Timothy McKenna - El Salar de Atacama
The Atacama Desert of northern Chile is one of the driest places on the earth. The region receives on average 1 millimeter of rain per year. Much of the desert soil is sterile. Outside of the oases, there is little animal life or vegetation. The high desert plateau between the Domeyko and Andes Mountains is a rich source of minerals, including salt rich aquifers which provide much of the world’s supply of lithium for electronic devices. The industrial operations coexist alongside protected areas.