Cerro Armazones is a crumbling dome of rock that dominates the parched peaks of the Chilean coastal range north of Santiago.
Even the views look alien, with the surrounding boulder-strewn desert bearing a remarkable resemblance to the landscape of Mars.
Dramatic change is on its way to Cerro Armazones, however — for in a few weeks, the 10,000-foot-tall (3,000-meter) mountain is going to have its top knocked off. "We are going to blast it with dynamite and then carry off the rubble," said engineer Gird Hudepohl.