Chorolque Mine

Producer in Potosi, Bolivia with commodities Tin, Tungsten, Silver, Bismuth, Gold, Lead, Copper, Zinc
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. Mining district
  16. Land status
  17. Ownership information
  18. Workings at the site
  19. Links to other databases
  20. Bibliographic references
  21. General comments
  22. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10068807
MRDS ID W002061
Record type Site
Current site name Chorolque Mine

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -66.03417, -20.91146 (WGS84)
Elevation 5000
Relative position 100 KM SE OF UYUNI, AND 30 KM E OF RR STATION CHOCAYA IN SOUTHERN BOLIVIA

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Potosi(province)

Bolivia(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Federal lands

Federal(land status)

Geographic areas

Country State
Bolivia Potosi

Comments on the location information

  • SHARP PYRAMIDAL VOLCANIC PROMINENCE RISING ABOVE ALTIPLANO

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Tin Critical Primary
Tungsten Critical Primary
Silver Secondary
Bismuth Critical Secondary
Gold Secondary
Lead Secondary
Copper Secondary
Zinc Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bismuthinite Ore
Cassiterite Ore
Huebnerite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Wolframite Ore
Limonite Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Pyrrhotite Gangue
Quartz Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Silicification

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 77
USGS model code 20b
Deposit model name Sn-polymetallic vein

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Ordovician
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Miocene
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Siltstone

Nearby scientific data

(1) -66.03417, -20.91146

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description N-S Eastern Cordillera
Type of structure Local
Structure description Tension (?) Fractures In Volcanic Breccia Conduit

Ore body information

  • Strike MAINLY E-W
    Dip NEAR VERTICAL
    Thickness 2M
    Length 800M
    Width 2M
    Depth to bottom 800M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Radial And Tangential Fracturing And Fissuring, With E-W Structures Predominating

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1675
Discoverer Indigenous Native, Tin From 1870

Mining district

District name Quechisla

Land status

Ownership category Federal

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Empresa Minera De Quechisla (Comibol)
  • Type Owner
    Owner Corporacion Minera De Bolivia

Comments on the production information

  • MINE HAS REGULARLY PRODUCED 0.5 TO 1.4 MILLION KGS OF SN ANNUALLY FROM 1951 TO 1971, AND SMALL AMOUNTS OF BISMUTH, SILVER, LEAD, AND COPPER . CUMUL. PROD. FOR W 1952 - 1956 & 1969 - 1971 ; CUMUL. PROD. FOR BI 1952 - 1959 & 1967 - 1971

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • EQUIVALENT TO 6 YEARS OF OPERATION
  • POTENTIAL RESOURCES ASSUMED 100 PERCENT OF EXISTING RESERVES.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 800M
    Overall depth 800M

Comments on the workings information

  • NUMEROUS WORKINGS ON MANY VEINS EN PYRAMIDAL MOUNTAIN MASS RISING 1,800M ABOVE ALTIPLANO. MANY VEINS RANGE FROM 5CM TO 20 CM WIDE; OF STRONG PERSISTENCE

Reference information

Bibliographic references

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit AT PRESENT ALL MINING ACTIVITY IS TAKING PLACE WITHIN THE BRECCIA PIPE. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT
Deposit Discovery Year: DURING SPANISH COLONIZATION

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-MAY-1973 Irving, Earl M. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-MAY-1978 Urquidi-Barrau, Fernando U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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