Copiap� has a diversified and potential economy, but mining is the largest economic activity.
The Copiap� Basin has a great deal of copper ore, mined by companies such as Minera Candelaria, which extracts copper near Tierra Amarilla, a neighboring commune. This generates a need for transportation, light industry, and services. "Small mining" represents over 30% of the production. The copper obtained by pirquineros (miners) goes to the copper smelter at Paipote.
Agriculture is the second largest source of income in this area. It consists largely of grape production, with olives, tomatoes, avocados and some citrus fruits also playing a part.
Industry: Copiap� has mainly light industry, and some medium industry such as the INACESA plant and Paipote copper refinery.
Commerce is growing in Copiap�, largely old and new small and medium enterprises. Downtown Copiap� activity mirrors Copiap�'s progress Some native enterprises have grown rapidly in the last decade such as the Albasini and Don �lvaro chain-stores. Free-market policies along with a higher demand and better economic expectations have encouraged the arrival of big, national enterprises such as the supermarkets Deca (1999), Jumbo (2005), and Lider (2006).
Tourism in Copiap� has been developing in the last years. An example of this is the new Casino, and the new infrastructures hotels had to invest in, due to the excess of demand by domestic and foreign tourists.
Significant attractions of Copiap� are the Mineralogic Museum, Plaza de Armas, Regional Museum of the Matta Family, the Wooden Railway Station, the San Jos� Cooper Mine(closed in 2010); in the coast, Totoralillo, Totoral and the zone of "Traves�a", wherein after rain, occurs the so-called "Desierto Florido"; in the Andes, the Ojos del Salado volcano, and the lakes Green and Negro Francisco, and also the Tres Cruces National Park
