This paper accompanies a mineral and geothermal resources map of the continental part of Chile. The mineral deposits, including coal- and petroleum-bearing basins, and geothermal fields, are associated in belts and represented as fringes on a tectonic base map at a scale 1:2,500,000.

The tectonic-metallogenic scheme shows the relations between the geologic evolution of the region from the Precambrian to the Pleistocene and the genesis of the mineral deposits. Of special interest is the relation of the mineralization of iron, apatite, copper, gold, and silver which are associated with Subhercynian (Cenomanian) plutonism, and the belt of superimposition of the Tithonian-Neocomian marine basin over the folded and eroded Jurassic volcanic formations. Also of interest is the relation of the porphyry copper and polymetallic deposits with paleogeographic factors (especially some Jurassic paleogeographic features), magmatic factors (Tertiary volcanism), and tectonic factors (large normal, reverse, and transcurrent faults).

Although Chilean metallic minerals include deposits of iron, manganese, silver, gold, mercury, etc., its huge copper reserves define it as a highly specialized copper-bearing metallogenic province. Copper production is about 700,000 tons per year, and is chiefly from porphyry copper mines (85%), which also produce associated molybdenum.

Among the industrial minerals, nitrate in the north of Chile is of particular interest, and a revival of its importance is probably due to the present world's shortage of petroleum (required to produce synthetic ammonium nitrate).

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