Chorolque

Plant in Potosi, Bolivia with commodities Bismuth, Silver, Tin, Tungsten
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 10182154
MAS/MILS ID 3350350021
Record type Site
Current site name Chorolque

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -66.07945, -20.90647 (WGS84)
Elevation 4800
Location accuracy 5000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Potosi(province)

Bolivia(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Bolivia Potosi

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Bismuth Critical Tertiary
Silver Tertiary
Tin Critical Tertiary
Tungsten Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Cassiterite Unknown
Gold Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Wolframite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -66.07945, -20.90647

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N80E
    Dip 00S
    Thickness 2M
    Width 800M
    Area 15HA
    Depth to top 0M
    Field Value
    Type of Orebody #1 FISSURE VEIN
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 SHEAR ZONE
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Secondary mode of Origin OXIDATION
    Primary Ore Control FAULTING
    Secondary Ore Control IGNEOUS
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. INTENSE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 CARBONATE SILIC
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #2 PYRITIZATION
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #3 PROPYLITIC
    Strike And Dip N80E:00S
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 15
    Date of Last Modification 780213

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1870
Mining method Open Stope - Overhand
Year of first production 1870
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Gravity
Milling method Gravity

Mining district

District name Chorolque

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights State Lease
Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category State

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Corp. Minera De Bolivia
    Interest 100
    Home office Bolivia
    Year 1954
  • Type Operator
    Owner Empressa Minera Quesila
    Home office Bolivia
    Year 1976

Production statistics

  • Year 1968
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 157450 Mt Ore
  • Year 1969
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 133570 Mt Ore
  • Year 1970
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 122550 Mt Ore
  • Year 1971
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 134645 Mt Ore
  • Year 1972
    Description Nt Ore/Yr 141180 Mt Ore
  • Year 1973
    Description Nt Ore/Yr 136580 Mt Ore
  • Year 1974
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 150370 Mt Ore
  • Year 1975
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 175040 Mt Ore
  • Year 1976
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 180620 Mt Ore
  • Year 1977
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 221060 Mt Ore
  • Year 1978
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 229820 Mt Ore
  • Year 1979
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 183860 Mt Ore
  • Year 1980
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 216360 Mt Ore
  • Year 1981
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 224200 Mt Ore
  • Year 1984
    Period 1982 Thru 1984
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 1982 Thru 1984 224000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1985
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 128000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1986
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 71800 Mt Ore
  • Year 1987
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 1900 Mt Ore
  • Year 1988
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 23400 Mt Ore
  • Year 1989
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 43500 Mt Ore

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • 1-89 RESOURCE 864,700 MT.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method HORIZ CUT & FILL W/WASTE ROCK 10-60
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK FISSURED WITH MODERATE WATER
    Rock Characteristics MULTIPLE SYSTEMS OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING WHEN DRY
    Mine Support Chars. CHEMICAL COATING
    1st Condition of Workings UNKNOWN
    Capacity 300
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 10.76
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 332
    Operating Shifts per Day 1
    Year of Information 1989

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    AHLFIELD,F.A.DR.,LOS YAC. MINERALES Y HIPROCARB. DE BOLIVIA,

  • Deposit

    BULL.#5,1964,PP211-212.

  • Deposit

    LIST OF SN MINES IN BOLIVIA;ENG.&MINING JOURNAL INTERNAT. DI

  • Deposit

    1973-1974.

  • Deposit

    PROCEEDINGS OF INST.OF MINING ANDMETALLURGY,CHOROLQUE TIN MI

  • Deposit

    ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS,ROBERTS,M.,1901PP373-376;1903,PP404-405.

  • Deposit

    AHLFELD, F., 1954, LOS YACIMIENTOS MINERALES DE BOLIVIA: BAN

  • Deposit

    MINERO DE BOLIVIA, LA PAZ, PG. 71-73, PRINTED IN BILBAO, S

  • Deposit

    IMPRENTA INDUSTRIAL S. A., IN SPANISH.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit 75-REC-080-OTHER TYPE WALL ROCK ALTERATION IS JOURNALIZATION 75-REC-080-DIMENSIONS AND ORIENTATIONS ARE AVGS OF VEINS SHO GEOL MAP IN AHLFIELD REFERENCE. 75-REC-102,103,104-NO GRADE AMOUNTS FOUND FOR W,AG,AND BI;IN BE ADDED TO COMPLETE MATRIX. 75-REC-120-"ORE APPEARS DRY WHEN TAKEN OUT OF MINE BUT BECOM WET MASS DUE TO ICE MELTING ON EXPOSURE TO SUN"-FROM M. ROBE 75-REC-160-OTHER METHODS OF TRANS.-MINED ORE BROUGHT 2000 M CHOROLQUE MTN TO SANTA BARBARA CONCENTRATOR BY WIRE ROPEWAY 75-REC-160-OTHER METH.OF TRANS.-FROM CONC. TO QUECHISLA BY 2 MULE TRAIL 75-REC-160-ASSUME FINAL DESTINATION IS THE VINTO SMELTER CHOROLQUE DISTRICT MINES MANY VEINS: REFORMA VEIN TO W. FOR ORE OF ZNS, PBS, BOURNONITE, FREIBERGITE; VIRGIN DE CHOROMA AMERICA VEINS FOR W AND SN TO E. OF DIST.; ESPIRITU SANTO AR BI VEINS; AND MAJOR SN VEINS IN CENTER OF DIST. AS OF 1954 N WAS BEING PRODUCED, PLACER SN, BI, AU DEPOSITS EXTEND FROM C TO COTANI WORKED PRIOR TO 1927 PRODUCING 3000 T OF 60 PCT SN DATA FROM AHLFELD.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 17-APR-95 Ljb U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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