Summary
What the comuna hasSource: OpenStreetMap
Tierra Amarilla es una ciudad y comuna del Norte Chico de Chile ubicada a 15 kilómetros de Copiapó, en la Región de Atacama. Su principal fuente de ingresos proviene de la minería, donde los pirquineros tienen gran importancia local, y de la agricultura principalmente de uva. El sector llamado Paipote forma junto a la ciudad de Copiapó la Conurbación Copiapó-Tierra Amarilla.
Liveability index · EIU style
42.4 /100AuthoritiesWho leads the comuna, its council, sessions and lobbying requests
Mayor · 2024-2028Source: DecideChile · SERVEL

Mayoral history · 7 terms
SERVEL · TRICEL (1992-2008) · DecideChile (2024) · Wikidata (pre-1992)
Concejo MunicipalSource: DecideChile · SERVEL
Concejo MunicipalSource: DecideChile · SERVEL
Sesiones
En una línea: La sesión aprobó la renovación de 75 patentes de alcohol, un contrato bancario de 4 años con BCI, la compra de 9.000 cajas de mercadería por ~$297 millones y aportes a seis organizaciones, con debate sobre fondos negados a un torneo de fútbol infantil.
Temas tratados
- Acta N°18: Aprobada sin observaciones.
- Patentes de alcohol: Renovación de 75 patentes para el segundo semestre 2026; debate sobre burocracia que dificulta abrir nuevos locales nocturnos en la comuna.
- Contrato bancario: Licitación de servicios de cuentas corrientes adjudicada al BCI por 4 años; oferta del Banco Estado declarada inadmisible.
- Cajas de mercadería: Compra de 9.000 cajas de alimentos para familias vulnerables, con entrega mensual de 1.000 unidades hasta enero 2027.
- Aportes a instituciones: Seis organizaciones recibieron fondos para actividades de junio.
- Correspondencia: Pasivos municipales (trimestres 2025 y 1° de 2026), permisos de obras abril-mayo y bases de un diplomado regional para autoridades municipales.
- Puntos varios: Veredas deterioradas en Gabriela Mistral, planta de tratamiento en Los Loros, sede adulto mayor Teresa de Jesús y felicitaciones a deportistas locales.
Acuerdos y votaciones
- Renovación de 75 patentes de alcohol: aprobada (unanimidad).
- Contrato bancario con BCI por 4 años: aprobado (unanimidad).
- Compra de 9.000 cajas de mercadería a Distribuidora y Comercializadora CERDI Clavería Ltda.: aprobada (unanimidad).
- Aportes a seis instituciones: aprobados (unanimidad).
Plata y obras
- Cajas de mercadería: $296.988.300 (IVA incluido) a CERDI Clavería Ltda.
- BCI: tasa mensual 0,37%; contrato obligará al banco a instalar un cajero automático en la comuna.
- Aportes aprobados: Junta de Vecinos Punta del Cobre $300.000; Agrupación Las Tarres Alto $300.000; Tierra Amarilla Diverso $1.200.000 (solicitó $9.100.000; se bajó por programa municipal paralelo); Comunidad Indígena Inti Wiñay $305.912; Consejo Vecinal de Desarrollo $600.000; Comunidad Diaguita Las Raíces del Roble $300.000.
- Obras en gestión (pendientes de CORE): conservación vial sector Luis Uribe (~$6.500 millones) y diseño + terreno nuevo CESFAM (~$1.200 millones); votación del CORE prevista para el día siguiente.
Puntos de debate o controversia
- Torneo infantil de fútbol sin aporte: concejales Walter Cortés y Delfina Marcoleta denunciaron que una organización con 16 años de historia y más de 500 participantes no recibió respuesta ni fondos, insinuando motivaciones personales. La administradora Catalina Guerrero lo negó y se comprometió a dar respuestas por escrito a todas las cartas.
- Cajero automático en Los Loros: todos los concejales pidieron priorizar esa localidad para la instalación obligatoria del cajero BCI; el director de finanzas confirmó que hay condiciones por regularizar en el edificio municipal.
Para seguir
- Instalación del cajero BCI: coordinar ubicación, con prioridad en Los Loros.
- Sede adulto mayor Teresa de Jesús: proyecto FRIL a ingresar a fines de junio.
- CORE debe votar conservación vial Luis Uribe y nuevo CESFAM.
- Planta de tratamiento de Los Loros: concejala Marcoleta exige plazos concretos a la entidad responsable.
- Farmacia popular: situación de beneficiarios quedó sin respuesta en sesión.
Summary generated by AI (claude-sonnet-4-6) from the official broadcast transcript · may contain inaccuracies
Official council minutesSource: CPLT · Active Transparency inventory (Law 20.285)
Official council minutesSource: CPLT · Active Transparency inventory (Law 20.285)
- Actas de Sesiones del Concejo N° 1 · 2026 ↗
- Actas de Sesiones del Concejo N° 2 · 2026 ↗
- Actas de Sesiones del Concejo N° 3 · 2026 ↗
- Actas de Sesiones del Concejo N° 4 · 2026 ↗
- Actas de Sesiones del Concejo N° 5 · 2026 ↗
- Actas de Sesiones del Concejo N° 6 · 2026 ↗
Documents indexed from the Transparency Portal (Law 20.285); they link to the PDF published by the municipality.
What the council resolvesSource: Official minutes · AI extraction (ongoing)
What the council resolvesSource: Official minutes · AI extraction (ongoing)
| Resolution | Type | Amount | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 · Aprobación del Instrumento de Planificación Territorial en el marco de la Ley de Sismos y Catástrofe N°16282, con las recomendaciones de las observaciones entregadas fundadamente del MINVU. | Regulation | — | unanimidad |
| 200 · Invitar a DGA, DOH y SEREMI de vivienda en la próxima sesión del Honorable Concejo para tratar el tema de Mitigación y Erradicación del sector afectado por la Catástrofe | Other | — | unanimidad |
| 199 · Incluir la recepción definitiva de las viviendas afectadas en el sector de Algarrobo, Cancha de Carrera y Punta del Cobre como proyecto financiado por el convenio de Candelaria | Other | — | unanimidad |
| 198 · Cambiar las sesiones ordinarias del Concejo para los 3 primeros Miércoles de cada mes, a las 10:00 AM | Other | — | unanimidad |
| 76 · Aprueba que las Sesiones Ordinarias de Concejo, se realicen los días miércoles a las 9:00 AM. | Other | — | unanimidad |
| 75 · Aprueba un aporte a la Organización Club Adulto Mayor Padre Hurtado, por $280.000 para contratación de bus; y a la Organización Junta de Vecinos Escorial 1, por $280.000 para contratación de bus. | Subsidy | $560.000 | mayoria |
Resolutions voted by the council, automatically extracted from the official minutes (extraction ongoing: coverage grows as the 94.917 indexed minutes are processed). May contain reading errors; the official document is the municipality's PDF.
Comptroller auditsSource: CGR · Municipal Observatory
Comptroller auditsSource: CGR · Municipal Observatory
| Year | Findings | Altam. | Compl. | Median. | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 24 | 1 | 4 | 19 | — |
| 2022 | 5 | 1 | 4 | — | — |
| 2021 | 176 | 61 | 52 | 62 | — |
| 2019 | 55 | 8 | 27 | 17 | — |
| 2018 | 68 | 15 | 18 | 33 | — |
| 2017 | 25 | 12 | 7 | 6 | — |
CGR severity classification · audit findings on the municipality and its corporations
Who requests meetings with the municipalitySource: InfoLobby · CPLT (Law 20,730)
Who requests meetings with the municipalitySource: InfoLobby · CPLT (Law 20,730)
- KMKinross Minera ChileLobby / interest management · 4 audiencias · 2018–2026Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2026
- CCCámara Chilena de la Construcción A.g.Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2023–2025
- VSValia SpALobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2023–2025
- GSGlobalgreen SpALobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2023
- MAMinera Altair S.A.Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2025–2026
- PYPino y Labarca Ltda. (Amffal)Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2019–2022
- ENEmpresa Nacional de Energia Enex S.A.Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2023
- CGCompañía General de Electricidad S.A.Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2022–2023
- ACAguas Chañar S.A.Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2018Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2021–2024
- EEEngie Energía Chile S.A.Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2023–2025
- DlDintec LimitadaLobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2020–2022
- BSBailac San Ltda.Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2022–2024
- AMAndes Mainstream SpALobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2019–2022
- WWomLobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2021–2022
- SCSolek Chile Services SpALobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2021–2022
- FPFundacion ProculturaLobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2023
- SaSterling And Wilson Solar Private Limited - Agencia en ChileLobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2022–2025
- FDFundación de Beneficencia Hogar de CristoLobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2019–2020
- AAApeco A.g.Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2019–2022
Organisations that registered Lobby Law meetings with this municipality. Registering the meeting is mandatory for the official, so the list shows who asked to be heard, not whether they got anything.
PopulationWho lives here, how they study, their healthcare and more
Population and living conditionsSource: INE · CENSO · MINEDUC · ADIS
Population trend
How it has changedSource: Official INE series 2002–2026 (2017 base).
See the full trajectory to 2050 →INE projects comuna population only through 2035; the 2050 values are an own estimate by the monitor, anchored to the official INE 2050 national total (21,626,079 inhab, 32.1% aged 60+). Not an official comuna figure.
| Indicator | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Homes with public water supply (2017 Census) | 76,66 % | CENSO 2017 2017 |
| School disengagement (leaves the system) | 1,3 % | MINEDUC 2023 |
| School enrollment | 99 students | MINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024 |
| Municipal enrollment | 100 % | MINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024 |
| PAES reading comprehension (DEMRE) | 506,1 pts | DEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026 |
| PAES mathematics M1 (DEMRE) | 499,6 pts | DEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026 |
| poblacion_censo | 11.846 inh. | 2024 Census 2024 |
| Income poverty (CASEN 2022) | 6,9 % | CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022 |
| Pobreza multidimensional (CASEN 2022) | 34,5 % | CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022 |
| Indigenous peoples | 31,61 % | 2024 Census 2024 |
The PAES year is that of the admission process: the test is sat in November of the previous year. The average covers only those who registered to apply to university —not every secondary-school graduate— and groups them by the comuna of the school they graduated from, not by where the student lives. Here it rests on 57 students registered for the PAES.
Registro Social de Hogares
| Elderly (60+) | 2.601 | 17% |
| Children and adolescents (<18) | 3.659 | 24% |
| Foreign nationals | 1.067 | 7% |
| Belonging to indigenous peoples | 2.842 | 19% |
| People with moderate/severe dependency | 230 | 2% |
| Single-person households | 4.829 | 56% |
A monthly administrative snapshot of the Social Household Registry (self-registration to access benefits), as of abril 2026. The "bracket 40" is the socioeconomic rating of the most vulnerable 40%. It is a registry, not a survey: it complements CASEN (biennial) with fresh data, but well-off comunas under-register. Source: ADIS, Ministry of Social Development and Family.
School educationSource: MINEDUC Open Data 2025
Aggregate of all the comuna's schools (RBD → comuna). Pass/withdrawal and attendance are from the 2025 school year. SIMCE is not published as open data (managed by the Quality Agency, by request only); the available quality proxy is passing, dropout and attendance. The PAES result appears in the social section.
Municipal healthcare (primary care)Source: SINIM · MINSAL / FONASA
REM-26 section A (DEIS/MINSAL): comprehensive family visits, summed across the comuna's facilities. The last year is partial while DEIS consolidates monthly reports.
| Center | Type | Provider type | Enrollees | % brackets A-B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centro de Salud Salvador Allende Gossens | Family Health Center (CESFAM) | Municipal | 15.544 | 51% |
| Posta de Salud Rural los Loros | Rural Health Post (PSR) | Municipal | 2.403 | 59% |
FONASA brackets A-B ≈ lowest incomes (A: without resources). Source: FONASA, as of Dec 31, 2025, DEIS code.
Indigenous peoplesSource: 2024 Census (INE) · CONADI via IDE SMA
| People | People | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Colla | 2.191 | 58.5% |
| Diaguita | 887 | 23.7% |
| Mapuche | 499 | 13.3% |
| Aymara | 90 | 2.4% |
| Quechua | 52 | 1.4% |
2024 Census: people who consider themselves as belonging to an indigenous people (small counts are suppressed for confidentiality at the source and not shown). Communities: CONADI national registry as of March 2024 — Araucanía and Los Lagos not refreshed in that update, the count is a floor. Land grants: 2022 registry.
Community organizationSource: RPJSFL Civil Registry (Law 20.500/19.418) · as of Jun 2026
All the comuna's active non-profit legal entities (Law 20.500 / 19.418), classified by organization name. It portrays the civil fabric: not just neighborhood councils, also committees, sports clubs, cultural and elderly groups, foundations and fire brigades.
5 Local media · 1 Comunitaria · 3 FM · 1 Digital pressSource: SUBTEL · broadcasting licences · Regional Media Survey (MSGG)
5 Local media · 1 Comunitaria · 3 FM · 1 Digital pressSource: SUBTEL · broadcasting licences · Regional Media Survey (MSGG)
| Local media | Type | dial |
|---|---|---|
| CCANDELARIA | FM | 106.7 FM |
| SSANTUARIO | FM | 95.9 FM |
| wwww.fmcandelaria.cl | Digital press | — |
| CpCorporacion para el Desarrollo de la Radiodifusion Regional Pronort · holder | Comunitaria | 107.7 FM |
| MAMiguel Angel Veliz Araya Comunicaciones E.I.R.L. · holder | FM | 95.1 FM |
The dial (frequency) of every FM, AM and community radio with a studio in the comuna (SUBTEL, active sound broadcasting concessions). National networks appear in their headquarters' comuna, not necessarily where they broadcast. When SUBTEL records no brand name, its holder (the concession holder).
Foreign-born populationSource: 2024 Census · INE
International immigrants per the 2024 Census (people born outside Chile living in the comuna). Nationwide they are 1,608,650 people, 8.8% of the population.
Housing and housing deficitSource: MINVU (Encampment Registry + 2024 Census deficit + subsidies) · INE
Encampments: MINVU National Registry 2024 (irregular settlements and the families living in them). Quantitative deficit: homes missing per the 2024 Census (doubling-up + unrecoverable overcrowding). Permits: new homes authorized by the Works Directorate in 2024 (INE) — measures future construction, not stock. Subsidies: MINVU by application comuna — DS49 accrues beneficiaries by resolution year; DS01 and DS52 accrue payments by application cohort (national totals in the source file differ ~1–6% from the comuna sum; the comuna series is published).
What the homes are like
Housing type: 2017 Census · tenure: 2002 Census (INE).
ResourcesBudget, spending, municipal procurement and more
Benefits under special regimesSource: Laws/SII/BCN/MTT/Treasury · deep-research verified
Fiscal or economic treatments that apply only to this comuna or its zone, not the rest of Chile. The chip color shows who it reaches: municipality, community, residents, companies or workers.
Fondo concursable comunitario FOCO para emprendedores, microempresas y organizaciones de Tierra Amarilla; +10 años, +1.100 proyectos. Montos 2025 hasta $1,5M (emprendimientos), $3M (microempresas), $3,5M (organizaciones). Voluntario; es el caso más comunal del grupo.
En 2024 el Fondo Puente (anticipo, ~50% de la distribución) repartió $22.891 millones a 43 comunas mineras de 6 regiones. Ingreso MUNICIPAL. Acá se listan las comunas nombradas oficialmente; la lista completa (43) está en Hacienda/TGR. (Cruza con SINIM royalty, var ya cargada en finanzas.)
Sobresueldo mensual a funcionarios públicos según aislamiento/costo de vida: 35% del sueldo base (art. 7 DL 249). A los funcionarios municipales llega vía art. 25 del DL 3.551/1980 y el monto se aumenta en 40% (Ley 19.354) — salud primaria municipal (Ley 19.378) la percibe sin ese aumento; asistentes de la educación y personal de corporaciones no la perciben (Código del Trabajo). El %/territorio usa la división de 1974: dentro de una comuna pueden regir % mayores en localidades específicas (retenes, islas, cordillera) no reflejados acá; la CGR resuelve caso a caso. Comunas sin asignación no aparecen.
Budget and revenue sourcesSource: SINIM · SUBDERE
Ingreso total y desglose de ingresos propios
Total revenue · trend (2001–2025)
Own revenue breakdown (IPP) · 2025
Special-law revenues · 2025
Distributed by law to specific comunas; they arrive via transfers.
Revenue by sector · 2025
Municipal Common Fund balance · 2025
Evolución por fuente de ingreso
Permanent own revenue (IPP) · trend
FCM received · trend
State transfers · trend
Municipal spending and budget executionSource: SINIM · SUBDERE
Municipal spending and budget executionSource: SINIM · SUBDERE
Accrued spending · trend
Distribution by management area · 2025
What the budget is spent on · 2025
| Spending line | Amount | % of spending | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal healthcare (primary care) · comuna health-sector spending | $5.860.873.000 | 45.8% | |
| Municipal personnel · municipal wages and fees | $3.447.443.000 | 26.9% | |
| Goods and services (operations) · supplies, contracts, maintenance | $2.478.259.000 | 19.4% | |
| Investment (works and projects) | $2.436.344.000 | 19.0% | |
| Transfers to health | $516.195.000 | 4.0% | |
| Electricity (facilities) | $484.379.000 | 3.8% | |
| Water (facilities) | $266.563.000 | 2.1% | |
| Cleaning, garbage and landfills · waste collection and disposal | $155.974.000 | 1.2% | |
| Councillor stipends | $103.669.000 | 0.8% | |
| Travel allowances | $49.562.000 | 0.4% | |
| Commissions and representation | $21.527.000 | 0.2% |
Share of total accrued spending. Lines overlap (personnel sits inside several areas), so they don't add to 100%. Source: SINIM.
Personal y dotación municipal
Spending composition · 2025
Personnel by contract type · 2025
Municipal headcount · 2023
Municipal staff by contract status (SINIM, 2023). Cost per staffer = annual spending of the type ÷ same-year headcount.
Inversión, servicios básicos y obras
Investment and authorities' expenses · 2025
Basic and general services · 2025
Final works approvals (DOM) · per year
Building permits issued · per year
Management indicator · 2025
What it buys · Mercado PúblicoSource: ChileCompra · open data
Open profile in Monitor Mercado Público ↗
What it buys · Mercado PúblicoSource: ChileCompra · open data
Purchase-order amount · trend
| Top suppliers | Amount | POs |
|---|---|---|
| Voltta Ingenieria Electrica SpA | $3.283.532.500 | 1 |
| Garcia Servicios Mineros Limitada | $3.239.331.925 | 4 |
| Serviatacama Ltda. | $3.070.866.320 | 38 |
| Arquitectura Construccion y Obras Civiles Benja y | $2.703.098.151 | 64 |
| Seringe E.I.R.L. | $1.877.170.480 | 9 |
| Erick Alejandro Cereceda Valenzuela | $1.551.178.420 | 7 |
| Ramon Francisco Lopez Loyola | $1.460.939.854 | 41 |
| Laboratorio Atacama | $1.288.428.999 | 199 |
Purchase mechanism · 2026
| Tender | $2.489.181.123 | 69% |
| Direct award discretionary | $556.536.831 | 15% |
| Agile Purchase | $415.287.540 | 11% |
| Framework Agreement | $169.076.935 | 5% |
Companies and economic activitySource: SII · company statistics and roster (domicile/HQ)
Pyramid by sales bracket
Largest companies domiciled in the comuna
| Company | Line of business | Sales bracket | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soc Contractual Minera Atacama Kozan Limitada | EXPLOTACION DE MINAS Y CANTERAS | Large 4 (>1M UF) | 562 |
| Arriagada Diaz Manuel Antonio y Pinto Onate Maria Belen Ltda. | INDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERA | Large 3 | 2.268 |
| Transportes Verasay SpA | TRANSPORTE Y ALMACENAMIENTO | Large 3 | 439 |
| Boggioni & Boggioni Limitada | EXPLOTACION DE MINAS Y CANTERAS | Large 2 | 292 |
| Soc de Servicios Agricolas Alamiro Zuniga Pizarro e Hijos Ltda. | EXPLOTACION DE MINAS Y CANTERAS | Large 2 | 84 |
| Agricola Don Alfonso SpA | AGRICULTURA, GANADERIA, SILVICULTURA Y PESCA | Large 2 | 25 |
| S L M California Una de la Sierra Pena Negra | EXPLOTACION DE MINAS Y CANTERAS | Large 2 | — |
| Sociedad de Inversiones Tapia y Cia. Ltda. | TRANSPORTE Y ALMACENAMIENTO | Large 1 | 118 |
| San Felipe Frutas Lmitada | COMERCIO AL POR MAYOR Y AL POR MENOR; REPARAC | Large 1 | 72 |
| Minera Jilguero S.A. | EXPLOTACION DE MINAS Y CANTERAS | Large 1 | 24 |
SII roster of legal entities (public). Due to tax secrecy sales come in brackets, never amounts. The comuna is that of the domicile/HQ: operations may be elsewhere.
Investment in SEIA projects
Investment DECLARED by the owner upon entering SEIA (not necessarily materialized; the RCA expires after 5 years without works). Multi-comuna projects: prorated investment, jobs counted in full. Jobs = declared peak labor (source PRISMA/SOFOFA). Source: e-SEIA + PRISMA.
TerritoryClimate, biodiversity, national heritage, SEIA-approved projects and more
Environment and air qualitySource: MMA · SINCA + PPDA + RETC
No air monitoring station (SINCA) in the comuna.
Air quality observed at MMA's SINCA stations within the comuna (2020); when there are several, the worst is shown. The scale compares the annual average with the WHO 2021 guideline (PM2.5 = 5 · PM10 = 15 µg/m³, international health reference) and the Chilean annual primary standard (PM2.5 = 20 · PM10 = 50 µg/m³): green within the WHO guideline, amber between guideline and standard, red above the national standard. "Days above standard" use the 24-h daily standard (PM2.5 = 50 · PM10 = 150 µg/m³). RETC emissions = declared point sources (industry/energy), excludes diffuse sources like residential firewood.
Biodiversity and protected areasSource: SNASPE · SEIA baselines
Species of flora, fauna and funga documented in the baselines of the projects evaluated by SEIA in the comuna — what their environmental studies recorded in the territory. Conservation status (RCE/IUCN) and Chilean endemism are flagged.
CR critically endangered · EN endangered · VU vulnerable · NT near threatened (Species Classification Regulation / IUCN). ★ endemic to Chile. Extracted from SEIA studies by kingdom; presence reflects what baselines characterized, not a census.
1 Wetlands · 1 urban · 151 haSource: National Wetlands Inventory · SIMBIO (MMA)
1 Wetlands · 1 urban · 151 haSource: National Wetlands Inventory · SIMBIO (MMA)
| Code | Wetland | Hectares |
|---|---|---|
| HUR-03-03 | Rio Copiapourban | 151 /726 |
Area = hectares of wetland within the comuna boundary (apportioned using the DPA table of each record). For wetlands shared between comunas, "portion / total" is shown. "Urban" = urban wetland (HUR code). Official source migrated to the SBAP (Law 21,600).
Large projects approved by SEIASource: SEIA · approved projects
Projects with an environmental permit (RCA) approved by SEIA and declared investment above US$ 10 million, located in the comuna according to the case file and grouped by sector. Every sector with at least one project is listed: this is not a ranking or a selection. 74 projects totaling US$ 9.345 million, approved between 1996 and 2026. When a project spans several comunas, its investment is split among them.
Approved is not the same as built or operating: the RCA authorises the project, but some were never carried out and others have since closed.
Source: projects with an RCA approved by SEIA (investment declared by the developer, split among the comunas the project spans). Under each sector are its two largest projects by investment. It is the best public proxy for large industrial sites; SERNAGEOMIN’s registry of active mining operations (by mineral and type of operation) is a layer not yet incorporated.
Basic utilitiesSource: SISS · CNE · MINEDUC
Almost no comuna has its own utility: it is served by a major regional concession holder. Water = urban operational territory (SISS; rural goes via APR); electric = concession distributor per the tariff decree (CNE); higher education = university, IP and CFT campuses (MINEDUC/SIES), with the nearest comuna when there are none.
Environmental conflictsSource: SNIFA · SMA + Environmental Search · Environmental Courts
Final SMA sanctions
| Sanctioned entity | Auditable unit | Category | Fine (UTA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scm Minera Lumina Copper ↗ | CASERONES | Mining | 14.745 |
| Scm Minera Lumina Copper Chile ↗ | CASERONES | Mining | 10.000 |
| Compañía Contractual Minera Candelaria ↗ | CANDELARIA | Mining | 5.049 |
| Compañia Contractual Minera Ojos del Salado ↗ | CANDELARIA-OJOS DEL SALADO | Mining | 4.162 |
| Compañía Minera Maricunga ↗ | KINROSS -REFUGIO | Mining | 398 |
| Compañía Minera Maricunga ↗ | KINROSS -REFUGIO | Mining | — |
Environmental sanctions final from the SMA (no pending appeals) whose auditable unit sits in the comuna: companies, individuals and institutions (including the municipality). Fine in UTA (Annual Tax Unit). Source: Public Sanctions Registry, SNIFA.
Appeals before the Environmental Courts
| Case no. | Parties / project | Subject | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-94-2023 ↗ 1TA | Yasna Valdivia Clavijo y otros con Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente Candelaria 2030 – Continuidad operacional | SMA compliance program | Rejects |
| 75804-2021 ↗ 1TA | Asociación de Productores y Exportadores Agrícolas del Valle de Copiapó y otros con Superintendencia de Medio Ambiente Proyecto Caserones | SMA compliance program | Rejects |
| 35692-2021 ↗ 1TA | Comunidad Indígena Colla Río Jorquera y sus afluentes con Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental Prospección Minera Norte Abierto Sector Caspiche | Administrative invalidation - Environmental Assessment | Upheld |
| 16561-2018 ↗ 2TA | Compañía Contractual Minera Candelaria en contra de la SMA (Res. Ex. N°1.111, de 30 de noviembre de 2016). Complejo Industrial La Candelaria | Environmental sanction proceeding | Rejects |
| R-16-2019 ↗ 1TA | Rosa Ahumada Campusano y otros con SEA Continuidad operacional de faena minera Atacama Kozan | Environmental assessment - Citizen participation | Rejects |
| R-131-2016 ↗ 2TA | Frutícola y Exportadora Atacama Ltda. en contra del Comité de Ministros Candelaria 2030 - Continuidad Operacional | Environmental assessment - Citizen participation | Rejects |
| R-72-2015 ↗ 2TA | Compañía Minera Casale en contra del Director Ejecutivo del Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental Optimización proyecto minero Cerro Casale | Environmental assessment - Citizen participation | Rejects |
| R-20-2014 ↗ 2TA | Compañía Minera Maricunga en contra de la SMA Franja Aurífera de Maricunga | Environmental sanction proceeding | Upheld |
Appeals resolved by the Environmental Courts (Law 20.600) on the comuna's projects or facilities, geolocated by the associated project (SEIA) or sanctioned facility (SMA). Partial coverage: Supreme Court appeals and cases without a locatable act are excluded. Source: 1st Environmental Court's Environmental Search.
Green areasSource: SINIM · SUBDERE (2025)
Green areasSource: SINIM · SUBDERE (2025)
Municipally maintained green area per inhabitant (SINIM). The National Urban Development Council recommends a minimum of 10 m²/inhab (WHO, ~9). Self-reported by municipalities, with quality varying across comunas.
National heritageSource: National Monuments Council (Feb 2026)
National heritageSource: National Monuments Council (Feb 2026)
Monuments declared by decree (official CMN roster). Excludes archaeological and public monuments. Declaration entails legal protection and intervention restrictions.
Territorial burdensSource: SUBDERE (waste, Jun 2023) · Gendarmería (Jun 2025) · SISS (WWTP)
Territorial burdensSource: SUBDERE (waste, Jun 2023) · Gendarmería (Jun 2025) · SISS (WWTP)
Infrastructure this comuna carries — often serving others.
| Facility | Type | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| PTAS - TIERRA AMARILLA | PTAS · lodos activados | A. CHAÑAR S.A. · discharges into río copiapó |
Official registries: they exclude illegal dumps and rural WWTPs (no consolidated public registry).
Forest firesSource: CONAF · Occurrence and damage statistics (2023-2024)
Occurrence and area affected by wildfires (CONAF). The 5-season cumulative gives a fairer picture than a single year: fire is episodic and big catastrophes concentrate in few seasons. The area is comuna-wide, not just urban.
Winter riskSource: SENAPRED · winter critical points 2026 (via FAU U. de Chile)
Points in the comuna where SENAPRED identifies winter-rain risk (channel overflows, flooding, collector collapse, landslides, mudflows, snow), with risk level and the agency responsible for the fix.
Water scarcitySource: DGA · MOP (scarcity-zone decrees)
DGA water-scarcity zone decrees (by comuna, province or region; basin decrees are not counted here, so chronicity is a floor). The decree enables extraordinary water redistribution measures. At the megadrought's peak (2021) 286 comunas were under decree; today 26.
Climate and climate changeSource: ARClim · MMA + CR2/UC (CMIP6 modeling)
Modeled climatology (CMIP6 downscaling ~5 km): present ≈ 1980-2010, projection ≈ 2035-2065 middle scenario. Not recent weather observation.
SafetyCrime, road crashes and municipal security infrastructure
Crimes (police cases)Source: CEAD · Ministry of Public Security
| Crime | Cases | Rate/100k |
|---|---|---|
| Threats | 137 | 949 |
| Burglary of an uninhabited place | 113 | 783 |
| Domestic violence | 112 | 776 |
| Property damage | 102 | 707 |
| Minor injuries | 73 | 506 |
| Larceny | 58 | 402 |
| Alcohol and drug use in public spaces | 56 | 388 |
| Burglary of an inhabited place | 47 | 326 |
| Robbery with violence or intimidation | 33 | 229 |
| Less serious injuries | 14 | 97 |
| Drug-related crimes | 10 | 69 |
| Threats or brawls (misdemeanor) | 10 | 69 |
Showing the 12 crimes with most cases of 28.
Police cases (reports + arrests) recorded by Carabineros and PDI. Not victimization (ENUSC measures the real figure, higher due to underreporting). The rate uses INE 2024 population. Source: CEAD, Ministry of Public Security.
What the municipality does
Municipal security infrastructure and staff declared to SINIM (since 2016). Excludes Carabineros and PDI, which are national.
Road crashesSource: CONASET · Data Observatory (2024)
Crashes georeferenced by CONASET (urban + highway) during 2024. The only per-comuna source; covers ~70% of the country's deaths (non-geolocatable ones are excluded), so it slightly underestimates the total. Pedestrian collision is the leading cause of pedestrian death.