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  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

El Pao

Producer in Bolivar, Venezuela with commodity Iron
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Nearby scientific data
  7. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  8. Ownership information
  9. Production statistics
  10. Reserves and resources
  11. Workings at the site
  12. Links to other databases
  13. Bibliographic references
  14. General comments
  15. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10183306
MAS/MILS ID 3070130049
Record type Site
Current site name El Pao

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -61.63267, 8.11786 (WGS84)
Elevation 500
Location accuracy 1000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Bolivar(province)

Venezuela(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Venezuela Bolivar

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Iron Primary

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -61.63267, 8.11786
ListMap

Economic information

Comments on the geologic information

  • ALL VENEZUELAN IRON DEPOSITS OCCUR IN THE IGNEOUS AND METAMORPHIC ROCKS OF THE GUYANA SHIELD AND SPECIFICALLY THE IMATACA FORMATION, WHICH CONSISTS OF GNEISSES, SCHISTS, FINE-GRAINED LAKE SUPERIOR TYPE TACONITES (IN FERRUGINOUS QUARTZITES), AND BRAZILIAN ITABIRITE IRON ORE. THE LATTER HAVE FORMED RICH IRON DEPOSITS THROUGH SECONDARY ENRICHMENT PROCESSES. EMPTY SPACES WERE FORMED THROUGH LEACHING OF THE SILICA, AND WERE THEN REFILLED WITH IRON HYDROXIDES. AFTER FORMATION OF THIS TYPE OF ORE, WEATHERING CAUSED THE SURFACE FORMATION OF A VERY STRONG, HARD LAYER, TERMED THE "CRUST", COVERING THE FINES(TACONITE) AND RANGING IN THICKNESS FROM 1 TO 50 M. THE CRUST IS RICH IN HEMATITE AND CONSTITUTES THE PRINCIPAL ORES, WHICH OCCUR IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CANGAS (IRON BRECCIAS), WHICH ARE HIGH IN SILICA AND ALUMINA.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Significant No
Discovery year 1929
Year of first production 1950

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Cvg Ferrominera Orinoco (Government)
    Interest 100
    Home office Venezuela
    Year 1981

Production statistics

  • Year 1981
    Description Sinter, Lump 2500000 Mt/Yr Concentrates
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Conc. Iron Iron 2500000mt

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1981
    Indicated 45000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 45000000mt ore
    Total resources 45000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Iron Fe 64 wt-pct Iron Major 1981
    Iron Fe 64 wt-pct Iron Major 1981

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Percent Waste Rock 47
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 13
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 14400
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 3.31
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 312
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1981

Comments on other economic factors

  • THE FINAL PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION IS AS FOLLOWS: EUROPE 80% AND USA 20%, LUMP ORE, EUROPE 44.5% AND USA 55.5%, SINTER FINES.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE. IRON MINING IN VENEZUELA. JULY, 1981,

  • Deposit

    PP. 18-25.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL. VENEZUELA: A BOOMING SCENE.

  • Deposit

    NOV. 1977, PP. 63-69.

  • Deposit

    ARGALL, G. O., JR. FERROMINERA ORINOCO MAXIMIZES IRON MINES

  • Deposit

    TO MEET NEW ORE DEMANDS. WORLD MINING. MARCH 1977,

  • Deposit

    PP. 51-54.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE. CVG: USING VENEZUELAN NATURAL RESOURCES.

  • Deposit

    JULY 1981, PP. 34-37.

  • Deposit

    MINISTRY OF MINES, CARACAS, VENEZUELA. MONTHLY BULLETIN.

  • Deposit

    V. 9, NO. 5, MAY 1976, PP. 16-24.

  • Deposit

    UNITED NATIONS. SURVEY OF WORLD IRON RESOURCES. 1970.

  • Deposit

    RUCKNICK, J. C. THE IRON ORES OF CERRO BOLIVAR. ECON. GEOL.

  • Deposit

    V. 58, JUNE 25, 1975, PP. 218-236.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE EL PAO DEPOSIT IS BOWL-SHAPED; DIMENSIONS ARE ABOUT 1200 M LONG BY 700 M WIDE, WITH A POSSIBLE THIKNESS OF ABOUT 20 M. IT LIES ON A HILL ABOUT 100 M ABOVE THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN. THE ORE WAS MAINLY SHIPPED AS MINE RUN UNTIL 1975 WHEN A WASHER WAS BUILT AT PALUA (55KM) TO REDUCE SILICA AND ALUMINA AND REMOVE ULTRA-FINES. PALUA HAS NEARBY PORT FACILITIES.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 17-JUL-86 Bolis 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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