Coal mining in Chile

Zona Central Sur

Zona Sur

Zona Austral

Lota

Catamutún

Invierno

Location of selected mines and deposits.

In Chile, coal mining is restricted to a few places located in its southern half. Energy originating from coal stands for 11,6% of Chile's electricity consumption. Currently the country is not considered a major producer of coal.

The three zones of mining are Zona Central Sur (36–38° S), Zona Sur (39–42° S) and Zona Austral (51–54° S) in southernmost Chile. Most of the coal resources of Chile lie in Zona Austral at southernmost Chile.

Coal districts of Chile

District	Sub-district	Coal-bearing formations	Coal age	Sedimentary basin	Coal grade	Large-scale mining at present
Zona Central Sur	Sector Norte			Itata Basin	Sub-bituminous	No
	Sector Sur	Curanilahue Formation, Trihueco Formation	Eocene	Arauco Basin	Bituminous	No
Zona Sur		Pupunahue Beds, Mulpún Beds, Cheuquemó Formation, Parga Formation	Eocene or Oligo–Miocene	Pupunahue-Mulpún Neogene Carboniferous Basin, Osorno–Llanquihue Basin	Sub-bituminous	No, mining ceased in the early 2000s
Zona Austral		Loreto Formation	Eocene-Oligocene	Magallanes Basin	Lignitic and Sub-bituminous	No, mining in Invierno ceased in 2020