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, ...

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 ...

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 {{Mining-stub