Chuquicamata

We're just back from our visit to the world's largest open-pit copper mine, run by the nationalised Chilean CODELCO copper company. The main pit is huge, producing 600,000 tons of copper per year, and accounts for 17% of Chile's annual income alone. Most impressive (for me!) were the fleet of 115 diesel trucks that carry up to 300 tons each on tyres more than 3m high. Each one is worth $12,000. The pit itself, which you can peer down into from a mirador is 4.3km long, 3km wide and 850m deep.

It was all very cool - I'd write more but we're about to run out of time. Exciting photos of Katherine and I standing next to giant trucks coming soon!