The paradas method ( es, método de paradas, ''sistema de paradas'') was a process to extract
nitrate
Nitrate is a polyatomic ion
A polyatomic ion, also known as a molecular ion, is a covalent bonded set of two or more atoms, or of a metal complex, that can be considered to behave as a single unit and that has a net charge that is not zer ...
from
caliche
Caliche () is a sedimentary rock, a hardened natural cement of calcium carbonate that binds other materials—such as gravel, sand, clay, and silt. It occurs worldwide, in aridisol and mollisol soil orders—generally in arid or semiarid regions, ...
by
leaching
Leaching is the loss or extraction of certain materials from a carrier into a liquid (usually, but not always a solvent). and may refer to:
* Leaching (agriculture), the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil; or applying a small amou ...
. In this method caliche was boiled in water in large pans called "paradas".
It was a firewood and labour-intensive process. The paradas method was phased out in the 1850s by a new system invented by
Pedro Gamboni
Pedro Gamboni (September 26, 1825 - December 27, 1895) was a Chilean chemical engineer who did important studies related to saltpeter and iodine in the regions of Tarapaca and Antofagasta.Gamboni invented a new method to extract nitrate from ca ...
which required less fuel and labour.
The paradas method led to a massive
deforestation
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...
of
Pampa del Tamarugal
Pampa del Tamarugal ("Plateau of the Tamarugal") is a vast plain encompassing a significant portion of the Norte Grande, Chile, and originally named for the ''Prosopis tamarugo'' trees that used to cover its surface. It is located between the para ...
around
La Tirana
La Tirana is a Chilean town in the commune of Pozo Almonte in El Tamarugal Province, Tarapacá Region. The town lies in an oasis in the middle of the Pampa del Tamarugal, about 72 km inland from the port of Iquique.
The town is notable for i ...
and
Canchones and some areas to the south of these localities.
References
Economic history of Bolivia
Economic history of Chile
History of mining in Chile
Economic history of Peru
Mineral processing
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