copper mines, El Teniente in the Andes east of Rancagua, and Chuquicamata in the Atacama desert. Operations began in El Teniente in 1904 and in Chuqicamata in 1915. Here in the early days of operations in Chuquicamata a mechanical shovel is being lowered in the Atacama.