Nitratine [SEP] named after
Nitratine
Nitratine or nitratite, also known as cubic niter (UK: nitre), soda niter or Chile saltpeter (UK: Chile saltpetre), is a mineral, the naturally occurring form of sodium nitrate, NaNO. Chemically it is the sodium analogue of saltpeter. Nitratine crystallizes in the trigonal system, but rarely occurs as well formed crystals. It is isostructural with calcite. It is quite soft and light with a Mohs hardness of 1.5 to 2 and a specific gravity of 2.24 to 2.29. Its refractive indices are
that it even bought the 47-year-old , which had been built for CSAV in 1873 but which it had later sold. On 28 August 1922 "Itata" foundered off Coquimbo after her rudder was smashed in a heavy sea. She launched three lifeboats but all capsized, and only 13 survivors reached land.
The Wall Street Crash of October 1929 started the Great Depression, which destroyed the export market for Chilean nitratine and sharply reduced demand for Chilean copper. The loss of export income significantly reduced Chile's ability to afford