Developed over sixty-seven years, the camp grew from bare bones shelter for the workers who had to bring everything up from Rancagua by mule back, into a unique mountain community that defied the elements and the difficulties to prosper, the only one like it in Chile.
In 1999, the College of Architects, the national professional association of Chile, included it among the ten most important urban works of the century. It also began the process necessary to have it declared a National Monument.
UNESCO granted it World Heritage status in July 2006.
Althought most of the residents were moved elsewhere, the mine is still very much in operation, the deepest underground copper mine in the world. The products are Blister, Fire-refined copper, Electro-won cathodes, and Molybdenum concentrate.