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  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

El Indio/Tambo

Plant in Coquimbo, Chile with commodities Copper, Gold, 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. Ownership information
  11. Reserves and resources
  12. Workings at the site
  13. Links to other databases
  14. Bibliographic references
  15. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10305099
MAS/MILS ID 3370210031
Record type Site
Current site name El Indio/Tambo
Alternate or previous names El Indio

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -69.98281, -29.76576 (WGS84)
Elevation 4200
Location accuracy 1000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Coquimbo(province)

Chile(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Chile Coquimbo

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Gold Primary
Silver Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Enargite Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Tennantite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -69.98281, -29.76576
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N25E
    Dip 60E
    Thickness 20M
    Length 400M
    Width 100M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 FISSURE VEIN
    Shape of Orebody #1 IRREGULAR
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control FAULTING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. UNKNOWN
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Strike And Dip N25E:60E
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Date of Last Modification 861210
  • Area 1500HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 1500
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface-Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1978
Mining method Combined Methods
Year of first production 1981
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Hydromet
Milling method Hydrometallurgy Unspecified

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Cia. Minera El Indio
    Home office Chile
    Year 1996
  • Type Owner
    Owner Barrick Gold Corp. (American Barrick Resources Corp.)
    Interest 83
    Home office Chile
    Year 1996
  • Type Owner
    Owner Private Chilean Investors
    Interest 17
    Home office Chile
    Year 1992

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1993
    Indicated 18960000mt ore
    Demonstrated 18960000mt ore
    Total resources 18960000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 3.91 g/mt Gold Major 1993

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • THE RESOURCE IS MADE UP OF TWO TYPES OF ORE. THE FIRST IS DIRECT SHIPPING ORE WHICH, BECAUSE OF ITS HIGH GRADE, IS CRUSHED AND SENT DIRECTLY TO A REFINERY. THIS IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE SULFIDE ORE. THE SECOND TYPE OF ORE IS A SULFIDE/ SILICATE ORE WHICH GOES TO THE MILL.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Percent Waste Rock 83
    Capacity 600
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 37.77
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 250
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1982
  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 17000M
    Overall depth 250M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method HORIZ CUT & FILL W/WASTE ROCK 10-60
    Percent Recovery 100
    Hardness of Rock UNKNOWN
    Rock Characteristics UNKNOWN
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING
    Mine Support Chars. UNKNOWN
    Number of Shafts 2
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 620
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 94.53
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 300
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1982

Comments on the workings information

  • TWO MAIN CIRCUITS ARE IN THE EL INDIO MILL: A COPPER FLOTATION CIRCUIT, AND A GOLD CYANIDATION/SMELTING CIRCUIT.

Comments on other economic factors

  • IN 1984, THE OPEN PIT RESOURCE WILL BE DEPLETED. THEREFORE, FROM 1985 UNTIL 1997, ALL MILL FEED WILL COME FROM UNDERGROUND OPERATIONS.
  • THE COPPER CONCENTRATE IS SENT TO AN UNDISCLOSED REFINERY IN THE U.S., FOR CONCENTRATION, FROM COQUIMBO. THE DORE BULLION IS REFINED OUTSIDE OF NEWARK, N.J.
  • ALL MINE CAPITAL COSTS WERE ALLOCATED TO THE UNDERGROUND MINE. ALL EXPLORATION, DEVELOPMENT, AND INFRASTRUCTURE EXPENDITURES WERE ALLOCATED TO THE MINE CAP. TOTAL. THE MINE OPERATING COSTS ARE A WEIGHTED FIGURE, REPRESENTING THE PERCENT OF TOTAL ORE SENT TO THE MILL. THE UNWEIGHTED OPERATING COSTS ARE $37.77/MT, FOR SURFACE, AND $94.53/MT, FOR THE UNDERGROUND.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    AME MINERAL ECONOMICS QUARTERLY MINE ANALYSIS, JUNE 1993,

  • Reserve-Resource

    P. 30.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE. MARCH 1982, PP. 191, 193.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL. FEBRUARY 5, 1982, P. 97.

  • Deposit

    E &MJ. JANUARY 1982, PP. 39, 43.

  • Deposit

    CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL. JANUARY 1982, P. 17.

  • Deposit

    METAL BULLETIN. JUNE 1981, P. 83.

  • Deposit

    LLAUMETT, CARLOS. ANTECEDENTES SOBRE PRODUCCION RECURSOS

  • Deposit

    Y EXPECTATIVES DE LA MINERA DEL ORO EN CHILE.

  • Deposit

    MCQUISTON, F.W. JR. AND SHOEMAKER, R.S. GOLD AND SILVER

  • Deposit

    CYANIDATION PLANT PRACTICE. COCIETY OF MINING ENGINEERS,

  • Deposit

    V. 2, 1981.

  • Deposit

    DAVY MCKEE. EL INDIO PROJECT. PAPER PREPARED FOR ST.

  • Deposit

    JOE MINERALS CORP., OCT. 1978.

  • Deposit

    COMPANIA MINERA EL INDIO. INAUGURATION BROCHURE, 1981.

  • Deposit

    COMPANIA MINERA SAN JOSE, INC. MINING STUDY- EL INDIO

  • Deposit

    PROJECT, CHILE. OCT. 1978.

  • Deposit

    COMPANIA MINERA SAN JOSE, INC. ROAD AND CAMPSITE PROJECT,

  • Deposit

    EL INDIO PROJECT, CHILE. OCT. 5, 1978.

  • Deposit

    PLATT'S METALS WEEK, "MINE EXPANSION", 4 APR. 1994, P. 6.

  • Deposit

    LATIN AMERICAN MINING LETTER, V 14/N 1, 2/8/95, P.1.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 11-MAR-97 Boyle, Ed 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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