This photo of the open pit copper mine shows the levels, or benches, from which the ore is extracted by controlled explosion, then carried away by huge ore trucks, one seen bottom left.

Compare the size of the ore truck and the vehicle behind it with the depth of the pit.

Compare the size of the person to the size of the wheel of this truck. Mining is big business!

Read about San Pedro de Atacama, Chile - Trek and Drive Tour

Photos displayed with the kind permission of Ingrid Chalmers