GROUNDWATER EXPLORATION AND WELLFIELD DEVELOPMENT IN THE PAMPA-LAGUNILLAS AND PAMPA-LIRIMA AREAS, PROVINCIA-DE-IQUIQUE, CHILE

A successful groundwater exploration and development program was condu cted in the Pampa Lagunillas and Pampa Lirima groundwater basins, in t he Prealtiplano of northern Chile. The objective of the program was to develop a wellfield capable of providing 120 liters per second of goo d quality groundwater for industrial use at the Cerro Colorado copper mining complex for an estimated mine life of 30 years. Wellfield devel opment of the Pampa Lagunillas basin consisted of construction and tes ting of four large-diameter high-yield production water wells. Results of the exploration and development programs indicated that large quan tities of recoverable groundwater are stored in the aquifer systems in each basin. The most favorable conditions for development of a large and reliable groundwater supply occur in the Pampa Lagunillas basin, w here groundwater storage in the saturated alluvial sediments in the Pa mpa Lagunillas basin is in the magnitude of 450 million cubic meters.