Chuquicamata, Chile
One of the largest open-pit copper mines in the world, in the Atacama.
Terra Explorer Mines, dams and mountain roads
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Make this model
The Standard resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High resolution samples the place about ten times more finely.
- Region
- Chile
- Position
- -22.2960, -68.9000
- Area
- 5 × 5 km
- Real elevation
- 2,218 to 3,317 m (1,099 m of relief)
- Printed size
- 150 mm (5.9 in) wide, about 1:33,300
- Heights
- 1.5× exaggeration
- Elevation data
- Open satellite data (SRTM and others), about 30 m per point
- Suggested color
- Desert
- Group
- Mines, dams and mountain roads
About Chuquicamata, Chile
Chuquicamata ( choo-kee-kə-MAH-tə; referred to as Chuqui for short) is the largest open pit copper mine in terms of excavated volume in the world. It is located in the north of Chile, just outside Calama, at 2,850 m (9,350 ft) above sea level. It is 215 km (134 mi) northeast of Antofagasta and 1,240 km (770 mi) north of the capital, Santiago. Flotation and smelting facilities were installed in 1952, and expansion of the refining facilities in 1968 made 500,000 tons annual copper production possible in the late 1970s. Previously part of Anaconda Copper, the mine is now owned and operated by Codelco, a Chilean state enterprise, since the Chilean nationalization of copper in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Its depth of 850 metres (2,790 ft) makes it the second deepest open-pit mine in the world, after Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah, United States.
From Wikipedia: Chuquicamata, text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. The article’s history lists its authors.
Questions about Chuquicamata, Chile
Where is Chuquicamata?
Chuquicamata is in Chile at -22.2960, -68.9000. The model covers a 5 by 5 kilometer square around that point.
How high is the terrain in the Chuquicamata model?
The land in this model runs from 2,218 to 3,317 m (1,099 m of relief). These are the measured heights, printed 1.5 times taller so the shape is easy to see.
Can I 3D print Chuquicamata?
Yes. Download the free Standard resolution STL and print it on any FDM or resin printer. It is 150 mm wide and about 54.5 mm tall, on a solid 5 mm base, at a scale of about 1:33,300. It also works for CNC carving. Use Customize to change the width, base thickness or height exaggeration, make it round or add a name plate.
How accurate is the Chuquicamata model?
It is built from real elevation measurements, not an artist's guess: open satellite and survey data (NASA SRTM, Copernicus and national surveys), about 30 meters per point. The shaded picture on this page is made from the same data.
Is the Chuquicamata model free?
The Standard resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High resolution samples the place about ten times more finely and is a paid upgrade.
What is a Chuquicamata terrain model good for?
People use it as a desk piece, an engineering classroom model or a gift for someone who works there.
About this terrain model
Embossify Terra builds Chuquicamata, Chile from real measured elevation, not an artist's guess. Outside the United States the heights come from open satellite and survey data (NASA SRTM, Copernicus and national surveys), about 30 meters per point.
The model covers a 5 by 5 kilometer square centered on -22.2960, -68.9000. It prints 150 mm (5.9 in) wide on a solid base, a scale of about 1:33,300. The heights are exaggerated 1.5× so the shape is easy to see and feel; you can change that when you customize the model. The sea is flattened to zero, so land stands on a clean base.
New to terrain printing? Read how Terra works. The shaded picture on this page is made by Embossify from the same elevation data.
