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El Teniente

Producer in Chile with commodities Copper, Molybdenum, Gold, Silver
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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. Controls for ore emplacement
  14. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  15. Ownership information
  16. Production statistics
  17. Workings at the site
  18. Links to other databases
  19. Bibliographic references
  20. General comments
  21. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10068475
MRDS ID W001540
Record type Site
Current site name El Teniente
Alternate or previous names Braden
Related records 10167120

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -70.33783, -34.08914 (WGS84)
Elevation 2100
Relative position 3 KM E. OF SEWELL, 145 KM SE. OF SANTIAGO; 67 KM E OF RANCAGUA

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Chile(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
Chile

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Molybdenum Primary
Gold Secondary
Silver Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • LARGEST UNDERGROUND METAL MINE IN THE WORLD.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bornite Ore
Brochantite Ore
Chalcocite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Chrysocolla Ore
Copper Ore
Covellite Ore
Cuprite Ore
Enargite Ore
Ferrimolybdite Ore
Galena Ore
Huebnerite Ore
Malachite Ore
Molybdenite Ore
Olivenite Ore
Pyrite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Stibnite Ore
Tennantite Ore
Tenorite Ore
Anhydrite Gangue
Ankerite Gangue
Barite Gangue
Biotite Gangue
Calcite Gangue
Chlorite Gangue
Gypsum Gangue
Hematite Gangue
Limonite Gangue
Magnetite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Rhodochrosite Gangue
Sericite Gangue
Tourmaline Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Potassic, Secondary Biotite-Kspar-Anhydrite-Quartz-Sericite; Quartz-Sericite Alteration; Propylitic Alteration; Supergene Argillic Alteration.

Analytical data

Result CAMUS (1975) CONTAINS WHOLEROCK CHEMISTRY AND EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION OF ALTERATION.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 53
USGS model code 17
Deposit model name Porphyry Cu
Mark3 model number 4

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Diorite
    Rock unit name Lampophyre Dike;;Branden Formation;;Upper Farellones Formation;Middle Farellones Formation;Lower Farellones Formation;Coya-Machali Formation (Chilense Formation)
    Rock description Lampophyre Dike;;Branden Formation;;Upper Farellones Formation;Middle Farellones Formation;Lower Farellones Formation;Coya-Machali Formation (Chilense Formation)
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleocene
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleocene
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Dacite
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Porphyry > Lamprophyre
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Intermediate Volcanic Rock > Andesite
    Rock unit name Lower Farellones Formation
    Rock description Lower Farellones Formation

Nearby scientific data

(1) -70.33783, -34.08914
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description North Trending Folds, Faults, And Plutonic Masses
Type of structure Local
Structure description Braden Pipe (Old Explosive Volcanic Vent) Is A Circular Inverted Conical Shaped Hole 5200 Ft Deep In The Volcanics, Filled With Breccia, Surrounded By The Orebody

Ore body information

  • General form CHIMNEY
    Width 600M
    Depth to bottom 1290M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • N55 E Striking Faults And Veins Centered On And Dipping Away From Braden Pipe

Comments on the geologic information

  • BRADEN FORMATION IS AN INVERTED CONE WITH A TAPERED PIPELIKE SECTION WITH AN ALMOST CIRCULAR PLAN WITH A DIAMETER 1300 M AT THE SURFACE AND 650 M AT THE DEEPEST LEVEL (TENIENTE 8) WITH VERTICAL EXTENT OF 1600 M.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1706
Discoverer By Spanish And Indians
Year of first production 1906

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Chile Gov.
    Interest 51
  • Type Operator
    Owner Kennecott
    Interest 49
  • Type Owner
    Owner Sociedad Minera El Tenienta S. A.
  • Type Owner
    Owner Since July, 1971 Major Cu Companies Have Been Nationalized By Pres. Allende.
  • Type Owner
    Owner Co. Now Is Societe Minera El Teniente S. A.

Production statistics

  • Year 1970
    Material ORE
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^1.66 % Cu, .042 % Mo
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Ore Copper Copper 2wt-pct
  • Year 1970
    Material ORE
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^1.695 % Cu
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Copper Copper 2wt-pct
  • Year 1974
    Period 1906-1974
    Material ORE
    Description Cp_Grade: ^2% Cu
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Copper Copper 2wt-pct
  • Year 1977
    Period 1906-1977
    Material CU
    Description Cp_Grade: ^0.55% Cu (Avg)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Copper Copper 1wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • IN 1959, MILL HEADS AVERAGED 1.95% CU, 0.08% MO; BLISTER CU CONTAINS 0.3 OZ/MT AG AND 0.026 OZ.MT AU.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • POTENTIAL RESOURCES ARPROBABLY GREATER THAN 1) EST. IF LOWER GRADE ORE IS INCLUDED. MAY BE AS MUCH AS 5 FOLD.; AMERICAN METAL MARKET, 8/4/77, P. 18, V. 65, NO. 150
  • EST. BY GOUDARZI 3/73. TO HAVE POTENTIAL RESOURCES EQUAL TO PRESENT RESERVES.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 804650M
    Overall depth 1524M

Comments on the workings information

  • BLOCK CAVING MINING METHOD USED. MORE THAN 500 MILES OF HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL WORKINGS

Comments on development

  • MINE KNOWN BY SPANISH AND INDIANS SINCE 1706. FROM THEN UNTIL 1903 SMALL AMOUNTS OF HIGH-GRADE ORE MINED INTERMITTENTLY BY PRIMITIVE METHODS. IN 1903 WILLIAM BRADEN AND E. W. NASH ACQUIRED INTERESTS IN PROPERTY AND BUILT FACILITIES FOR CONCENTRATING THE ORE. NEW COMPANY FORMED WITH CHILEANIZATION IN 1967. BY 1974, MORE THAN 100,000 M OF DRILL CORE AND HUNDREDS OF METERS OF UNDERGROUND.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    RUIZ, F., CARLOS, 1965, GEOLOGIA Y YACIMENTOS METALIFERO DE CHILE: INST. INV. GEOL. CHILE, P. 177-181. (SPANISH)

  • Deposit

    BEALL, J. F., 1969, COPPER IN THE ANDES: MIN. ENG., V. 21, NO. 11, P. 62-66

  • Deposit

    HOWELL, F. H. AND MALLOY, J. S.,960, GEOLOGY OF THE BRADEN OREBODY, CHILE, SOUTH AMERICA: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, V. 55, NO. 5, P. 863-905

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL ANNUAL REVIEW, JUNE, 1970, P. 299.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL ANNUAL REVIEW, JUNE, 1969, P. 257-258.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL ANNUAL REVIEW, JUNE, 1972, P. 306-307.

  • Deposit

    AMERICAN METAL MARKET, V. 65, NO. 150, P. 18.

  • Deposit

    METALS WEEK - METALS SOURCEBOOK, 6/16/75, #C3005.

  • Deposit

    CAMUS, F., 1975, GEOLOGY OF THE EL TENIENTE OREBODY WITH EMPHASIS ON WALL ROCK ALTERATION: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, V. 70, NO. 8, P. 1341-1372.

  • Deposit

    1906 DIREXPL BRADEN COPPER C

  • Production

    PRODUCTION INFORMATION IS FROM MINING JOURNAL ANNUAL REVIEW, 1969, 1970, AND 1972, BEALL, 1969, HOWELL, 1960 AND AMERICAN METAL MARKET, 1977. CAMUS (1975). HOWELL AND MOLLOY (1960)

  • Reserve-Resource

    EST. BY G GOUDARZI 3/73

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit OREBODY SURROUNDS BRADEN PIPE IN CONTINUOUS RING, HAS NO CONSISTENT DIP. DIMENSIONS BASED ON CUTOFF OF 1% CU
Deposit : 1) DEPOSITION OF QUARTZ AND PYRITE IN NE-STRIKING FAULTS; 2) DEPOSITION OF CHALCOPYRITE, BORNITE WITH QUARTZ-ANHYDRITE GANGUE; 3 AND 4) CHARACTERIZED BY ABUNDANT TOURMALINE WITH MINOR SULFIDES5) DEPOSITION OF SMALL AOUNTS OF TENNANTITE, GALENA, AND SPHALERITE IN QUARTZ-CARBONATE GANGUE.
Deposit Discovery Year: KNOWN SINCE 1706

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-DEC-1972 Davidson, Claire B. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 21-SEP-1994 Page, Norman 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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