Atacama Fault

Intra-arc ductile deformation occurred in the Late Jurassic, creating north-striking mylonitic shear zones.

[3] The fault zone penetrates the Chilean Coastal Cordillera through north–south striking elongate terranes of Jurassic to early Cretaceous igneous rocks.

[2] In the eastern branches of the fault Cretaceous-aged porphyry copper deposits are associated to diorite and dacite stocks-type intrusions.

[4] Certain areas of the mentioned igneous province are overlain by terranes of continental clastic rocks and marine limestones.

[6] Due to the extensional regime shaping the region, the system is dominated by normal faulting, most of which is north–south striking and dipping around 60 degrees to the East.