EVOLUTION

OF THE PRODUCTION PROCESSES

EVOLUTION

OF THE PRODUCTION PROCESSES

There were three saltpeter production processes and they all evolved over time: Paradas, Shanks and Guggenheim. Each system became, in turn, more industrialized and required more fuel and energy, as well as more manpower. The result was the growth of the saltpeter towns in the middle of the pampa. Today the heap leaching system takes longer but is a cleaner and more energy-efficient system, using mainly solar energy and wind.

Historical production systems

The “Paradas” System

The Shanks System

The Guggenheim System

Crusher in Pedro de Valdivia

The caliche brought from the pampa was emptied into a bridge with a rotating structure that secured the car with caliche and turned it over to drop the caliche on the crushing machine. The human silhouettes placed in the 360 image allow to see the enormous scale of these structures.

EVOLUTION

OF THE PRODUCTION PROCESSES

There were three saltpeter production processes and they all evolved over time: Paradas, Shanks and Guggenheim. Each system became, in turn, more industrialized and required more fuel and energy, as well as more manpower. The result was the growth of the saltpeter towns in the middle of the pampa. Today the heap leaching system takes longer but is a cleaner and more energy-efficient system, using mainly solar energy and wind.

The “Paradas” System

Exploration, drilling and blasting

Reduction / collection

Loading for transport

Grinding

Crystallization

Leaching

Collection of the product

The Shanks System

Exploration, drilling and blasting

Reduction / collection

Loading / Transport

Grinding

Leaching and crystallization

Collection of the product

The Guggenheim System

Exploration, drilling and blasting

Loading for transport

Transport

Grinding

Leaching / Waste extraction

Crystallization

Collection of the product