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La Mejicana Cu Mine

Producer in La Rioja, Argentina with commodities Copper, Silver, Gold
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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. Host and associated rocks
  9. Nearby scientific data
  10. Geologic structures
  11. Ore body information
  12. Controls for ore emplacement
  13. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  14. Mining district
  15. Ownership information
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. General comments
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10068824
MRDS ID W002082
Record type Site
Current site name La Mejicana Cu Mine
Alternate or previous names Upulungos, San Pedro Veins. Mine Names Include Upulungos, Mellizas, Esperanza, Bella Argentina, Compania, Estrella, Atacama, White, Gibralta, Forastera

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -67.7914, -29.04162 (WGS84)
Elevation 4500
Relative position 45 KM E OF VILLA CASTELLI.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

La Rioja(province)

Argentina(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Argentina La Rioja

Comments on the location information

  • COORDINATES ARE APPROX. CENTER OF RESERVE AREA WHICH IS 185 SQ KM. DNMG GIVES THE LOCATION AS 32-08S AND 69-26W. W OF CIENAGA DEL YALGUARAZ. ENTRANCE ROAD AVAILABLE.
  • IN SIERRA DE FAMATINA AT 34 KM BY CABLEWAY FROM CHILECITO.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Silver Primary
Gold Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Ore
Enargite Ore
Famatinite Ore
Galena Ore
Gold Ore
Goslarite Ore
Malachite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Tennantite Ore
Alunite Gangue
Barite Gangue
Gypsum Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Hydrothermal Alteration, Seritization, Silicification, And Pyritization Of Wall Rock

Analytical data

Result 937.5 TONS OF COPPER ORE FROM UPULUNGOS GAVE 15.458% CU, 66.2323 OZ/TON AG, 1.239 OZ/TON AU (HOSKOLD 1904). OTHER SAMPLES RAN 1.4-1.62 OZ/TON AU.

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Rhyodacite
    Rock unit name Mogote Complex;Nonorco Batholoth
    Rock description Mogote Complex;Nonorco Batholoth
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Ordovician
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Ordovician
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Schist
    Rock unit name Negro Peinado Formation
    Rock description Negro Peinado Formation
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Mudstone
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Sandstone
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone

Nearby scientific data

(1) -67.7914, -29.04162
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 Pal Rocks Dip Se. Characterized By Mineralized Faults, Brecciation, Post Mineral Shearing Of Wall Rock

Ore body information

  • General form SUBPARALLEL
    Strike ENE
    Dip 70N-60S
    Thickness 2M
    Length 335M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Ore Deposits Related To Dacite Extrusive Bodies And Faults In Lower Pal Rocks

Comments on the geologic information

  • APPROX. 85% OF AREA COVERED BY ALLUVIAL MATERIAL AS MUCH AS 650 FT. THICK.
  • DISTRICT IS LOCATED IN AREA OF SSEDIMENTARY FORMATIONS (METAMOROPHIC IN PLACES) INTRUDED BY DACITE STOCKS.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1850
Discoverer Famatina Development Corp., (Corporation Minera Famatina)
Year of first production 1905

Mining district

District name La Mejicana District

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Banco De La Nacion

Comments on the production information

  • FROM YALGUARAZ MINES

Comments on the workings information

  • TWO VEINS, UPULUNGOS AND SAN PEDRO ARE DESCRIBED, CONSIST OF 5 OR 6 LEVELS OF WORKINGS. ADITS, GALLERIES

Comments on development

  • UN PROJECT ALSO INCLUDED GEOCHEMICAL PROSPECTING, (SAMPLING OF SEDIMENTS, ROCKS, CALICHE, AND PLANTS). GEOPHYSICAL WORK INCLUDED INDUCED POLARIZATION (IP), MAGNETOMETRY, SEISMIC INV. 18 DRILL HOLES TOTALLED 10,000 FT. ; TOTAL$: 0.2 ; ECON.COM: CATEGORIZED IN UNDP, 1970, REF. IN GROUP A, "MOST PROMISING AREA FROM AN ECONOMIC POINT OF VIEW"

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    ANGELELLI, V., FERNANDEZ LIMA, J. C., HERRERA, A., AND ARISTARAIN, L., 1970, DESCRIPCION DEL MAPA METALOGENETICO DE LA REPUBLICA ARGENTINA: DIRECCION NACIONAL DE GEOLOGIA Y MINERIA, P. 51. (SPANISH)

  • Deposit

    HOSKOLD, H.D., 1904, OFFICIAL REPORT UPON THE MINES, MINING, METALLURGY, AND MINING LAWS ETC., OF THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC: MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, COMMERCE, AND INDUSTRIES, NATIONAL SECTION OF MINING AND GEOLOGY, BUENOS AIRES, SOUTH AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY, 474 P.

  • Deposit

    MAPA MINERO DE LA PROVINCIA DE RIOJA 1966-1967 INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE GEOLOGIA Y MINERIA: SERVICIO DE ECONOMIA MINERIA.

  • Deposit

    DE ALBA, E., 1053, DNGM; BOL. 82, (MAP).

  • Deposit

    SCHALAMUK, I.B., AND LOGAN, M.A.V., 1994, POLYMETALLIC AG-TE-BEARING PARAGENESIS OF THE CERRO NEGRO DISTRICT, FAMATINA RANGE, V. 32, P. 667-679.

  • Production

    ANGELELLI (1984)

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit AREA WAS "RESERVED" IN U.N. STUDY BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE EXISTENCE OF A BURIED MINERALIZED BODY ASSOCIATED WITH THE YALGUAREZ MINE. SMALL ALTERED BODIES NEAR THE PAMPA DEL YALGUAREZ, AND THE STRUCTURAL-LINE RELATIONSHIP OF THESE BODIES BETWEEN LEONCITO AND PARAMILLOS CU DEPOSITS ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT
Deposit ALL MINE NAMES IN SYNONYM FIELD SEEM TO BE ON THE SAME STRUCTURE(S). (1) THE VEIN HAS A BANDED STRUCTURE.
Deposit Discovery Year: WORK DONE IN AREA IN 1966-1967
Deposit Discovery Year: WORKED FROM MIDDLE OF LAST CENTURY CORP FORMED IN 1903

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JUL-1973 Davidson, Claire B. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-MAR-1994 Sow, Thierno (Page, Norman J.) U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 09-NOV-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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