Abstract

This chapter describes the metallic ore deposits of Chile, their mineralized host rocks and the processes involved in ore formation, and provides a brief overview of the mining history of this Andean copper-rich country. The ore deposits are ordered according to their respective economic importance. Thus, after mining history and a general introduction, Chilean porphyry copper-molybdenum deposits are described first, with subsequent sections dealing with epithermal precious metals, iron oxide copper-gold and iron oxide-apatite deposits, stratabound copper-(silver) ores, precious metal veins, sedimentary-hosted gold and porphyry gold deposits, skarn rock ores and, finally, an overview of metallogenic evolution.