135 Chuquicamata, near the city of Calama, is the largest open-pit copper mine in the world. It has been in
operation since 1882, but production ramped up in the early 20th century when the extraction machinery
was modernised. Today, the pit is over 4km long, 3km wide and 850 metres deep – the world’s tallest
building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, would fit inside comfortably. The site is 2,900 metres above sea
level – so high that Maisel had to wear an oxygen mask while taking photos from the plane. It was an
appropriate location for him to end his trip: the Guggenheim Fellowship funded Maisel’s work, and the
Chuquicamata copper mine is where the Guggenheim family originally made their fortune.11-19-FTlithium.indd 109 13/08/2019 16:59