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Cuajone

Plant in Moquegua, Peru with commodities Copper, 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. 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 10304311
MRDS ID W002006
MAS/MILS ID 3330330012
Record type Site
Current site name Cuajone
Alternate or previous names Cuajone Mine
Related records 10068760

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -70.49957, -16.4977 (WGS84)
Elevation 3506
Location accuracy 500(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Moquegua(province)

Peru(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Peru Moquegua

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Molybdenum Secondary
Silver Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcocite Unknown
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Chrysocolla Unknown
Covellite Unknown
Malachite Unknown
Molybdenite Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Tenorite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -70.49957, -16.4977
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Length 1200M
    Width 900M
    Area 108HA
    Depth to top 24M
    Field Value
    Type of Orebody #1 DISSEMINATED
    Shape of Orebody #1 OTHER
    Type of Orebody #2 STOCKWORK
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Secondary mode of Origin OXIDATION
    Primary Ore Control IGNEOUS
    Secondary Ore Control FRACTURING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. MODERATE
    Minimum Depth to Top 20
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 108
    Date of Last Modification 830623

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE CUAJONE OREBODY IS CONTAINED IN CALC-ALKALINE INTRUSIVE ROCKS INTRUDED INTO THE JURASSIC-CRETACEOUS-TERTIARY BASE- MENT COMPOSED OF VOLCANIC FLOW ROCKS. THE ROCKS THAT FLANK THE OREBODY ARE, FROM OLDEST TO YOUNGEST: CUAJONE, BASALT, CUAJONE ANDESITE, QUELLAVECO QUARTZ PORPHYRY, AND TOQUEPALA DOLERITE. INTRUSIVE STOCK IN THE OREBODY ARE: A QUARTZ-LATITE PORPHYRITIC BODY, AND ANDESITE ALTERED TO QUARTZ AND SERICITE. THE QUARTZ-LATITE BODY HAS ALSO INTRUDED A MONZONITE STOCK. G-SOB: THE OREBODY IS FUNNEL-SHAPED WITH THE LATERAL LIMITS OF THE ORE BEING INCLINED INWARD AT STEEP ANGLES. STRIKE AND DIP: IN PLAN VIEW THE OREBODY IS OVAL SHAPED WITH THE LONG AXIS ORIENTED IN A NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION. ON THE NE, E, & SW SIDES DIP ANGLE IS 70-75 DEG. THE NW BOUNDARY IS 50 DEG. THE S BOUNDARY IS 45-50 DEG.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1942
Mining method Open Pit
Year of first production 1976
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Flotation
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Cuajone

Mineral rights holdings

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

Land status

Ownership category Unknown

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Southern Peru Copper Corp.
    Home office Peru
    Year 1995
  • Type Owner
    Owner Asarco (American Smelting And Refining Co.)
    Interest 63
    Home office New York
    Year 1995
  • Type Owner
    Owner Marmon Group Inc.
    Interest 20.7
    Home office U S
    Year 1995
  • Type Owner
    Owner Phelps Dodge Overseas Capital Corp.
    Interest 16.3
    Home office Arizona
    Year 1995

Comments on the ownership information

  • OWNERS: ASARCO INC.(52%); PHELPS DODGE CORP.(16%); NEWMONT MINING CORP.(11%); MARMON GROUP(21%)

Production statistics

  • Year 1976
    Description 1.61% Cu 3505000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Copper Copper 3505000mt 2wt-pct
  • Year 1977
    Description 1.41% Cu, 3.20g Ag 13760000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1376000mt 1wt-pct
  • Year 1978
    Description 1.36% Cu, 3.23g Ag 14982000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1979
    Description 1.37% Cu, 3.50g Ag 15503000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 4g/mt
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1980
    Description 1.15% Cu, .015% Mo, 3.36g Ag 15180000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1981
    Description 1.07% Cu, .017% Mo, 3.28g Ag 14394000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1982
    Description 1.02% Cu, .017% Mo, 3.05g Ag 16733000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1983
    Description 1.00% Cu, .019% Mo, 3.00g Ag 14397000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1984
    Description .95% Cu, .020% Mo, 3.02g Ag 17260000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1985
    Description .96% Cu, .020% Mo, 3.32g Ag 17903000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1986
    Description .91% Cu, .021% Mo, 3.00g Ag 17441000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1987
    Description .86% Cu, .020% Mo, 3.0g Ag 18493000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1988
    Description .86% Cu, .016% Mo, 2.8g Ag 15250000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1989
    Description .85% Cu, .019% Mo, 3.0g Ag 18593000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1990
    Description .82% Cu, .022% Mo, 2.6g Ag 15899000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1991
    Description .87% Cu, .017% Mo, 2.9g Ag 19755000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct
  • Year 1992
    Description .86% Cu, .017% Mo, 2.8g Ag 19478000 Mtpy Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Silver Silver 3g/mt
    Minor Ore Molybdenum Molybdenum 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Copper Copper 1wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • PERCENT MINE RECOVERY OF DILUTION OF RESOURCE IS UNKNOWN. THE PROPOSED MILL OUTPUT IS 1200-1600 MTPD COPPER CONC.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1989
    Indicated 230852000mt ore
    Demonstrated 230852000mt ore
    Total resources 230852000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.87 wt-pct Copper Major 1989
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1993
    Indicated 178345000mt ore
    Demonstrated 178345000mt ore
    Total resources 178345000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.87 wt-pct Copper Major 1993
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1993
    Indicated 48887000mt ore
    Demonstrated 48887000mt ore
    Total resources 48887000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.3 wt-pct Copper Major 1993
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1993
    Indicated 64000mt ore
    Demonstrated 64000mt ore
    Total resources 64000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 1.19 wt-pct Copper Major 1993
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Demonstrated 160323000mt ore
    Total resources 160323000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.87 wt-pct Copper Major 1994
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1995
    Demonstrated 339356000mt ore
    Total resources 339356000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum Mo 0.03 wt-pct Molybdenum Minor 1995
    Copper Cu 0.8 wt-pct Copper Major 1995
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1995
    Demonstrated 13707mt ore
    Total resources 13707mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 1.01 wt-pct Copper Major 1995
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1994
    Demonstrated 209210000mt ore
    Total resources 209210000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.75 wt-pct Copper Major 1994

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • ASSAY GRADE FOR THIS COLUMN IS .2 - .45%. PRIMARY SULFIDE RESERVE (.45% CU CUTOFF) AS OF 12/31/92. LOW GRADE SULFIDE (.2-.45% CU) ASSUME AVERAGE .30%.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 108HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method BENCH (BERM)
    Percent Waste Rock 66.6
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 24
    Primary Material Cover HARD ROCKS
    Percentage 100
    Hardness of Ore HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 15
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 53
    Capacity 53611
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 14000
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 360
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1988

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    SOUTHERN PERU COPPER CORP., 1989 ANNUAL REPORT, P. 11.

  • Reserve-Resource

    SOUTHERN PERU COPPER CORP., 1992 ANNUAL REPORT, P. 11.

  • Reserve-Resource

    ASARCO INC., 1993 10-K, P.A14.

  • Reserve-Resource

    SOUTHERN PERU COPPER CORP., 1993 ANNUAL REPORT,

  • Reserve-Resource

    MINING RECORD, V 106/N 14, 4/12/95, P.1.

  • Reserve-Resource

    ASARCO INCORPORATED, 1994 10-K, P.A18,A20,A21.

  • Deposit

    ANDEAN TIMES, MESCELLANEOUS INFORMATION: LIMA, PERU, V. 34,

  • Deposit

    NO. 1763, 1974.

  • Deposit

    ANDEAN/PERUVIAN TIMES, "HOW FINANCING AFFECTED PROGRESS AT

  • Deposit

    CUAJONE", SEPT. 20, 1974, PP. 3-4.

  • Deposit

    ARGALL, G.O., CUAJONE PRODUCING COPPER AT FULL CAPACITY:

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING, V. 30, NO. 1, JAN. 1977, PP. 32-39.

  • Deposit

    E&MJ, "THIS MONTH IN MINING" JAN. 1977, PP. 23-27.

  • Deposit

    E&MJ, "SOUTHERN PERU COPPER MANUFACTURERS PIPE ON SITE FOR

  • Deposit

    CUAJONE DEVELOPMENT", MAY 1974, PP. 88-89.

  • Deposit

    LACY, W., PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT. CUAJONE, PERU: TRANS-

  • Deposit

    ACTIONS OF THE AMER. INSTITUTE OF MINING METALLURGICAL AND

  • Deposit

    PETROLEUM ENGINEERS, V. 221, 1958, 140 PP.

  • Deposit

    METAL BULLETIN MONTHLY. "PERU'S SOUTHERN TRIDENT", FEB.1975,

  • Deposit

    PP. 17-19.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, "CUAJONE" AUG. 1976, PP. 110-115.

  • Deposit

    THE NORTHERN MINER, "AN ENGINEERING TRIUMPH IN THE ANDES",

  • Deposit

    DEC. 23, 1976, P. 24.

  • Deposit

    PURSER, W.C., METAL MINING IN PERU: PRAGER, NY, 1971,339 PP.

  • Deposit

    SISSELMAN, ROBERT, PERU: E & MJ, NOVEMBER 1979, PP. 114-122

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS, D.N., JR., CUAJONE LARGEST NE COPPER OPERATION AT

  • Deposit

    FULL CAPACITY: SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW, MAR. 24, 1979,

  • Deposit

    PP. 14-35.

  • Deposit

    SOCIETE GEOLOGICA DE PERU, RECONOCIMIENTO GEOLOGICOZONA DE

  • Deposit

    TACHA Y MOQUEGA (GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF TACNA AND MOGUELA):

  • Deposit

    2ND GEOLOGICAL CONGRESS, LIMA, V.. 36, 1961, PP. 35-39.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING, "CUAJONE BORROWS $404,000,000 TO COMPLETE

  • Deposit

    170,000 ANNUAL TON COPPER PROJECT", MARCH 1975, PP. 54-55.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING, "PERU", APRIL 1978, P. 41.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, SOUTHERN PERU COPPER

  • Deposit

    CORPORATION, NOVEMBER 1984, PP. 58-61.

  • Deposit

    LATIN AMERICAN MINING LETTER, FEBRUARY 29, 1988, VOL 7, NO.

  • Deposit

    4, P. 5.

  • Deposit

    "SOUTHERN PERU COPPER MAY FACE HIGHER TAXES", AMM, 1/9/86,

  • Deposit

    P. 2.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, MARCH 1988, P. 114.

  • Deposit

    MW, OCTOBER 15, 1990, P. 7.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, JANUARY, 1992, P. 14.

  • Deposit

    W.M.E. FEBRUARY 1988, P. 3.

  • Deposit

    WORDEN, EDWARD, SPCC TO UPGRADE TWO COPPER MINES, AMERICAN

  • Deposit

    METAL MARKET, 12/4/91, P.2.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS', SPCC/PERU AGREE TO $300 MILLION INVESTMENT,

  • Deposit

    12/7/91, P.8.

  • Deposit

    LATIN AMERICAN MINING LETTER, SPCC, PERUVIAN GOVERNMENT

  • Deposit

    RESOLVE INVESTMENT DISPUTE, 12/14/91, P.1,2.

  • Deposit

    SOUTHWESTERN PAY DIRT, SOUTHERN PERU COPPER SETTLES FUSS,

  • Deposit

    GEARS UP FOR EXPANSION, 1/92, P.19A.

  • Deposit

    SOUTHWESTERN PAY DIRT, SOUTHERN PERU COPPER GETS FUNDS FOR

  • Deposit

    2 SX-EW PLANTS, 6/93, P.19B.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, SPCC FINANCING, 5/21/93, P.365.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS', SPCC COMPLETES FIRST PHASE OF AGREEMENT WITH

  • Deposit

    PERU ON SCHEDULE AND BEGINS PROGRAME FOR FINANCING NEW

  • Deposit

    INVESTMENTS, 1/4/92, P. 13.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, 1/22/93, SUPPLEMENT, P.4.

  • Deposit

    LATIN AMERICAN MINING LETTER, SPCC PROJECT FINANCING,

  • Deposit

    MAY 31, 1993, P. 7.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, SX/EW PLANTS FOR SOUTHERN PERU COPPER,

  • Deposit

    JULY, 1993, P. 50.

  • Deposit

    MINING RECORD, SPCC ARRANGES FINANCING FOR INVESTMENT

  • Deposit

    PROGRAM IN PERU, 3/2/94, P.15.

  • Deposit

    AMERICAN METAL MARKET, PERUVIANS GET FUNDS FOR COPPER,

  • Deposit

    3/25/94, P.5.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS', FINANCE COMMITMENT ARRANGED FOR SPCC INVESTMENT

  • Deposit

    PROGRAM, 3/26/94, P.11.

  • Deposit

    METALS WEEK, SPCC GETS $50-MILLION LOAN, 3/28/94, P.6.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, MITSUI LOAN FOR SOUTHERN PERU COPPER,

  • Deposit

    5/94, P.322.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, 10/94, P.230.

  • Deposit

    DILLARD, GARY, LAST OF BIG 4 COPPER FIRMS INVESTS DOWN

  • Deposit

    SOUTH, SOUTHWESTERN PAY DIRT, 11/94, P.4A-11A.

  • Deposit

    SOUTHERN PERU COPPER CORP., MEMORIA '93, P.26-29.

  • Deposit

    SOUTHERN PERU COPPER CORP., MEMORIA '94, P.23-27.

  • Deposit

    PHELPS DODGE CORP., 1994 10-K, P.9,13,14.

  • Deposit

    PHELPS DODGE CORP., 1994 ANNUAL REPORT, P.18.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit SPCC HOLDS CONCESSIONS FOR 19 MINERAL CLAIMS, TOTALING 4470 HECTARES, THAT COVER THE CUAJONE OREBODY AND THE SURROUND- ING AREA. FOUR OTHER CLAIMS, TOTALING 3031 HECTARES, ARE LOCATED TO THE WEST OF THE OREBODY. SPCC GETS THE FINANCING TO ADD A SOLVENT EXTRACTION- ELECTROWINNING PLANT AT CUAJONE, MAY, 1993.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 10-MAR-97 Porter, Kenneth E. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

Operator history (post-MRDS)

MRDS records operators as of each record's last update (≤ 2019). Some of the operators listed here have since changed hands or dissolved:

  • Asarco (American Smelting And Refining Co.) — acquired by Asarco LLC, subsidiary of Grupo México (2009)
    American Smelting and Refining Co. Filed Chapter 11 in 2005; acquired out of bankruptcy by Grupo México in 2009.

Curated by qvyshift.com from publicly-reported M&A activity (SEC filings, press releases, USGS Mineral Yearbooks). Not authoritative — verify against primary sources before relying on it. The MSHA panel above is the current authoritative source for actively-permitted mines.

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