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

La Zarza-Calanas

Plant in Spain with commodities Copper, Iron, Lead, Sulfur, Zinc
Map
XML
JSON
KML
B
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. Reserves and resources
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10230888
MAS/MILS ID 4690410002
Record type Site
Current site name La Zarza-Calanas
Alternate or previous names La Zarza Mine, Silos De Calanas, Huelva

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -6.89821, 37.69933 (WGS84)
Elevation 228
Location accuracy 5000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Spain(country)

Europe(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
Spain

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Tertiary
Iron Secondary
Lead Tertiary
Sulfur Primary
Zinc Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Pyrite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -6.89821, 37.69933
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 300M
    Length 2900M
    Width 250M
    Depth to top 150M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 DISSEMINATED
    Shape of Orebody #1 LENTICULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 MASS SULFIDE
    Shape of Orebody #2 MASSIVE
    Type of Orebody #3 STRATABOUND
    Shape of Orebody #3 IRREGULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Secondary mode of Origin OTHER
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Secondary Ore Control IGNEOUS
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. UNKNOWN
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Date of Last Modification 910329

Comments on the geologic information

  • COMPLEX GEOLOGY. FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE GEOLOGY, LITHOLOGY AND MINERALOGY, SEE THE "R" BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES.
  • COMPLEX MINERALOGY. FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE GEOLOGY, LITH OLOGY, AND MINERALOGY, SEE THE "R" BIBLOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Both
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1866
Mining method Combined Methods
Year of first production 1866
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Crush
Milling method Sizing

Mining district

District name Iberian Pyrite

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Compania Espanola De Minas De Tharsis S. A.
    Interest 100
    Home office Spain
    Year 1983
  • Type Owner
    Owner S. A. Cros
    Interest 18
    Home office Spain
    Year 1983
  • Type Owner
    Owner Banco De Bilbao
    Interest 13
    Home office Spain
    Year 1983
  • Type Owner
    Owner Banco De Santander
    Interest 12
    Home office Spain
    Year 1983
  • Type Owner
    Owner Minor Spanish Interests
    Interest 9
    Home office Spain
    Year 1983
  • Type Owner
    Owner Ste. Anonyme Produits Et Engrais Chimiques (Sapec)
    Interest 23
    Home office Belgium
    Year 1983
  • Type Owner
    Owner Tharsis Sulphur And Copper Co. Ltd.
    Home office United Kingdom
    Year 1983

Comments on the ownership information

  • PERCENT OWNERSHIP BY THARSIS SULPHUR AND COPPER CO. LTD., (RECORD 7) IS NOT KNOWN. MINING AND INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES WERE TRANSFERRED TO, COMPANIA (CIA) ESPANOLA DE MINAS THARSIS, (RECORD 1) IN 1976. 52% OF THIS COMPANY MUST BE OWNED BY SPANISH INTERESTS, (RECORDS 2 TO 5). A BELGIUM COMPANY, SAPEC, OWNES 22.5%. THE REMAINDER IS HELD BY A UNITED KINGDOM CONCERN CALLED, TRENNANTS RUTHERFORD.

Production statistics

  • Year 1967
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 452487 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 452487mt
  • Year 1968
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 543726 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 543726mt
  • Year 1969
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 565457 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Pyrite Pyrite 565457mt
  • Year 1970
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 580221 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 580221mt
  • Year 1971
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 552000 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 552000mt
  • Year 1972
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 488000 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 488000mt
  • Year 1973
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 405000 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 405000mt
  • Year 1974
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 414000 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 414000mt
  • Year 1975
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 374000 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 374000mt
  • Year 1976
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 391000 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 391000mt
  • Year 1977
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 405000 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 405000mt
  • Year 1978
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 388000 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 388000mt
  • Year 1979
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 392000 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 392000mt
  • Year 1980
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 360000 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 360000mt
  • Year 1981
    Description Total Pyrite Ore Mined 394000 Metric Tons For The Year
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 394000mt
  • Year 1985
    Description Published Production Capacity 400000 Mtpy

Comments on the production information

  • DATA IS FOR A FINAL PYRITE CONCENTRATE FROM THE CORRALES MILL, NEAR HUELVA, SPAIN. THE CONCENTRATE IS SHIPPED TO SULFURIC ACID PLANTS.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1985
    Measured 41000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 41000000mt ore
    Total resources 41000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Sulfur S 47 wt-pct Sulfur Major 1985
    Iron Fe 42 wt-pct Iron Minor 1985
    Copper Cu 0.7 wt-pct Copper Trace 1985
    Lead Pb 1 wt-pct Lead Trace 1985
    Zinc Zn 1.3 wt-pct Zinc Trace 1985
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1985
    Measured 4000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 4000000mt ore
    Total resources 4000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Sulfur S 30 wt-pct Sulfur Major 1985
    Copper Cu 1.4 wt-pct Copper Trace 1985
    Lead Pb 0.6 wt-pct Lead Trace 1985
    Zinc Zn 1.4 wt-pct Zinc Trace 1985

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • THE LA ZARZA-CALANAS OREBODY IS MADE UP OF THREE TYPES OF ORE: RECORD 1; MASSIVE PYRITE; 82 TO 90% OF THE OREBODY: RECORD 2; COMPLEX PYRITE ORE, THE WEATHERED TOP OF THE OREBODY, UP TO 10% OF THE OREBODY, 5,000,000 MT, ORE GRADE DATA WAS UNAVAILABLE. RECORD 3; SILICEOUS CUPRIFEROUS ORE, 4 TO 8% OF THE OREBODY. SEE THE "R" BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES FOR MORE DETAILS.
  • THESE ARE THE ESTIMATED INSITU RESOURCES AS OF JAN. 1983. THEY WERE USED IN THE UPDATED PROPERTY EVALUATION OF 1986, (THE 1986 ETD). WITH MINE RECOVERY OF 66% AND DILUTION OF 1.1%, THE RECOVERABLE ORE TONNAGE IS 35,636,000 MT. SEE THE DEPOSIT REPORT AND BACK-UP, AND THE ETD NOTES FOR THE PROPERTY EVALUATION.
  • THE COPPER, LEAD, AND ZINC BYPRODUCTS COULD BE RECOVERED IF A FLOTATION CIRCIT IS ADDED TO THE PRESENT MILL. THE BYPRODUCT GRADES ARE BASED ON A 4MMT CUPEROUS ORE BODY, NO DATA WAS AVAILABLE FOR THESE BYPRODUCTS ON THE TOTAL ORE BODY. IRON CINTER IS A BYPRODUCT OF THE ROASTING OF THE PYRITE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF H2SO4: IS NOW CONSIDERED A PRODUCER BY COUNTRY SPECIALIST 01-19-88: SEE DATA BASE FOR OWNERSHIP DETAIL.
  • GRADES ARE FOR THE "RUN OF MINE ORE", THEY WERE ACCEPTED AS THE INSITU ORE GRADE FOR THE PROPERTY EVALUATION. ORE DILUTION AND RECOVERY FACTORS HAVE NOT BEEN APPLIED.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 297M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method COMBINED METHODS
    Percent Recovery 66
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK FISSURED WITH MODERATE WATER
    Rock Characteristics UNKNOWN
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. OTHER
    Number of Shafts 1
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    2nd Condition of Workings OPEN
    3rd Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 1879
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 235
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1983

Comments on other economic factors

  • THE COMBINED UNDERGROUND METHODS ARE; A CUT AND FILL (WASTE ROCK) STOPING METHOD WITH A ROOM AND PILLAR SYSTEM, PILLARS WERE RECOVERED BY SUB-LEVEL CAVING. THEIR IS NO ROOF SUPPORT, AND WATER IS PUMPED OUT OF THE MINE AT 10,000CM PER MONTH. THE MAIN SHAFT IS 297M DEEP. TWO VENTILATION SHAFTS, ARE 200M DEEP AND 3M DIA.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Geology

    SEE THE "R" REFERENCES.

  • Reserve-Resource

    G. K. STRAUSS, J. MADEL AND F. FERNANDEZ ALOSNO; EXPLORATION

  • Reserve-Resource

    PRACTICE FOR STRATE-BOUND VOLCANOGENIC SULPHIDE DEPOSITS IN

  • Reserve-Resource

    THE SPANISH-PORTUGUESE PYRITE BELT: GEOLOGY, GEOPHYSICS,

  • Reserve-Resource

    AND GEOCHEMISTRY; SPRING ER VERLAG, BERLIN HEIDELBERG, NEW

  • Reserve-Resource

    YORK, 1977.

  • Reserve-Resource

    G. K. STRAUSS, K. G. GRAY; THE INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK FOR

  • Reserve-Resource

    SPANISH PYRITES; FIFTY IMI CONGRESS MADRID, SPAIN, APRIL

  • Reserve-Resource

    1982.

  • Reserve-Resource

    G. K. STRAUSS, G. ROGER, M. LECOLLE, AND E. LOPERA;

  • Reserve-Resource

    GEOCHEMICAL AND GEOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE VOLCANO-SEDIMENTARY

  • Reserve-Resource

    SULFIDE OREBODY OF LA ZARZA, HUELVA PROVINCE, SPAIN.

  • Reserve-Resource

    "COPPER FROM SPAIN'S PYRITE BELT", METAL BULLETIN MONTHLY,

  • Reserve-Resource

    JUNE 1982.

  • Reserve-Resource

    BRITISH SULPHUR CORP. LTD., "WORLD SURVEY OF SULPHUR

  • Reserve-Resource

    RESOURCES", SECOND EDITION, 1974.

  • Reserve-Resource

    RESOURCES", THIRD EDITION, 1985.

  • Deposit

    STATISTICS BULLETIN, PUBLISHED BY THE SPANISH NATIONAL

  • Deposit

    INSTITUTE OF STATISTICS, MINISTRY OF ECONOMY AND COMMERCE,

  • Deposit

    NO. 437 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1982.

  • Deposit

    ESTADISTICA MINERA DE ESPANA; PUBLISHED BY THE MINISTRY

  • Deposit

    OF INDUSTRY AND ENERGY FOR THE YEAR 1981.

  • Deposit

    PROGRAM NACIONAL DE EXPLOTACION MINERA, PUBLISHED BY THE

  • Deposit

    MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY (DIRECTION GENERAL DE MINAS), 1970.

  • Deposit

    CAMARA OFICIAL MINERA DE HUELVA; PYRITE PRODUCERS YEARLY

  • Deposit

    REPORTS 1967-1982.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit LA ZARZA-CALANAS, SPAIN, DEPOSIT PROFILE REPORT, PREPARED FOR THE U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, MINERALS AVAILABILITY FIELD OFFICE, BY JACOBS ENGINEERING GROUP, INC., DATED JULY, 1983.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 24-SEP-96 Buckingham, David A. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

Maps centered on this site