Antofagasta

The third most northern region in Chile, Antofagasta is known for its arid climate and its many ghost towns, once vividly populated by the miners that first entered this region in the 19th century....

If not much is ‘concretely’ left in those towns, the intangible heritage is as precious as it can get: many stories about a glorious past are told in this region, and many traces of people’s lives are an important testimony of how fast time can pass by. The heart of this area’s past is still pulsing today: the mining industry. Such industry contributes to more than 50% of the whole country’s output, and it counts for more than 90% or the region’s exports. Mining of lithium, gold and iodine is the main reason why this area is still populated and a business that attracts huge workforce from many different countries.