The use of Nitratine or Chilean Saltpeter once an important source of nitrates for fertilizer and other chemical uses including gunpowder and fireworks.
The commencement of the export of nitrates to the Europe and the US in the 1830s marked the most important milestone in the history of the nitrate industry and brought consequences for the economies of the three countries sharing the Atacama Desert: Chile, Perú and Bolivia.
Antofagasta was founded in 1868, in October 1869 the extraction of nitrates commenced in Oficina Salar del Carmen, the first nitrate producing plant. In 1871, the Nitrate Railway was inaugurated, running from Iquique to La Noria in Peru. In 1873, the Peruvian Government established the Nitrate Trust (state monopoly), which was controlled from Tarapacá until the 1879–1883 "War of the Pacific". This political event was based on the boom of new "Oficinas salitreras" ("Saltpeter works") of quarrying nitratine to extract nitrate.
Since World War I the industry has been supplanted by fixing nitrogen from the air as the main source of nitrogen.
This is a list of saltpeter works in the Tarapacá and Antofagasta regions. The information regarding Saltpeter works on this page is compiled from the data supplied by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Country Files (GNS). Unique Feature Identifier (UFI) is a number which uniquely identifies a Geoname feature. Same UFI means same feature.
1890 map of salpeter works in Tarapacá
List of Saltpeter works in Tarapacá and Antofagasta Region
| Oficina |
Latitude |
Longitude |
UFI |
| Trinidad |
-19.550751 |
-70.085782 |
-894178 |
| Paccha |
-19.565059 |
-70.023938 |
-894115 |
| Jazpampa |
-19.572428 |
-70.023959 |
-894089 |
| San Antonio de Zapiga |
-19.617482 |
-69.978589 |
-894147 |
| AragonAragón |
-19.625763 |
-69.959791 |
-894032 |
| Enriqueta |
-19.651981 |
-69.961225 |
-894076 |
| Sacramento |
-19.658865 |
-69.960986 |
-894143 |
| Carolina |
-19.666667 |
-70.05 |
-894055 |
| San Patricio |
-19.671302 |
-69.949181 |
-894156 |
| Los Pozos |
-19.673801 |
-69.983738 |
-894102 |
| California |
-19.676873 |
-70.049429 |
-894048 |
| Dolores |
-19.677805 |
-69.945837 |
-879800 |
| Victoria |
-19.694192 |
-70.011317 |
-894184 |
| UnionUnión |
-19.70017 |
-69.953725 |
-894179 |
| Sal dei Obispo |
-19.701493 |
-69.970242 |
-894165 |
| Santa Rita |
-19.701493 |
-69.970242 |
-894165 |
| CaminaCamiña |
-19.705671 |
-69.917204 |
-894050 |
| Porvenir |
-19.714015 |
-69.931426 |
-894129 |
| LimonLimón |
-19.7 |
-69.966667 |
-894099 |
| Angela ViejaÁngela Vieja |
-19.741527 |
-69.908196 |
-894029 |
| Chinquiquiray |
-19.744675 |
-69.940149 |
-894060 |
| La Patria |
-19.755316 |
-69.935761 |
-894092 |
| Aguada |
-19.774055 |
-69.908088 |
-894021 |
| Asturias |
-19.787698 |
-69.897289 |
-894035 |
| Amelia |
-19.837628 |
-69.861603 |
-894026 |
| Aurora |
-19.845979 |
-69.856975 |
-894037 |
| Mercedes |
-19.855886 |
-69.859302 |
-894109 |
| Josefina |
-19.872306 |
-69.82562 |
-894090 |
| Progreso |
-19.872555 |
-69.835088 |
-894131 |
| Agua Santa |
-19.881435 |
-69.876308 |
-894022 |
| Barcelona |
-19.888829 |
-69.791632 |
-873177 |
| Slavia |
-19.891475 |
-69.852938 |
-894174 |
| Primitiva |
-19.918645 |
-69.804353 |
-894130 |
| Las Tres MariasLas Tres Marías |
-19.942453 |
-69.813213 |
-894094 |
| ValparaisoValparaíso |
-19.952048 |
-69.830192 |
-894181 |
| San Jorge |
-19.958356 |
-69.813581 |
-894151 |
| Santa Rosa de Huara |
-20.000584 |
-69.781812 |
-901160 |
| Constancia |
-20.010831 |
-69.775747 |
-894065 |
| RamirezRamírez |
-20.050269 |
-69.743608 |
-894135 |
| Santiago |
-20.051856 |
-69.768544 |
-894166 |
| Mapocho |
-20.083333 |
-69.75 |
-894104 |
| San Donato |
-20.108486 |
-69.74967 |
-894148 |
| Pena GrandePeña Grande |
-20.116667 |
-69.783333 |
-894121 |
| Baquedano |
-20.134625 |
-69.755307 |
-894042 |
| San José |
-20.16164 |
-69.777209 |
-900430 |
| Pena Chica, OficinaPeña Chica, Oficina |
-20.166667 |
-69.833333 |
-895706 |
| Kerima |
-20.177153 |
-69.78238 |
-885584 |
| Pena ChicaPeña Chica |
-20.180779 |
-69.801984 |
-894120 |
| Humberstone (Ex-La Palma) |
-20.208047 |
-69.795423 |
-884741 |
| Santa Laura |
-20.211143 |
-69.812979 |
-901026 |
| Nebraska |
-20.2 |
-69.85 |
-893375 |
| Cala-Cala |
-20.227976 |
-69.799378 |
-874636 |
| Buen Retiro |
-20.233333 |
-69.816667 |
-894047 |
| Carmen Bajo |
-20.273339 |
-69.789996 |
-894054 |
| San Andrés |
-20.283333 |
-69.783333 |
-894145 |
| San Manuel |
-20.287568 |
-69.772137 |
-894153 |
| Serena |
-20.296056 |
-69.775357 |
-894172 |
| San Esteban |
-20.316667 |
-69.75 |
-894150 |
| Sara |
-20.325079 |
-69.753255 |
-894168 |
| Las Carpas |
-20.333333 |
-70.016667 |
-887732 |
| La Tirana |
-20.335518 |
-69.656707 |
-888534 |
| Paposo |
-20.35 |
-69.866667 |
-894118 |
| Limeña |
-20.366667 |
-69.9 |
-894098 |
| Cholita |
-20.373378 |
-69.878587 |
-894061 |
| Sebastopol |
-20.383333 |
-69.916667 |
-894171 |
| CondorCóndor |
-20.392843 |
-70.011505 |
-894064 |
| San Enrique |
-20.407103 |
-69.84198 |
-894149 |
| Viga |
-20.414768 |
-69.893692 |
-894187 |
| Sacramento |
-20.416667 |
-69.833333 |
-894142 |
| San Pedro |
-20.416667 |
-69.9 |
-894157 |
| San Antonio |
-20.416667 |
-69.9 |
-900125 |
| AdriaticoAdriático |
-20.4 |
-69.933333 |
-894020 |
| San Enrique |
-20.4 |
-69.866667 |
-900257 |
| Victoria |
-20.433333 |
-69.05 |
-894185 |
| Argentina |
-20.435847 |
-69.864649 |
-872551 |
| Pirineo |
-20.449232 |
-70.031223 |
-894126 |
| Santa Elena |
-20.45 |
-69.783333 |
-894161 |
| Providencia |
-20.453338 |
-69.993508 |
-894133 |
| San Pablo |
-20.457292 |
-69.848845 |
-894155 |
| Ponte Vedra |
-20.460112 |
-69.902208 |
-894128 |
| Diana |
-20.466667 |
-69.766667 |
-894070 |
| Santa Ana |
-20.47645 |
-69.905884 |
-894159 |
| Gloria Victoria |
-20.477913 |
-69.953576 |
-894084 |
| CorunaCoruña |
-20.483333 |
-69.883333 |
-894067 |
| ResurreccionResurrección |
-20.483333 |
-70 |
-894137 |
| San Lorenzo |
-20.483333 |
-69.966667 |
-894152 |
| Virginia |
-20.483333 |
-69.8 |
-894188 |
| Felisa |
-20.5 |
-69.9 |
-894080 |
| San Remigio |
-20.5 |
-69.9 |
-894158 |
| Santa LuciaSanta Lucía |
-20.525699 |
-69.959426 |
-894164 |
| Anita Pintados |
-20.548496 |
-69.750143 |
-894030 |
| Mosquitos |
-20.554971 |
-69.722058 |
-893068 |
| Gloria |
-20.574362 |
-69.993051 |
-894083 |
| Mena Vilana |
-20.596196 |
-69.702188 |
-894112 |
| Aurrera |
-20.642482 |
-69.630034 |
-894038 |
| Pan de AzucarPan de Azúcar |
-20.694895 |
-69.734185 |
-894117 |
| Diez de Septiembre |
-20.696103 |
-69.701583 |
-894071 |
| Victoria |
-20.716667 |
-69.683333 |
-894186 |
| Brac |
-20.733333 |
-69.7 |
-904339 |
| Victoria |
-20.733333 |
-69.7 |
-904339 |
| Victoria |
-20.740547 |
-69.659977 |
-894183 |
| Alianza |
-20.766667 |
-69.7 |
-871794 |
| Pozo Granja |
-20.819409 |
-69.540906 |
-897214 |
| Bellavista |
-20.82276 |
-69.720449 |
-894043 |
| Buenaventura |
-20.835575 |
-69.717824 |
-874162 |
| Slavonia |
-20.85 |
-69.733333 |
-894078 |
| La Granja |
-20.902554 |
-69.619369 |
-886390 |
| Iris |
-20.911023 |
-69.632315 |
-894088 |
| Lagunas Norte |
-20.968118 |
-69.67982 |
-893853 |
| Lagunas |
-20.982377 |
-69.672023 |
-876096 |
| Lagunas Sur |
-20.999419 |
-69.666116 |
-886469 |
| Andrés |
-21.858587 |
-69.563535 |
-894146 |
| Santa Fé |
-21.86256 |
-69.565618 |
-894162 |
| Joya |
-21.885144 |
-69.434945 |
-894091 |
| Iberia |
-21.942359 |
-69.594399 |
-894087 |
| Grutas |
-21.966667 |
-69.616667 |
-894086 |
| Prosperidad |
-21.975523 |
-69.607833 |
-894132 |
| Rica Aventura |
-21.985481 |
-69.60945 |
-894138 |
| Esperanza Nitrate Company |
-22.016667 |
-69.633333 |
-874154 |
| Buena Esperanza |
-22.022513 |
-69.626972 |
-894046 |
| Empresa |
-22.038651 |
-69.621618 |
-894075 |
| Peregrinos |
-22.066667 |
-69.6 |
-894122 |
| Toco |
-22.070638 |
-69.613741 |
-894176 |
| Santa Isabel |
-22.083333 |
-69.6 |
-894163 |
| Santa Ana |
-22.116667 |
-69.583333 |
-894160 |
| Maria ElenaMaría Elena |
-22.344486 |
-69.661775 |
-894107 |
| Coya (later María Elena) |
-22.416667 |
-69.633333 |
-894069 |
| Vergara |
-22.466667 |
-69.633333 |
-894182 |
| Pedro de Valdivia |
-22.597292 |
-69.667393 |
-894119 |
| Los Dones |
-22.71236 |
-69.775475 |
-890182 |
| Lina |
-22.823529 |
-69.312331 |
-894100 |
| Higinio Astoreca |
-22.872456 |
-69.818544 |
-894025 |
| Aconcagua |
-22.950104 |
-69.372866 |
-871203 |
| Angamos |
-22.977802 |
-69.463233 |
-894028 |
| ConcepcionConcepción |
-22.983333 |
-69.383333 |
-894063 |
| CuricoCuricó |
-22.989206 |
-69.391872 |
-878180 |
| Filomena |
-23.007874 |
-69.408899 |
-894081 |
| Maria |
-23.033501 |
-69.456395 |
-894106 |
| MariaMaría |
-23.034766 |
-69.455049 |
-894105 |
| Luisis |
-23.038865 |
-69.518268 |
-894103 |
| Perseverancia |
-23.049155 |
-69.397168 |
-894123 |
| Cecilia |
-23.05 |
-69.516667 |
-875984 |
| Anita Antofagasta |
-23.059285 |
-69.499304 |
-894031 |
| Ausonia |
-23.068968 |
-69.542286 |
-894039 |
| Araucana |
-23.085246 |
-69.450338 |
-894033 |
| Pinto |
-23.086443 |
-69.510422 |
-894125 |
| Arturo Prat |
-23.100142 |
-69.505954 |
-894034 |
| Carmela |
-23.104632 |
-69.564754 |
-894052 |
| Edwards |
-23.120286 |
-69.544241 |
-894074 |
| Ossa |
-23.130208 |
-69.584115 |
-894114 |
| Ercilla |
-23.134143 |
-69.875888 |
-894077 |
| Chacabuco |
-23.146229 |
-69.617448 |
-876218 |
| Celia |
-23.148974 |
-69.667476 |
-894059 |
| Aurelia |
-23.15 |
-69.616667 |
-894036 |
| Carlos Condell |
-23.157893 |
-69.679395 |
-894051 |
| Lastenia |
-23.166667 |
-69.6 |
-894093 |
| Puelma |
-23.184007 |
-69.662477 |
-894134 |
| Sargento Aldea |
-23.200132 |
-69.686464 |
-894169 |
| Blanca Encalada |
-23.210429 |
-69.618437 |
-894044 |
| Lautaro |
-23.519651 |
-69.343335 |
-894096 |
| San Antonio |
-23.519651 |
-69.343335 |
-894096 |
| Domeyko |
-23.783333 |
-69.35 |
-894072 |
| Savona |
-23.785888 |
-69.406553 |
-894170 |
| Pissis |
-23.8 |
-69.366667 |
-894127 |
| Cochrane |
-23.823816 |
-69.288788 |
-894062 |
| Castilla |
-23.899985 |
-69.838636 |
-894056 |
| Americana |
-23.953655 |
-69.772849 |
-894027 |
| Pampa Rica |
-24.050691 |
-69.9351 |
-894116 |
| Oriente |
-24.055048 |
-69.790865 |
-894113 |
| Yugoslavia |
-24.056345 |
-69.829087 |
-894190 |
| Pepita |
-24.076474 |
-69.865386 |
-894068 |
| Eugenia |
-24.133333 |
-69.9 |
-882460 |
| Avanzada |
-24.137808 |
-69.743245 |
-894040 |
| Petronila |
-24.15 |
-69.85 |
-896003 |
| Esmeralda |
-24.156086 |
-69.885505 |
-894079 |
| Eugenia |
-24.175166 |
-69.869258 |
-887038 |
| Santiago |
-24.179758 |
-69.917254 |
-894167 |
| Maria TeresaMaría Teresa |
-24.20824 |
-69.855852 |
-894108 |
| Renacimiento |
-24.224715 |
-69.803595 |
-894136 |
| San Gregorio |
-24.224715 |
-69.803595 |
-894136 |
| Bonasort |
-24.226065 |
-69.894478 |
-894045 |
| San MartinSan Martín |
-24.264648 |
-69.826443 |
-894154 |
| ValparaisoValparaíso |
-24.264648 |
-69.826443 |
-894154 |
| Rosario |
-24.313322 |
-69.970278 |
-894140 |
| Dominador |
-24.366667 |
-69.516667 |
-894073 |
| Salinitas |
-25.04149 |
-69.946783 |
-894144 |
| José Antonio Moreno |
-25.058774 |
-69.880203 |
-894111 |
| Sud America |
-25.119174 |
-69.661046 |
-894175 |
| Chile |
-25.15 |
-69.9 |
-876923 |
| Alemania |
-25.155954 |
-69.907162 |
-894024 |
| Atacama |
-25.201029 |
-69.842443 |
-872737 |
| CaupolicanCaupolicán |
-25.2 |
-69.716667 |
-894058 |
| Santa Luisa |
-25.232142 |
-70.134263 |
-882494 |
| Rosario |
-25.240858 |
-69.789199 |
-894139 |
| Portezuelo |
-25.295212 |
-70.097356 |
-897026 |
| Ballena |
-25.305827 |
-69.684102 |
-894041 |
| Flor de Chile |
-25.316667 |
-69.8 |
-894082 |
| Lilita |
-25.323511 |
-69.66812 |
-894097 |
| Esperanza |
-25.333333 |
-69.733333 |
-882317 |
| UnionUnión |
-25.340371 |
-69.79449 |
-894180 |
| Tricolor |
-25.356213 |
-69.886314 |
-894177 |
| Los Amigos |
-25.443238 |
-69.929322 |
-894101 |
| Miraflores |
-25.444734 |
-69.822048 |
-894110 |
| RepublicaRepública |
-25.467907 |
-69.801817 |
-894173 |
| SeverinSeverín |
-25.467907 |
-69.801817 |
-894173 |
| Catalina del Sur |
-25.494402 |
-69.783583 |
-894057 |
|
Some of the works can be found in the maps
19°S-20°S: Pisagua, Quebrada de Camarones, Caleta Junin, Of. Jazpampa, Of. Vieja
|
20°S-21°S: Iquique, Huara, Pozo Almonte)
|
21°S-22°S: Río Loa, Quillagua
|
22°S-23°S: Tocopilla, Punta Hornos, Of. María Elena, Río Loa
|
23°S-24°S: Antofagasta Costa
|
23°S-24°S: Antofagasta interior, Toconao, Peine, Tilomonte, Salar de Atacama (sf19-15)
|
24°S-25°S: Punta Amarilla hasta Rada de Paposo
|
25°S-26°S: Taltal, Chañaral, Parque Nacional Pan de Azúcar (sg19-05)
|
25°S-26°S: Taltal, Oficina Chile
|
|
See also
In Spanish: Oficina salitrera para niños
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