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Cerro Mercedario Cu Prospect

Occurrence in San Juan, Argentina with commodities Copper, Molybdenum
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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. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  13. Ownership information
  14. Links to other databases
  15. Bibliographic references
  16. General comments
  17. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10068820
MRDS ID W002078
Record type Site
Current site name Cerro Mercedario Cu Prospect

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -70.03283, -31.96413 (WGS84)
Elevation 5000
Relative position 60 KM SW OF BARREAL

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

San Juan(province)

Argentina(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Argentina San Juan

Comments on the location information

  • GLACIAL TERRAIN, ACCESS IS BY 4 DAY HORSEBACK TRIP FROM BARREAL. HELICOPTER SUPPORT RESTRICTED BY CONTINUOUS STRONG WINDS. COORDINATES ARE APPROX CENTER OF RESERVE AREA

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Molybdenum Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcocite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Malachite Ore
Molybdenite Ore
Pyrite Ore

Alteration

  • (Local) Transported Rocks Show Signs Of Hydrothermal Alteration, In Order Of Importance: Silicification, Sericitization, Argillitization, Chloritization, Epidotization

Analytical data

Result RESULTS OF SAMPLING IN 12 TRAVERSES IN ARROYO ARE: MO, 12-4000 PPM, SOME SAMPLES 2.5% MO
Result CU, 20-6600 PPM

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 Host
    Rock type Unconsolidated Deposit > Glacial Sediment

Nearby scientific data

(1) -70.03283, -31.96413
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description North-Trending Folds, Faults Of Varying Lengths And Displacements And Plutonic Masses
Type of structure Local
Structure description No Data Available

Comments on the geologic information

  • IGNEOUS UNITS CONSIST OF ANDELATITE, ANDESITE, QUARTZ-ADAMELLITE, DIORITE, DACITIC PORPHYRIES AND TUFFS AS DETERMINED FROM ROCKS IN TRANSPORTED MATERIAL

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Occurrence
Commodity type Metallic
Significant No
Discovery year 1966
Discoverer United Nations & Gov'T Of Argentina

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Government Of Argentina

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • ESTIMATES OF ACCUMULATION OF GLACIALLY TRANSPORTED MATERIAL WERE MADE IN ARROYO AMARILLO. FOR THICKNESSES OF 10, 20, 30 METERS THE VOLUMES WERE 20, 45, 65 MILLION TONS RESPECTIVELY.

Comments on the workings information

  • NOT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE SIZE OF DEPOSIT, BUT THE AMOUNT OF TRANSPORTED MATERIAL WHICH HAS CU & MO MINERALIZATION AND WIDE ALTERATION ZONE INDICATE AN AREA OF GREAT POTENTIAL.

Comments on development

  • ECON.COM: CATEGORIZED IN UNDP, 1970, REF. IN GROUP A, "MOST PROMISING AREA FROM AN ECONOMIC POINT OF VIEW

Reference information

Bibliographic references

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit HOST ROCKS INDETERMINANT BECAUSE AREA COVERED BY SNOW & SCREE. ONLY TWO OUTCROPS SAMPLED IN SITU.
Deposit Discovery Year: WORK DONE IN AREA, 1966-1967

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JUL-1973 Davidson, Claire B. U.S. Geological Survey CORRECTED STATE INFORMATION
Updater 01-JAN-1993 Bolm, Karen S. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-NOV-1993 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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