Caliche Ore

This term derives from the quechua word that initially called this mineral "cachi", which stands for "salt" in this language. The term evolved to "calchi", until it became "caliche", as it is known in our days.

It is a mineral that contains high nitrate and iodine concentrations (6-9% and 300-600 parts per million, respectively) which is are found in two to three meter thick layers, two meters under the desert's surface. Due to its shallowness, its extraction is relatively easy and cost-effective.

The north of Chile is rich in caliche, which was first industrially exploited in the XIXth century to obtain saltpetre. It is the biggest natural iodine and nitrate deposit in the world. It is also the only commercially exploitable nitrate source of the planet.

SQM has the mining and exploration rights of over 2.5 million hectares of these deposits, accounting for almost 75% of current mineral economic deposits in Chile.

The Process

Caliche is taken from the shallow surfaces where it is located, using explosives. Once mined, SQM processes the mineral: the crushing and leaching processes are the starting point to recover salts contained therein, that is, iodine and sodium nitrate. Based on them, SQM generates a wide range of final products, that go from their most basic form to complex derivatives downstream, with a full variety of business applications.

Click here to learn some more about the productive process.

The main iodine and sodium nitrate plants owned by SQM are Pedro de Valdivia and María Elena, among others. Great scientific experience on caliche properties and their exploitation techniques have been developed there. This knowledge, compiled through decades, forms a solid base on which the company can maintain its leadership position in costs and simultaneously, ensure a sustainable development of its commercial activity.

Reserves

If iodine and sodium nitrate production levels keep even to current ones, confirmed caliche reserves belonging to SQM will last approximately 40 more years.

Main Products and their Application Areas