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  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Lourdes Mine

Plant in Sonora, Mexico with commodity Graphite
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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. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mining district
  11. Mineral rights holdings
  12. Land status
  13. Ownership information
  14. Production statistics
  15. Workings at the site
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. General comments
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10158146
MAS/MILS ID 2010490014
Record type Site
Current site name Lourdes Mine
Alternate or previous names San Francisco Mine, Lourdes/Veta Jecho/San Francisco, Veta Jecho Mine

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Claim
Geographic coordinates: -110.50255, 28.60163 (WGS84)
Elevation 822
Location accuracy 5000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Pima(county)

Arizona(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

Federal lands

Federal(land status)

Geographic areas

Country State
Mexico Sonora

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Graphite Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Graphite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Claim (1) -110.50255, 28.60163
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N45W
    Dip 15W
    Thickness 1.8M
    Length 1000M
    Width 800M
    Depth to top 160M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 STRATIFORM
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #2 LENTICULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Secondary mode of Origin METAMORPHISM
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Secondary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. SLIGHT
    Strike And Dip N45W:15W
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Date of Last Modification 840702
  • Area 274HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 274
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Non-metallic
Significant No
Discovery year 1951
Mining method Open Stope
Year of first production 1967
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Crush
Milling method Sizing

Mining district

District name Moradillas

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Federal Lease

Land status

Ownership category Federal

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Grafitos Mexicanos Sa
    Interest 100
    Home office Mexico
    Year 1993
    First year 1993
    Last year 1993

Production statistics

  • Year 1967
    Description Mine Has Produced About 290,000 Tons Of 16100 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 16100mt
  • Year 1968
    Description Ore Since 1967. 17570 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 17570mt
  • Year 1969
    Description 17080 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 17080mt
  • Year 1970
    Description 19250 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 19250mt
  • Year 1971
    Description 20000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 20000mt
  • Year 1972
    Description 20000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 20000mt
  • Year 1973
    Description 20000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 20000mt
  • Year 1974
    Description 20000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 20000mt
  • Year 1975
    Description 20000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 20000mt
  • Year 1976
    Description 20000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 20000mt
  • Year 1977
    Description 23163 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 23163mt
  • Year 1978
    Description 22537 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 22537mt
  • Year 1979
    Description 18370 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 18370mt
  • Year 1980
    Description 18760 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 18760mt
  • Year 1981
    Description 16866 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 16866mt
  • Year 1993
    Description Unknown 30000 Mt/Yr
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Graphite Graphite 30000mt

Comments on the production information

  • MILL RECOVERY IS 100% THROUGHOUT MINE LIFE.
  • BECAUSE NO BENEFICIATION OCCURS AT THE MILL, ONLY ONE PRODUCT IS CONSIDERED TO BE PRODUCED. PRODUCT PA REPRESENTS THE PRODUCT PRODUCED FROM 1982 THROUGH 2004, WHICH HAS A GRADE OF 77.7% C. PB IS THE PRODUCT PRODUCED FROM 2005 THROUGH 2023, WHICH HAS A GRADE OF 70% C BECAUSE IT ALL COMES FROM THE VETA JECHO OREBODY.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 460M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method OPEN STOPE
    Swell Factor .6
    Percent Recovery 79
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics NO PLANES OF WEAKNESS
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. TIMBER
    Number of Shafts 1
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 51.8
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 58.75
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 270
    Operating Shifts per Day 1
    Year of Information 1983
  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 305M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 2
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method OPEN STOPE
    Swell Factor .6
    Percent Recovery 54
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics NO PLANES OF WEAKNESS
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. TIMBER
    Number of Shafts 1
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 22.2
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 58.75
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 270
    Operating Shifts per Day 1
    Year of Information 1983
  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 305M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 3
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method OPEN STOPE
    Swell Factor .6
    Percent Recovery 54
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics NO PLANES OF WEAKNESS
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. TIMBER
    Number of Shafts 1
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 74
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 58.75
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 270
    Operating Shifts per Day 1
    Year of Information 1983

Comments on other economic factors

  • ALL MINE CAPITAL COSTS SHOWN APPLY TO THE COMBINED LOURDES AND VETA JECHO OREBODIES UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. REC. 090 - THIS ANNUAL COST REPRESENTS REPLACEMENT OF HOISTS WHICH ACTUALLY FALL UNDER MINE PLANT RATHER THAN MINE EQUIPMENT. IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MINE CAP. TOTAL BECAUSE IT IS A REPLACEMENT COST. REC. 127 - COST REPRESENTS A GENERATOR AND DIESEL ENGINE FOR MINE POWER SUPPLY.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    ADAMS, W.T. GRAPHITE. MINERALS FACTS AND PROBLEMS, 1975

  • Deposit

    EDITION. USBM.

  • Deposit

    GRAFFIN, G.D. GRAPHITE. INDUSTRIAL MINERALS AND ROCKS,

  • Deposit

    4TH EDITION, 1975.

  • Deposit

    TAYLOR, H.A. BUMINES MINERALS YEARBOOK, VOL. 1, 1978-80.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit COST DATA FOR THIS PROPERTY WERE GATHERED UNDER BUREAU OF MINES CONTRACT J0225019, "THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENGINEERING AND COST DATA FOR FOREIGN GRAPHITE PROPERTIES"; THE CONTRACT WAS AWARDED TO ZELLARS-WILLIAMS, INC. IN SEPTEMBER 1982. ***** IMPORTANT NOTES ***** LOURDES MINE IS COMPOSED OF 3 OREBODIES: LOURDES, VETA JECHO, AND SAN FRANCISCO. SAN FRANCISCO HAS OPERATED IN THE PAST, AND ITS RESERVES ARE CONSIDERED TO BE INFERRED. THE OTHER TWO OREBODIES ARE CURRENTLY BEING MINED. LOURDES PRODUCES ONLY AMORPHOUS GRAPHITE, NOT CRYSTALLINE FLAKE. THE MILL, WHICH BELONGS TO GRAFIMEX, IS UNDER CONTRACT TO GRAFITOS MEXICANOS, OWNERS OF LOURDES. THE MILL ONLY DRIES, BLENDS, CRUSHES, SIZES, AND BAGS THE GRAPHITE. NO BENEFICIATION OCCURS. ALTHOUGH THE MILL OPERATES AT FULL CAPACITY, ONLY 70% OF ITS FEED IS FROM LOURDES. THE REST IS FROM OTHER SOURCES. THE LOURDES MINE OPERATES AT 83.3% OF CAPACITY AND WAS EVALUATED AT THAT LEVEL BECAUSE THERE ARE NO PLANS TO INCREASE PRODUCTION. SAME AS USGS MRDS PROPERTY ISM0072 - FILE LINK ISMI-GF017.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 19-APR-95 Buckingham, David A. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

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