At·a·ca·ma Desert

(ăt′ə-kăm′ə, ä′tä-kä′mä)

An arid region of northwest Chile. One of the driest areas in the world, it has yielded great nitrate and copper wealth.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Atacama Desert

(Spanish ataˈkama)

(Placename) a desert region along the W coast of South America, mainly in N Chile: a major source of nitrates. Area: about 80 000 sq km (31 000 sq miles)

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

A′ta•ca′ma Des′ert

(ˈæt əˈkæm ə, ˌæt-, ˈɑ təˈkɑ mə, ˌɑ tə-)
n.

an arid region in N Chile: nitrate deposits. ab. 70,000 sq. mi. (181,300 sq. km).

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

Atacama Desert - a desert in northern Chile rich in nitrate and copper deposits

Chile, Republic of Chile - a republic in southern South America on the western slopes of the Andes on the south Pacific coast

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References in classic literature

Northward of these, there is one other very miserable valley, called Paposo, which contains about two hundred souls; and then there extends the real desert of Atacama -- a barrier far worse than the most turbulent ocean.

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In addition, for more than 3,000years, the technological innovations introduced in the Atacama Desert have focused almost exclusively on increasing the extraction capacities of this resource (Maldonado et al.

ACTA DE TARAPACA: "PUEBLO SIN AGUA, PUEBLO MUERTO"

Led by Washington State University planetary scientist Dirk Schulze-Makuch, an international team studied the driest corner of South America's Atacama Desert, where decades pass without any rain.

Microbes in Driest Desert: Clues to Life On Mars

It may rain once a decade or less in South America's Atacama Desert, but tiny bacteria and microorganisms survive there, hinting at the possibility of similar life on Mars, researchers said.The desert, which spans parts of Chile and Peru, is the driest non-polar desert on Earth and may contain the environment most like that of the Red Planet, said the report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Driest desert hints at possible life on Mars

(OTCQB: WCTXF) (TSX Venture: LIC) has closed a deal with Chile-based Durus Copper Chile Spa of Santiago whereby LiCo can earn up to a 60% interest in the Purickuta Lithium Exploitation Concession located within Chile's Salar de Atacama, the company said.

LiCo Energy Metals Closes Acquisition of Chilean Lithium Exploitation Concession

In fact, scientists have found remains of freshwater plants and animals in the driest place on the planet, the Atacama Desert.

Atacama, Once A Paradise!

Meanwhile another containers ship Atacama also arrived at outer anchorage of Port Qasim during last 24 hours.

Shipping activity at Port Qasim

HI-LINE INDUSTRIES reports the Atacama range of modular air dryers it manufactures has been extended to incorporate a third filtration tower.

High quality breathing air

Gold is mainly found in the Antofagasta, Atacama and Elqui provinces, while silver reserves are located in Antofagasta and Atacama.

Just Published: "Precious Metals Mining in Chile to 2020"