Oriel Álvarez Gómez

Oriel Álvarez Gómez (Vallenar, November 20, 1923 – Copiapó, January 31 2009) was a Chilean historian and miner. He has been described as "the most important historian of Atacama Region in the late 20th and early 21st century".^[1] Among his works Atacama de plata (lit. Atacama of Silver), which deals with the 19th-century Chilean silver rush, has been acclaimed.^[1][2] In 1995 Álvares published a second work on the history of mining named Huasco de cobre.^[3] Álvarez contributed to the history of the city of Petorca, publishing a book about it in 1998 and establishing its until-then-unknown date of founding.^[4] Álvarez had a short stint as an elected official—regidor in Freirina—from 1960 to 1961. He was a member of the Academia Chilena de la Lengua.^[1]