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Loma De Hierro

Prospect in Miranda, Venezuela with commodities Nickel, Cobalt, Iron, Aluminum, Chromium
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Alteration
  8. Mineral occurrence model information
  9. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Geologic structures
  12. Ore body information
  13. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  14. Ownership information
  15. Reserves and resources
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. General comments
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10068465
MRDS ID W001526
Record type Site
Current site name Loma De Hierro

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -67.08283, 10.13439 (WGS84)
Relative position 35 KM SW OF CARACAS, NEAR VILLAGES OF TIARA AND TACATA.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Miranda(province)

Venezuela(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Venezuela Miranda

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Nickel Critical Primary
Cobalt Critical Secondary
Iron Tertiary
Aluminum Critical Tertiary
Chromium Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Garnierite Ore
Goethite Ore

Alteration

  • (Local) Serpentinized Harzburgite

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 110
USGS model code 38a
Deposit model name Lateritic Ni

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Conglomerate
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Pyroclastic Rock > Tuff
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Mafic Volcanic Rock > Basalt
    Rock unit name Los Naranjos;Tiara Formation
    Rock description Los Naranjos;Tiara Formation
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Ultramafic Intrusive Rock > Peridotite > Harzburgite
    Rock unit name Paracotos Formation;Tucutunemo Formation
    Rock description Paracotos Formation;Tucutunemo Formation

Nearby scientific data

(1) -67.08283, 10.13439
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Coastal Ranges Of North-Central Venezuela . N 70 Deg E
Type of structure Local
Structure description Elongate Serpentinite Sill, 1-4km Wide By 21 Km Long

Ore body information

  • General form BLANKET
    Thickness 10M
    Depth to top 5M

Comments on the geologic information

  • SERPENTINIZED HARZBURGITE BODY IS 700 M LONG AND OF RELATIVELY CONSTANT COMPOSITION.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Prospect
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1941
Discoverer Enrique Rubio S., Manuel Tello B. And Carlos Fernandez.

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Government Of Venezuela (51%) And Societe Le Niquel (49%)

Comments on the production information

  • EXPECTED ANNUAL NICKEL PRODUCTION AS OF 6/72, IS 20,000 METRIC TONS.... MINING MAGAZINE, 9/75, P. 207, REPORTS A DESIGN PRODUCTION OF 720,000 TONNES PER YEAR NI ORE; AT 1.58% NI, WOULD GIVE EVENTUAL PRODUCTION OF CLOSE TO 10,000 M.T. NI AT 85% RECOVERY RATE.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1975
    Total resources 40000000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Nickel Ni 1.55 wt-pct Nickel Major 1975
    Cobalt Co 0.03 wt-pct Cobalt Minor 1975
    Iron Fe 26.27 wt-pct Iron Trace 1975
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1986
    Total resources 55000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Nickel Ni 1.53 wt-pct Nickel Major 1986
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1972
    Total resources 38200000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Nickel Ni 1.66 wt-pct Nickel Major 1972
    Cobalt Co 0.03 wt-pct Cobalt Minor 1972

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • TONNAGE, DRY BASIS, 38.2 MILLION TONS

Comments on development

  • COMPLETE GEOLOGICAL MAPPING AND DRILLING PROGRAM, INCLUDING DRILLING AND SAMPLING; 728 DRILL HOLES AND 8,545 ANALYSES OF SAMPLES AT 1 METER INTERVALS. POOR NI MARKET HAS DELAYED START OF OPERATIONS. ; ECON.COM: GENERALLY FAVORABLE FOR ELECTRIC POWER, NATURAL GAS LINES, TRANSPORTATION TO COAST (138 KM TO LA GUAIRA PORT). POOR NICKEL MARKET HAS DELAYED THE START OF OPERATIONS.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    LAVIE, H., 1967, EVALUACION DE LATERITOS EN LOMO DE HIERRO, BOL. GEOL. VEN. V.8, NO.16, PP199-214

  • Deposit

    BELLIZZIA G., A, 1967, ROCAS ULTRABASICAS, MONTANAS A DEL CARIBE, VENEZUELA, DO.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, 6/72, P.318

  • Deposit

    CORNWALL, H.R., 1973, NICKEL (CHAPTER IN): U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROF. PAPER 820, P. 440...5) MINING MAGAZINE, 9/75, P. 207.

  • Deposit

    DEYOUNG AND OTHERS, 1985, INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC MINERALS INVENTORY SUMMARY REPORT--NICKEL: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 930-D, 62 P.

  • Deposit

    RODRIGUEZ M., S.E., 1986, RECURSOS MINERALES DE VENEZUELA: MINISTERIO DE ENERGIA Y MINAS BOLETIN DE GEOLOGIA, V. 15, NO. 27, 228 P.

  • Deposit

    INSTITUTO INTERNACIONAL DE INTEGRACION, 1986, GEOGRAFIA ECONOMICA, AREA DE RECURSOS MINERALES: LA PAZ, INSTITUTO INTERNACIONAL DE INTEGRACION, 716 P.

  • Deposit

    BELLIZZIA G., A., PIMENTAL DE BELLIZZIA, N., AND RODRIGUEZ, S., 1981, RECURSOS MINERALES DE VENEZUELA Y SU RELACION A LA METALOGENESIS: MINISTERIO DE ENERGIA Y MINAS BOLETIN DE GEOLOGIA, PUBLICACION ESPECIAL, NO. 8, P. 6-77.

  • Deposit

    COMMISSION FOR THE GEOLOGICAL MAP OF THE WORLD, 1983, METALLOGENIC MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA, 1:5,000,000, EXPLANATORY TEXT: CARACAS, 88 P.

  • Deposit

    PETERS, H.D., 1975, NICKEL--VORKOMMEN, PRODUKTION, BEDARFSDECKUNG IM RAHMEN DER WELTWIRTSCHAFT [NICKEL; OCCURENCE,-PRODUCTION AND SUPPLY IN WORLD TRADE]: ESSEN, GERMANY, BERGBAU, ROHSTOFFE, EN-ERGIE, VERLAG GLUCK AUF GMBH, V. 9, 112 P.

  • Deposit

    LAVIE, H.J., 1971, YACIMIENTOS DE LATERITAS NIQUELIFERAS DE LOMA DE HIERRO, ESTADOS MIRANDA Y ARAGUA, IN PUBL. ESP-EC.: VENEZUELA DIRECCION DE GEOLOGIA, NO. 5, TOMO 1, P. 357. -(G13)

  • Deposit

    LAVIE, H, EVALUACION DE LOS YACIMIENTOS DE LATERITAS NIQUELIFERAS EN LOMA DE YIERRO, VENEZUELA: BOL. GEOL., V.8, NO 16, PP 200-214, MINISTERIO DE MINAS E HIDROCARBUROS, VENEZUELA.

  • Deposit

    1946 DIREXPL INTERNATIONAL NICKEL CORP. UNTIL 1960

  • Deposit

    1966 DIREXPL MINISTERIO DE MINAS E HIDROCARBUROS, VENEZUELA

  • Other Database

    ISMI

  • Other Database

    CIMRI

  • Reserve-Resource

    DEYOUNG AND OTHERS, 1985; INSTITUTO INTERNACIONAL DE INTEGRACION, 1986, P. 566.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE LATERITE MANTLE COVERS 60 HA. THERE ARE 4 ZONES: 1) RED MANTLE WITH SMALL CONCRETIONS AND CRUSTS OF GOETHITE-LIMONITE (35-45% FE), 2) NICKELIFEROUS LATERITE (GARNIERITE), 3) NICKELIFEROUS SERPENTINE, 4) PERIDOTITE WITH VARIABLE SERPENTINIZATION
Deposit DEPOSITS OCCUR NEAR SUMMIT OF ELONGATE HILLS TRENDING N 70 DEG. E, OCCUPY A TOTAL AREA OF 600 HECTARES, AND HAVE AN AVERAGE THICKNESS OF 6.36 METERS. REPORTER UPDATE, 12/74, G.L. SHAFFER: FRENCH COMPANY-SOCIETE LE NIQUEL IS EXPLORING NICKEL DEPOSITS IN THE LOMO DE HIERRO PROVINCE. MINE AND PLANT ARE FORESEEN WITH ANNUAL PRODUCTION CAPACITY OF 20,000 TON OF METAL. (10/72) INVESTMENT- $140 MILLION. PROJECT INVOLVES MINING 1.55% NI ORE TO PRODUCE 82,000 M.T.P.Y. OF FERRONICKEL BARS CONTAINING 75% IRON AND 25% NICKEL, GIVING A PRODUCTION OF ABOUT 20,000 M.T.P.Y. OF NICKEL.: UPDATE BY GLENN L. SHAFFER-1/75, PRODUCTION AND RESERVE ONLY DATA GIVEN. SIMILAR TO DEPOSITS IN CUBA, THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, BRAZIL, GUATEMALA, NEW CALEDONIA, THE PHILIPPINES, AND THE CELEBES ISLANDS. THIS RECORD CONTAINS DATA FROM DUPLICATE RECORD ISM0231 OF M.P. FOOSE WHICH HAS BEEN DELETED FROM MAIN MRDS. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-FEB-1973 Irving, Earl M. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-JAN-1975 Shaffer, Glenn L. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-MAY-1991 Bolm, Karen S. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 05-JAN-1995 Orris, Greta J. U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

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