The Chilean nitrate mines are pretty interesting - short write up here http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nitrate-towns-chile http://www.atlasobscura.com/places

The Chilean nitrate mines are pretty interesting - short write up here http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nitrate-towns-chile http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nitrate-towns-chile There was also an episode of the Discovery documentary Forgotten Planet which covers it