Chile Natural Resources: The World’s Top Copper Producer

Chile, on the west coast of South America, is a country rich in natural resources. With a diverse geography that includes the Andes, the Pacific coast and the Atacama desert, the country has a great variety of ecosystems and unique biodiversity.

Copper, Chile’s star mineral, is a non-renewable natural resource that is depleted by extraction.

These natural resources of Chile — minerals, water and fertile land — have been central to its economy and development. Managing them properly is essential to guaranteeing a sustainable, prosperous future for the country.

More: Sustainable development in Chile

What is Chile’s natural wealth? Which mineral resources does it hold, and what is its global position in the rankings? How diverse are the birds, reptiles, mammals, fish, amphibians and plants in Chile?

Examples of Chile’s main natural resources

Oil and gas resources in Chile

According to Worldometer (2024), Chile produces around 20,163 barrels of oil per day. Its oil reserves as of 2022 are estimated at 150,000,000 barrels, placing it fifty-ninth (59th) in the global ranking of oil reserves.

Despite these figures, Chile is not known as an oil-producing region; its main source of natural resources is minerals, especially copper.

With output of 1,008 million cubic meters of natural gas, the country sits sixty-seventh (67th) in the world ranking of producers.

Examples of Chile’s mineral resources

In Chile, reserves of coal in tonnes reached 1,301,828,110 as of 2016, representing 0.10% of world coal reserves. The main producing region for this resource in Chile is Magallanes y Antártica Chilena, home to the Cerro Bayo underground coal mine. Its extraction matters to the country’s economy and to electricity generation.

Production of copper in Chile was some 5,300 thousand tonnes in 2024 (USGS 2025), keeping it first in the global copper production ranking. That figure is an important contribution to the country’s economy, since copper is one of Chile’s main natural resources. The main copper-producing region in Chile is Antofagasta.

In 2019, Chile produced 14,000 thousand tonnes of iron ore, placing it fifteenth worldwide in the production of this resource. The main iron-ore-producing region in Chile is Atacama, home to the country’s largest iron mine, El Romeral.

In 2024, Chile produced a total of 1,200 tonnes of silver (USGS MCS 2025), keeping it among the world’s leading producers of this mineral. The main silver-producing region in Chile is Atacama, home to important deposits of this precious metal.

Water resources of Chile

Chile held a freshwater reserve of 922 km³ as of 2020, placing it thirteenth (13th) worldwide. This South American country is fortunate in having a great deal of fresh water.

Among its main bodies of water are the Loa and Biobío rivers, along with Lake Llanquihue, one of the largest in the country. Managing these resources properly is fundamental to guaranteeing their long-term sustainability and preservation.

Average rainfall and soils of Chile

Chile has average annual rainfall of 1,522 mm, placing it forty-eighth worldwide. Chilean soils vary with the country’s actual humidity, being wetter in areas of higher rainfall and drier where rainfall is lower.

Renewable electricity and hydropower production in Chile

Chile produces 79,308 GWh of renewable electricity, of which 23,274 GWh comes from hydropower. The country’s main hydroelectric plant is Ralco, in the Biobío Region, with installed capacity of 690 MW and annual output of 2,700 GWh.

That plant is one of the country’s most important and contributes significantly to generating clean, renewable energy in Chile.

Forest resources of Chile

Chile holds considerable forest wealth, its main forest region being La Araucanía. According to the World Bank (2023), the country’s forest area reaches 25.01% of its land area, equivalent to some 186,000 km².

Chile ranks 33rd worldwide for forest area.

Environmental performance and protection of Chile’s natural resources

Chile has a great many natural resources, and protecting them matters for their long-term sustainability. Protected areas play a fundamental role here, since they help preserve the country’s biodiversity and ecosystems. According to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI 2024), Chile scored 49.6 and ranked sixty-fourth (64th) worldwide.

The country also has protected land and marine areas covering 37.81% of its total territorial area (2021). More: Environmental Performance Index (EPI 2024).

Natural parks of Chile: the hidden wealth of natural resources

Biodiversity: animal and plant resources of Chile

Birds of Chile

Chile is a country of great bird diversity, with a total of 441 species as of 2018, placing it 79th worldwide. It also has 10 endemic bird species, found only in this country.

It is worth noting, however, that 35 bird species are endangered, so protective measures for this valuable natural resource matter. Among the most notable is the Andean condor, considered the country’s flagship bird.

Fish and amphibians of Chile

Chile has great diversity of amphibian and fish species, the flagship amphibian being the Chilean frog and the flagship fish the rainbow trout. In 2019, a total of 63 amphibian species and 771 fish species were recorded in the country, ranking 48th and 72nd worldwide respectively.

Note, however, that 27 fish species are threatened.

Mammals of Chile

Chile is a country of great mammal diversity, with a total of 143 species as of 2016. Of those, however, 19 are threatened.

Chile ranks sixtieth worldwide for number of mammal species. It also had 15 endemic mammal species as of 2020, placing it twenty-eighth.

Conserving these natural resources matters, especially the country’s flagship mammal, the guanaco.

Reptiles of Chile

Chile has rich reptile diversity, with a total of 150 species recorded in 2019, placing it 54th worldwide for number of species. Among the most notable is the long-tailed lizard, an important resource for the country’s wildlife.

Plants of Chile

Chile has great vascular plant diversity, with a total of 5,155 species recorded in 2020, placing it 44th worldwide. The country’s flagship plant is Araucaria araucana, also known as the “Pehuén”, a tree sacred to the Indigenous peoples of southern Chile.

Organizations that protect or study Chile’s natural resources

• WWF Chile – Protects biodiversity and promotes the sustainable use of natural resources.
• Greenpeace Chile – Campaigns against pollution and climate change in Chile.
• Forestal Mininco – Forestry company promoting the conservation of native forests and biodiversity.
• CONAF – The Chilean government body that protects and administers the country’s protected wild areas.
• Fundación Mar Adentro – Promotes ocean conservation and marine biodiversity in Chile.
• Territorio Ancestral – NGO defending the rights of Indigenous peoples and the protection of their natural territories.

Sources used

• Lists of countries by mineral production
• Economic data by country
• Forest area (km²)
• Forest area as a percentage
• Arable land area (km²)
• Oil reserves
• Water and agriculture statistics
• Precipitation (mm)
• Environmental performance index
• CO2 emissions (metric tonnes per capita)
• Bird species
• Amphibian species by country
• Mammal species
• Endemic mammal species
• Plant species
• Reptile species by country
• Endemic bird species by country

Last updated: July 25, 2026