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Unificada of Potosi

Plant in Oruro, Bolivia with commodities Silver, Tin, Zinc
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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. Ownership information
  11. Production statistics
  12. Workings at the site
  13. Links to other databases
  14. Bibliographic references
  15. General comments
  16. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10279604
MAS/MILS ID 3350250036
Record type Site
Current site name Unificada of Potosi
Alternate or previous names Potosi

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -65.73274, -19.5976 (WGS84)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Oruro(province)

Bolivia(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Bolivia Oruro

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Secondary
Tin Critical Primary
Zinc Critical Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Cassiterite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -65.73274, -19.5976
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 1150M
    Length 1700M
    Width 650M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 STOCKWORK
    Shape of Orebody #1 OTHER
    Type of Orebody #2 DISSEMINATED
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control FOLDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. MODERATE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 SERICITIC
    Date of Last Modification 860829

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1545
Mining method Open Stope - Overhand
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Gravity
Milling method Gravity

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Corporacion Minera De Bolivia (Comibol)
    Interest 100
    Year 1983
  • Type Operator
    Owner Empresa Minera Unificada Del Cerro De Potosi
    Year 1983

Production statistics

  • Year 1981
    Period 1968 Thru 1981
    Description 328700 Mt Ore/Yr 1968 Thru 1981 Mt Ore
  • Year 1992
    Period 1982 Thru 1992
    Description 330000 Mt Ore/Yr 1982 Thru 1992 Mt Ore
  • Year 1993
    Description 259800 Mt Ore/Yr 1993 Mt Ore

Comments on the production information

  • A $100.00 SMELTING COST, A $805.00 REFINING COST AND A $20.58 MILLING COST PER TONNE ARE INCURRED IN THE PRODUCTION OF PRODUCTS A, B AND C. THERE ARE NO OTHER METALS OF ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL VALUE IN THE POTOSI ORE.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • NON COMPETIVE PRODUCER CONSEQUENTLY MINE IS CLOSED DUE TO HIGH PRODUCTION COSTS. MINE SWITCHED TO SILVER PRODUCTION WITH BYPRODUCT ZINC & TIN, 1987. THIS WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE 1989 TIN ADIT UPDATE.
  • 947,900 MT 1-1989 RESOURCES BASED ON ETD UPDATE.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method OVERHAND 10-38
    Percent Waste Rock 13
    Percent Recovery 95
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK FISSURED WITH MODERATE WATER
    Rock Characteristics UNKNOWN
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING WHEN DRY
    Mine Support Chars. TIMBER
    Number of Shafts 3
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 970
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 42.16
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 340
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1983

Comments on other economic factors

  • THE MINE IS WORKED IN THREE SECTIONS; THE CARACOLES, KELLER AND CENTRAL SECTIONS.
  • THERE ARE TWO ORE PROCESSING PLANTS; A PRECONCENTRATION PLANT AND A GRAVITY CONCENTRATION PLANT. THE PRECONCENTRATION PLANT AT PAILAVIRI IS 500 M FROM THE MINE SITE AND THE GRAVITY CONCENTRATION PLANT AT VELARDE IS 2500 M FROM THE MINE SITE.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    TAYLOR, R.G., GEOLOGY OF TIN DEPOSITS, ELSEVIER SCIENTIFIC

  • Deposit

    PUBLISHING COMPANY, AMSTERDAM, 1979.

  • Deposit

    SILLITOE, R.H., HALLS, C., AND GRANT, J.N., PORPHYRY TIN

  • Deposit

    DEPOSITS IN BOLIVIA, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, VOL. 70, 1975,

  • Deposit

    PP 913-927.

  • Deposit

    COMPANY AND PRIVATE BOLIVIAN SOURCES.

  • Deposit

    E&MJ, MARCH 1988, P52.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MILS LAT/LONG ARE FOR THE TOWN OF POTOSI. OPERATIONS WERE SWITCHED TO PRODUCTION OF SILVER, 1986. CONCENTRATOR REBULIT TO TREAT 300 MTPD OF 350-400 G/MT AG. WITH 7 TO 14% ZN FOR A ARGENTIFEROUS ZINC CONS. GRAVITY SECTION ALSO REBUILT FOR TIN RECOVERY RESERVES: PROVEN, 1987, 127,000 @ 465 G/MT WITH 4.17% ZN & 0.99% SN. PROBABLE AND INFERRED RESERVES MUCH LARGER. OLD DUMPS AND TAILS MAY ALSO BE RETREATED; + 4 MILLION MT @ 120-150 G/MT AG & 1 G/MT AU. OXIDE DAM AMENABLE TO LEACH THE ABOVE COMMENTS WERE NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT FOR THE 1989 ADIT UPDATE.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 10-OCT-1996 Sabin, A. E. 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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