Natural - Chile
These images entail the natural terrain and flora (outside the parks) during 2 months of the early summer season, of 14 of the 15 regions of Chile. From Punta Nuevo on the Inutil Bay in the Magallanes region, northward to Volcan Ollague in the Antofagosta Region, and then NW to the coastal city of Iquique in the Tarapaca Region (my final day in South America, after almost 7 months).
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Caliche - a surface deposit consisting of sand or clay impregnated with crystalline salts - here at the largest deposit in Chile, the Salar de Atacama - while the salt flat's surface is mostly desiccated, mineral-rich leached brine water, with a high percentage of dissolved salts, are located below the surface - the subsurface brines are rich in lithium salts - this is Earth's largest and purest active source of lithium - also Chile's largest salt flat/plain - Loa province - eastern Antofagasta region.
