SQM ON THE NORTH

The Atacama Desert, one of the driest places in the world, has been a source of wealth for the soil of the rest of the earth. It used to be saltpeter, now it’s speciality fertilizers –thanks to the potassium nitrate– used to improve crops necessary for food provision. The pampa has the necessary ingredients for its production. These days potassium chloride, that used to be imported, is also taken from the Atacama salt flats thereby reducing costs and increasing production capacity at the Coya Sur plant to supply the growing international demand for potassium nitrate. Potassium chloride and potassium sulfate are also produced on the salt flats, meaning that SQM is the only company in the world to produce the three potassium-based fertilizers. The company also includes in the products it offers for industrial use lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide, both of which are taken from the salt flats. The SQM plants on the pampa are in constant communication with each other and the ports in the north of Chile to provide clients in more than 110 countries around the world.

Click on the numbers on the map to see the SQM plants.

Nueva Victoria

This plant is in the Tarapacá region and it receives the brines from the solar heap leaching process. Here iodine is extracted  and sent to the port.

Pass over the yellow buttons to see more.

Coya Sur

The production system at Coya Sur uses intermediary salts of sodium nitrate taken from Nueva Victoria, and potassium chloride from the Atacama salt flats.

Pass over the yellow buttons to see more.

Atacama Salt Flats

The brines are in deposits below the surface of the Atacama salt flats. Once they have been pumped out the wind and sun evaporate the water and concentrate the salts, and lithium, sulfate and potassium chloride is collected.

 

Pass over the yellow buttons to see more.

View from pockets of bischofita

360º image. Press and move sideways

Carmen Salt Flats

These are the lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide plants where high-grade products are manufactured to supply the growing international demand for lithium.

Pass over the yellow buttons to see more.

The Atacama Desert, one of the driest places in the world, has been a source of wealth for the soil of the rest of the earth. It used to be saltpeter, now it’s speciality fertilizers –thanks to the potassium nitrate– used to improve crops necessary for food provision. The pampa has the necessary ingredients for its production. These days potassium chloride, that used to be imported, is also taken from the Atacama salt flats thereby reducing costs and increasing production capacity at the Coya Sur plant to supply the growing international demand for potassium nitrate. Potassium chloride and potassium sulfate are also produced on the salt flats, meaning that SQM is the only company in the world to produce the three potassium-based fertilizers. The company also includes in the products it offers for industrial use lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide, both of which are taken from the salt flats. The SQM plants on the pampa are in constant communication with each other and the ports in the north of Chile to provide clients in more than 110 countries around the world.

Nueva Victoria

This plant is in the Tarapacá region and it receives the brines from the solar heap leaching process. Here iodine is extracted  and sent to the port.

Carmen Salt Flats

These are the lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide plants where high-grade products are manufactured to supply the growing international demand for lithium.

Atacama Salt Flats

Coya Sur

SQM on the north

The production system at Coya Sur uses intermediary salts of sodium nitrate taken from Nueva Victoria, and potassium chloride from the Atacama salt flats.

The brines are in deposits below the surface of the Atacama salt flats. Once they have been pumped out the wind and sun evaporate the water and concentrate the salts, and lithium, sulfate and potassium chloride is collected.