Freirina

Freirina

Freirina is a Chilean commune and town in Huasco Province, Atacama Region. The commune spans an area of 3,577.7 km2 (1,381 sq mi). Freirina is both an agricultural and a mining town. Prior to the founding of Vallenar in 1789 Freirina, then known as Santa Rosa, was the main town of Huasco Valley. The town was renamed to Freirina in honor of Supreme Director Ramón Freire in 1824 when it was raised in settlement category from asiento a villa. From the 1930s to the 1950s there was significant gold mining in Capote 25 km north of Freirina. For much of the 19th centuiry and then again from 1952 to 1973 El Morado, 40 km south of Freirina, was an important copper mining center.