Until recently, the staggeringly huge mine at Chuquicamata (‘Chuqui’) was the world’s largest producer of copper. It’s also famous as a hotbed of social issues: the 2004 Che Guevara biopic The Motorcycle Diaries depicts the young revolutionary’s visit to the mine – and the way his outrage over poor working conditions helped to shape his political views. Today, it’s a side trip from San Pedro that’s extremely popular with international visitors.