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  2. Online Spatial Data
  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Buena Esperanza

Producer in Chile with commodity Copper
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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. Production statistics
  17. Reserves and resources
  18. Links to other databases
  19. Bibliographic references
  20. General comments
  21. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10106983
MRDS ID TC03517
Record type Site
Current site name Buena Esperanza
Alternate or previous names Buena Esperanza Cu Mine

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -70.20955, -22.18255 (WGS84)
Elevation 450
Relative position 10KM SOUTH OF TOCOPILLA AND 170KM NORTH OF ANTOFAGASTA

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Chile(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
Chile

Comments on the location information

  • BORIC, ET AL. (1984) LATITUDE AT 22-09-54S.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Atacamite Ore
Bornite Ore
Chalcocite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Chrysocolla Ore
Copper Ore
Covellite Ore
Digenite Ore
Malachite Ore
Calcite Gangue
Gypsum Gangue
Hematite Gangue
Plagioclase Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Sericite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Albitization, Chloritization, And Carbonitization; Deposit Located Below Intense Epidotization; Weak Sericitization. No Evidence Of Hydrothermal Alteration.

Analytical data

Result LOWER PART OF FLOWS ARE GENERALLY 7M THICK AND VERY COMPACT CONTAINING 0.1-0.4% COPPER. SULFUR ISOTOPE OF ORE = -0.3/MIL.

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Intermediate Volcanic Rock > Andesite
    Rock unit name La Negra Formation;Andean Diorite Complex
    Rock description La Negra Formation;Andean Diorite Complex
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Jurassic
    Chronological age 186.5
    Dating method Rb-Sr
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Mafic Volcanic Rock > Basalt
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Jurassic
    Chronological age 186.5
    Dating method Rb-Sr
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Sandstone
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Jurassic
    Chronological age 186.5
    Dating method Rb-Sr
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Intermediate Volcanic Rock > Andesite
    Rock unit name La Negra Formation;Metamorphosed Sedimentary Sequence
    Rock description La Negra Formation;Metamorphosed Sedimentary Sequence
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Jurassic
    Chronological age 186.5
    Dating method Rb-Sr
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Mafic Volcanic Rock > Basalt
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Jurassic
    Chronological age 186.5
    Dating method Rb-Sr

Nearby scientific data

(1) -70.20955, -22.18255
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description North-Trending Broad Open Folds. Faults Of Varying Lengths And Displacements And Plutonic Masses.
Type of structure Local
Structure description Faults At N90e, 90 Fractures Trend N40e. Deposit Terminated On North By Post-Mineral, Vertical, East-Striking Fault.

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR, ANYGDALOIDAL LAVA FLOWS CONTAINING POCKETS OF BRECCIATED VOLCANIC ROCKS SEVERAL METERS THICK
    Strike 0
    Dip 30E
    Thickness 270M
    Length 200M
    Width 330M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Generally Concentrated At Tops Of Flows In Amygdules <6mm. Microscopic Studies Indicate That Mineralization Was Syngenetic With Extrusion Of Lava.

Comments on the geologic information

  • HIGH COPPER VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH ALBITE AND CALCITE CONTENTS; LOW COPPER CONTENTS WHERE POTASSIUM IS HIGH. PREHNITE-PUMPELLYITE METAMORPHISM. LOWER PART OF LAVA FLOWS IS COMPACT. UPPER PART IS AMYGDALOIDAL.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1954
Year of first production 1954

Mining district

District name Punta Blanca-Cerro Tres Puntas

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Compania Minera De Tocopilla

Production statistics

  • Year 1970
    Period To 1970
    Material CU
    Description Cp_Grade: ^3%
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Copper Copper 3wt-pct
  • Year 1986
    Period 1970-1986
    Material CU
    Description Cp_Grade: ^3%
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Copper Copper 3wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • PRODUCTION TO 1970 ESTIMATED.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1983
    Total resources 850000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 2.9 wt-pct Copper Major 1983

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • FROM 20,000 TO 200,000 TONS OF FINE CU.
  • PROVEN RESERVES.

Comments on the workings information

  • SHAFT AND DRIFTS. DEPOSIT CONSISTS OF 28 "MINERALIZED MANTOS" VARYING BETWEEN 2 TO 25 M IN THICKNESS. AVERAGE IS 5 M.

Comments on development

  • DEPOSIT DEFINED BY MAPPING, DRILLING, AND GEOPHYSICS

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    FRUTOS, J. AND PINCHEIRA, M., 1986, FICHAS METALOGENICAS DE YACIMEINTOS MINERALES METALICOS CHILENOS, IN FRUTOS, J., OYARZUN, J., AND PINCHEIRA, M., EDS., GEOLOGIA Y RECURSOS MINERALES CHILENOS: UNIVERSIDAD DE CONCEPCION, CONCEPCION, P. 841-888.

  • Deposit

    RUIZ, C. AND PEEBLES, F., 1988, YACIMIENTOS METALIFEROS DE CHILE: SANTIAGO, 334 P.

  • Deposit

    CAMUS, F., 1986, LOS YACIMIENTOS ESTRATOLIGADOS DE CU, PB-ZN, Y AG DE CHILE, IN FRUTOS, J., OYARZUN, J., PINCHEIRA, M., EDS., GEOLOGIA Y RECURSOS MINERALES CHILENOS: UNIVERSIDAD DE CONCEPCION, CONCEPCION, P.548-635.

  • Deposit

    LOSERT, J., 1973, GENESIS OF COPPER MINERALIZATION AND ASSOCIATED ALTERATIONS IN THE JURASSIC VOLCANIC ROCKS OF THE BUENA ESPERANZA MINING AREA: UNIVERSIDAD DE CHILE, PUBLIC NO. 40, 64 P.

  • Deposit

    LOSERT, J., 1974, ALTERATION AND ASSOCIATED COPPER MINERALIZATION IN THE JURASSIC VOLCANIC ROCKS OF THE BUENA ESPERANZA MINING AREA, ANTOFAGASTA PROVINCE, NORTHERN CHILE: UNIVERSIDAD DE CHILE, V. 41, P. 51-85.

  • Deposit

    PALACIOS, C. AND DEFINIS, 1981, PETROLOGIA DEL YACIMIENTO BUENA ESPERANZA, II REGION NORTE DE CHILE: FIRST COLOQUIO SOBRE VOLCANISMO Y METALOGENESIS, UNIVERSIDAD DEL NORTE, P. 82-91.

  • Deposit

    SASAKI, A., ULRIKSEN, C., SATO, K., AND ISHIHARA, S., 1984, SULFUR ISOTOPE RECONNAISSANCE OF PORPHYRY COPPER AND MANTO-TYPE DEPOSITS IN CHILE AND THE PHILLIPPINES: BULL. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY JAPAN, V. 35, P. 615-622.

  • Deposit

    DEFINIS, 1980, PETROLOGIA, ALTERACION, Y METALOGENESIS DEL INTRUSIVO BASICO BUENA ESPERANZA, TOCOPILLA, II REGION, CHILE: TESIS DE GRADO, UNIVERSIDAD DEL NORTE, 67 P.

  • Deposit

    ROGERS, G., 1985, A GEOCHEMICAL TRAVERSE ACROSS THE NORTH CHILEAN ANDES: PH.D. THESIS, THE OPEN UNIVERSITY, LONDON.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, JANUARY, 1990.

  • Deposit

    BORIC, R., DIAZ, F., AND MAKSAEV, V., 1984, COMPLEMENTO MAPA METALOGENICO, II REGION: GERENCIA DE DESAROLLO, SANTIAGO, (12 VOLS.).

  • Deposit

    RUIZ F., CARLOS, 1965, GEOLOGIA Y YACIMIENTOS METALIFEROS DE CHILE: INST. INV. GEOL. CHILE, P. 196 (SPANISH)

  • Deposit

    KNOWLES, P.H., AND OTHERS, 1964, EXPLORACION DE MINERALES RADIOACTIVOS EN CHILE, PROV. TARAPACA AND ANTOFAGASTA: CHILE INST. INV. BOL. 18, PT. I, P. 33-37 (SPANISH).

  • Deposit

    1961 COMPILE UNIV. OF CHILE

  • Deposit

    1964 RECON U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMM. & INSTITUTO INVESTIGACIONES GEOLOGICAS, CHILE.

  • Other Database

    CIMRI

  • Production

    RUIZ AND PEEBLES, 1988; BORIC ET AL., 1984. MINING MAGAZINE, JANUARY, 1990.

  • Reserve-Resource

    BORIC, ET AL., 1984.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MINA VIEJA CONSISTS OF 28 LEVELS CONCENTRATED AT TOP OF FLOWS IN AMYGDULES, BRECCIA LENSES, AND INTERCALATED SANDSTONE LENSES; THICKNESSES VARY FROM 2-25M; DEPOSIT EXTENDS AS FAR AS 200M ALONG STRIKE TO THE WEST BUT IS CUT OFF TO THE EAST BY AN UNMINERALIZED GABRROIC INTRUSION; IN 1969, MINE NUEVA BEGAN PRODUCTION FROM SUBVERTICAL VEINS AND COLUMNS OF BRECCIA AT THE PERIPHERY.
Deposit RECORD W001969 BY CLAIRE B. DAVIDSON HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THIS RECORD. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-SEP-1989 Williams, William C. University of Arizona
Updater 01-APR-1973 Davidson, Claire B. U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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

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