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Santo Tomas

Prospect in Sinaloa, Mexico with commodities Copper, Gold, Molybdenum, Silver
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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. Reserves and resources
  15. Workings at the site
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10303078
MAS/MILS ID 2010470004
Record type Site
Current site name Santo Tomas

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -108.48389, 26.7336 (WGS84)
Elevation 1200
Location accuracy 100(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Pima(county)

Arizona(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Mexico Sinaloa

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Gold Secondary
Molybdenum Secondary
Silver Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Copper Unknown
Silver Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -108.48389, 26.7336
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N00W
    Dip 17W
    Thickness 100M
    Length 1600M
    Width 550M
    Depth to top 76M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 DISSEMINATED
    Shape of Orebody #1 LENTICULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 STOCKWORK
    Shape of Orebody #2 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin METAMORPHISM
    Secondary mode of Origin OTHER
    Primary Ore Control CONTACT ZONE
    Secondary Ore Control IGNEOUS
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. MODERATE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 SERICITIC
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #2 INTERM ARGILLIC
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #3 POTASSIC
    Strike And Dip N00W:17W
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Date of Last Modification 810730
  • Area 250HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 250
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Prospect
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1968
Mining method Open Pit
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Santo Tomas

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights State Lease

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Exall Resources Ltd.
    Interest 100
    Home office Canada
    Year 1995

Comments on the ownership information

  • CONTRATISTA TORMEX IS OWNED, 49% BY LACANA MINING LTD, TORONTO, CANADA, AND 51% BY PRIVATE MEXICAN CAPITAL.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1977
    Demonstrated 105000000mt ore
    Inferred 300000000mt ore
    Total resources 405000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.52 wt-pct Copper Major 1977
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1992
    Total resources 195000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.5 wt-pct Copper Major 1992
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1993
    Demonstrated 480000000mt ore
    Total resources 480000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.4 wt-pct Copper Major 1993
    Gold Au 0.05 g/mt Gold Minor 1993
    Molybdenum Mo 0.0031 wt-pct Molybdenum Minor 1993
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Demonstrated 560000000mt ore
    Total resources 560000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.37 wt-pct Copper Major 1994
    Gold Au 0.06 g/mt Gold Minor 1994
    Silver Ag 1.24 g/mt Silver Minor 1994
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Total resources 1000000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.33 wt-pct Copper Major 1994
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Demonstrated 428805000mt ore
    Total resources 428805000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.368 wt-pct Copper Major 1994
    Gold Au 0.057 g/mt Gold Minor 1994
    Silver Ag 1.87 g/mt Silver Minor 1994
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Demonstrated 247601000mt ore
    Total resources 247601000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.439 wt-pct Copper Major 1994
    Gold Au 0.072 g/mt Gold Minor 1994
    Silver Ag 2.267 g/mt Silver Minor 1994
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Demonstrated 560000000mt ore
    Total resources 560000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.37 wt-pct Copper Major 1994
    Gold Au 0.06 g/mt Gold Minor 1994
    Silver Ag 1.24 g/mt Silver Minor 1994

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • PRE FEASIBILITY STUDY RECOMENDS PROJECT SHOULD PROCEED TO FINAL FEASIBILITY. BATEMAN ENGINEERING, INC., MINTEC, INC. AND MOUNTAIN STATES R & D INTERNATIONAL, INC. COMPLETED MINE DESIGN, PROCESS FLOWSHEET, ORE RESERVES, MINE PLAN AND METALLURGY, FOR THE NORTH PIT.
  • 300,000,000 MT OF POSSIBLE ORE (50%) CATEGORY WAS ELEVATED TO THE PROBABLE ORE (75%) CATEGORY IN ORDER TO JUSTIFY A 50,000 MTPD (ORE CAPACITY. THIS ORE WAS FROM THE SOUTH ORE BODY. 77,300,000 MT OF PROVEN ORE (90%) CATEGORY AND 12,300,000 MT OF PROBABLE ORE (75%) CATEGORY FROM THE NORTH ORE BODY MAKE UP THE REMAIN- DER OF THE 390,600,000 MT OF ORE, IN THIS DEPOSIT. ELIMINATE THE MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH WATER MANAGEMENT IT WAS ASSUMED THAT A 100 METER BARRIER WOULD BE LEFT BETWEEN THE WATER AND PIT. THIS WOULD NECESSITATE THE SACRIFICE OF APPROXIMATELY 14.4 MILLION TONNES ORE FROM THE NORTH OREBODY. THIS WOULD REDUCE THE RESERVES FROM 105 MILLION TONNES, 85 MILLION TONNES PROVEN, AND 20 MILLION TONNES PROBABLE, TO 90.6 MILLION TONNES,(77.3 MILLION TONNES PROVEN, AND 72.3 MILLION TONNES PROBABLE). THE 300 MILLION TONNES ORE OF THE SOUTH OREBODY IS NOT TO 90.6MMT, (77.3MMT PROVER, 12.3MMT PROBABLE). RESERVES FOR THE MINE WOULD BE REDUCED TO ELIMINATE THE MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH WATER MANAGEMMENT IT WAS ASSUMED THAT A 100M BARRIER

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 250HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Percent Waste Rock 66
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 100
    Primary Material Cover M-HARD ROCKS
    Percentage 100
    Hardness of Ore M-HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 15
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 50000
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 6283
    Unit Production Cost 3.28
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 350
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1980

Comments on the workings information

  • THE SENSITIVITY OF WATER, BOTH SHORT AND LONG TERM, WAS CONSIDERED EXTREME, BECAUSE OF THE POSITION OF THE PROPOSED OPEN PIT OF THE SANTO TOMAS MINE. IF THE PIT IS EXTENDED TO ITS FULL DIMENSIONS IT WOULD CUT INTO THE COURSE OF THE RIO FUERTE AND A PORTION OF THE RESERVIOR BY THE RIO FUERTE INLET. THIS WOULD CAUSE MAJOR WATER MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS BOTH FOR THE MINE AND SURROUNDING ARCA, WHICH RELIES ON THE WATER FOR IRRIGATION. THE RIVER AND LAKES ARE ALSO IMPORTANT AS THE SENSITIVITY OF WATER, BOTH SHORT AND LONG TERM

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    CANADIAN MINES HANDBOOK 1977-78, P 176.

  • Reserve-Resource

    GOLDER ASSOC., DEPOSIT PROFILE REPORT (MARCH 1980).

  • Reserve-Resource

    MINING JOURNAL, OCT. 9, 1992, P.250.

  • Reserve-Resource

    NORTHERN MINER, OCT. 12, 1992, P.14.

  • Reserve-Resource

    LATIN AMERICAN MINING LETTER, 9/30/93, P. 3.

  • Reserve-Resource

    NORTHERN MINER, 10/25/93, P. B1, B11.

  • Reserve-Resource

    NORTHERN MINER, 5/30/94, P. 10.

  • Reserve-Resource

    LATIN AMERICA MINING RECORD, AUG,/SEPT., 1994, P.12.

  • Deposit

    RIO TINTO ZINC COST ANALYSIS SYSTEM, PERFORMA ANALYSIS, JUNE

  • Deposit

    10, 1975, 105 P.

  • Deposit

    DEPOSIT PROFILE REPOST; SANTO TOMAS, MEXICO;

  • Deposit

    GOLDER ASSOCIATES, MARCH 1980: UNDER

  • Deposit

    CONTRACT WITH USBM.

  • Deposit

    ARGALL,G.O.,JR.; WORLD'S LARGEST OPER PIT

  • Deposit

    COPPER MINE; WORLD MINING; VOL.30,#12

  • Deposit

    NOVEMBER,1977,PP42-46.

  • Deposit

    THE TIMES ATLAS OF THE WORLD, COMPREHENSIVE

  • Deposit

    EDITION,NEW YORK TIMES BOOK COMPANY,1975.

  • Deposit

    1:1,000,000 MAP OF MEXICO,USA; ONC H-23

  • Deposit

    1:250,000 MAP OF WEST CENTRAL MEXICO; NG12-6

  • Deposit

    DAM SERIES 1501

  • Deposit

    BROOK HUNT AND ASSOCIATES LTD; QUARTERLY

  • Deposit

    SERVICE ISUE 1, COPPER

  • Deposit

    LOGAN, BILL. 'OUT BACK' 'ON TO EL FUERTE'

  • Deposit

    PP82, TUESDAY MAY 13 1980: 'THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS'

  • Deposit

    NORTHERN MINER, 11/2/92, P. 3.

  • Deposit

    LATIN AMERICAN MINING LETTER, 6/30/94, P.5-6.

  • Deposit

    LATIN AMERICAN MINING LETTER, 7/29/94, P.2-3.

  • Deposit

    METALS WEEK, 8/8/94, P.3.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 8/12/94, P.113.

  • Deposit

    LATIN AMERICAN MINING LETTER, 8/15/94, P.7.

  • Deposit

    LATIN AMERICAN MINING LETTER, 8/31/94, P.7.

  • Deposit

    LATIN AMERICAN MINING LETTER, V 14/N 5, 4/10/95, P.6.

  • Deposit

    LATIN AMERICAN MINING LETTER, V 14/N 6, 4/24/95, P.6,7.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 25-SEP-1996 Porter, Kenneth 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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