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Caue

Producer in Minas Gerais, Brazil with commodities Iron, Gold, Palladium
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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. Alteration
  8. Mineral occurrence model information
  9. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Geologic structures
  12. Ore body information
  13. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  14. Mining district
  15. Ownership information
  16. Reserves and resources
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10064755
MRDS ID TC39233
Record type Site
Current site name Caue
Alternate or previous names Corpoy, Corpox, Central, Aba Leste, Aba Norte Ore Bodies, Older Names For Gold Mines In Caue Area Include Pico De Caue, Santa Barbara, Vira Lopo De Treloar, Santa Anna, 4 Or 5 Unnamed Shafts and Adits, Iron Mines Include Mine 7, Mine 22, Mine 6n, Mine 65, Mine 1

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -43.23422, -19.59361 (WGS84)
Elevation 4080
Location accuracy 100(meters)
Relative position 80 KM NE OF BELO HORIZONTE., Est +/- 2 Sec.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Minas Gerais(province)

Brazil(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Brazil Minas Gerais

Comments on the location information

  • USED PICO DE CAUE FOR LOCATION OFF DORR'S (1963) MAP

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Iron Primary
Gold Secondary
Palladium Critical Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • ORES HAVE NO TI, CU, PB, ZN, AS, BI, SB, AND SN; MAIN IMPURITIES ARE SILICA, ALUMINA, PHOSPHOROUS, AND SULFUR BUT ALL IN AMOUNTS WITHIN ACCEPTABLE LIMITS. MINED FOR AU IN 18-19TH CENTURIES, MINED FOR FE IN 20TH CENTURY; CVRD RECOVERS AU AND PD AS BY-PRODUCT SINCE 1986

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gold Ore
Hematite Ore
Magnetite Ore
Martite Ore
Palladium Ore
Apatite Gangue
Monazite Gangue
Talc Gangue
Tourmaline Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Hydrothermal Alteration Associated With Pd-Au Veins Characterized By Talc, Phlogopite, Tourmaline, Hematite, Quartz; Weathering Produces Kaolin, Goethite, Extend To 200 M In Depth

Analytical data

Result HIGH GRADE HEMATITE, MORE THAN 64 PERCENT FE: SILICEOUS HEMATITE, 60-64 PERCENT FE
Result ITABIRITE, 35-60 PERCENT FE. AU, PD, RH, CU, AG, FE, ZN, TE ANALYSES OF GOLD
Result WHOLEROCK CHEMISTRY OF PALLADIUM PHASES, MINERAL ANALYSES.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 241
USGS model code 34a
Deposit model name Superior Fe (BC name is Lake Superior & Rapitan types iron-formation)

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Metasedimentary Rock > Quartzite
    Rock unit name Nova Loma Group, Rio Das Velhas Series;Caraca Group, Minas Series;Piracicaba Group, Minas Series;Piracicaba Group, Minas Series;Rio Dias Velhas Supergroup
    Rock description Nova Loma Group, Rio Das Velhas Series;Caraca Group, Minas Series;Piracicaba Group, Minas Series;Piracicaba Group, Minas Series;Rio Dias Velhas Supergroup
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleoproterozoic
    Chronological age 2250
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Chemical Sediment > Iron Formation
    Rock unit name Caue Formation, Itabira Group, Minas Supergroup
    Rock description Caue Formation, Itabira Group, Minas Supergroup

Nearby scientific data

(1) -43.23422, -19.59361
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Sao Francisco Craton
Type of structure Local
Structure description Assymetric Syncline With Axis About N60-70w. 3 Periods Of Folding, Thrust And Reverse Faulting; Boudinaged Quartz

Ore body information

  • Name IRON DEPOSIT
    Dip }}}}}
    Plunge 22
    Plunge direction N82E
    Thickness 457M
    Length 2400M
    Width 70M
  • Name CORPO Y
    Dip }}}}}
    Thickness 0.2M
    Length 250M
  • Name CORPO X
    Dip }}}}}
    Thickness 5M
    Length 28M
  • Name CENTRAL
    Dip }}}}}
    Thickness 7M
    Length 20M
  • Name ABA LESTE
    Dip }}}}}
    Thickness 5M
    Length 140M
  • Name ABA NORTE
    Dip }}}}}

Comments on the geologic information

  • HOST ROCKS ARE PREC MINAS SERIES, SEDIMENTARY IRON FORMATIONS AND THEIR COLLUVIAL DERIVATIVES; UNDERLAIN BY RIO DAS VELHAS SERIES, WHICH ALSO HAVE SOME IRON FORMATIONS WHICH ARE TERMED ITABIRITES WITH ALTERNATING BANDS OF HEMATITE AND QUARTZ. FOUR UNITS IN IMMEDIATE AREA (1) ABOUT 200 M OF VOLCANO-SEDIMENTARY ROCKS NOW TALC SCHISTS, MICA-CARBONATE SCHISTS, ACTINOLITE-BIOTITE-QUARTZ SCHISTS, QUARTZITE, IRON-FORMATION; (2) 200-250 M, IRON FORMATION OF HEMATITE +/- MAGNETITE +/- MARTITE + QUARTZ +/- FELDSPAR +/- MICA, BOTH ITABIRITE AND JACUTINGA, THE HYDROTHERMALLY ALTERED EQUIVALENT; (3) 200 M QUARTZITE; (4) MAFIC INTRUSIVES

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1720
Year of first production 1832

Mining district

District name Itabira District

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Portuguese And English Companies 18th And 19th Centuries
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Companhia De Ferro Vitoria-Minas
    First year 1902
    Last year 1908
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Itabira Iron Co.
    First year 1908
    Last year 1917
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Brazilian Iron And Steel Co.
    First year 1917
    Last year 1942
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Cia, Vale Do Rio Doce (C. V. R. D.)
    First year 1942

Comments on the production information

  • AFTER SCREENING ABOUT 1,037,311 TONS WERE SHIPABLE ORE. ESTIMATED ANNUAL PRODUCTION TO EXPAND TO 35 MILLION MT IN 1973 AND 38 MILLION MT IN 1974 (MOST OF INCREASE WILL BE ITABIRITE ORE). PRODUCED 28600.0 TH MT OF VARIOUS GRADES FROM ORE REMOVED IN 1982. ANNUAL PRODUCTION IS ABOUT 500 KG OF PD-BEARING AU BULLION (1993).

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1990
    Total resources 100000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Gold Au 30 g/mt Gold Minor 1990
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1963
    Total resources 380045000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Iron Fe 43 wt-pct Iron Major 1963
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1972
    Total resources 700000000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Iron Fe 50 wt-pct Iron Major 1972

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • ORE(1) REASONABLY ASSURED ORE; ORE(2) INFERRED ORE; (3) ITABIRITE ABOVE 850 M

Comments on the workings information

  • OLD TRELOARS SHAFT WAS 96 M DEEP. IN 1982, OPEN PIT 2 KM LONG, 1.5 M WIDE, AND 345 M DEEP WITH LEVELS AT 15 M INTERVALS. REJECT TO MINERALIZED ROCK = 0.6311. PD-AU VEINS MINED BY OPEN PIT; ABA LESTE, ABA NORTE MINED IN 1991 AND 1995 INACTIVE. OTHERS MINED INTERMITTANTLY SINCE 1986.

Comments on development

  • FE PRODUCTION LARGE; AU & PD PRODUCTION SMALL. ITABIRA IRON ORE COMPANY DROVE FOUR ADITS IN THE 1920'S. CVRD PUT IN 6 DIAMOND DRILL HOLES IN 1949-1950. 1986 BEGAN BY-PRODUCT AU, 1942 IRON MINING.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Analytical Data

    OLIVO AND OTHERS (1995)

  • Deposit

    DORR, J.V.N., AND BARBOSA, A.M.L., 1963, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSIT OF THE ITABIRA DISTRICT, MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 341-C, 110 P.

  • Deposit

    LADEIRA, E.A., 1988, METALOGENIA DOS DEPOSITOS DE OURO DO QUADRILATERO FERRIFERO, MINAS GERAIS, IN SCHOBBENHAUS, C. AND COELHO, E.E.S., EDS., PRINCIPAIS DEPOSITOS MINERAIS DO BRASIL: BRASILIA, DEPARTAMENTO NACIONAL DE PRODUCAO MINERAL, V. 3, P. 301-375.

  • Deposit

    LADERIRA, E.A., 1991, GENESIS OF GOLD QUADRILATERO FERRIFERO: A REMARKABLE CASE OF PERMANENCY, RECYCLING AND INHERITANCE- A TRIBUTE TO DJALMA GUIMARAES, PIERRE ROUTHIER AND HANS RAMBERG, IN LADEIRA, E.A., ED., BRAZIL GOLD '91: AN INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE GEOLOGY OF GOLD, BELO HORIZONTE, ELSEVIER, P. 11-30.

  • Deposit

    LEAO DE SA, E., AND ANDRADE, L.P., 1990, A EXPERIENCIA DA CVRD NA LAVRA SELETIVA DE MINERIO AURIFERO NOS ITABIRITOS: INT. GOLD SYMPOSIUM, 6, AUGUST 13-14, RIO, PROGRAM WITH ABSTRACTS, P. 2.

  • Deposit

    OLIVO, G.R., GAUTHIER, M., BARDOUX, M., LEAO DE SA, E., BORGES, N. AND SANTANA, F.C., 1993, PALLADIUM-BEARING GOLD DEPOSITS HOSTED BY A PROTEROZOIC LAKE SUPERIOR-TYPE IRON-FORMATION, ITABIRA IRON DISTRICT, MINAS GERAIS, SOUTHEAST BRAZIL [ABS.]: GEOL. ASSOC. CANADA - MINERALOG. ASSOC. CANADA PROGRAM WITH ABSTRACTS, V. P. 79.

  • Deposit

    MELO, M.T.V., BORBA, R.R., AND COELHO, W.A., 1986, O DISTRITO FERRIFERO DE ITABIRA, MINAS DO CAUE, CONCEICAO, DOIS CORREGOS, PERIQUITO, ONCA, CHACRINHA E ESMERIL, IN SHOBBENHAUS, C. AND COELHO, E.E.S., EDS., PRINCIPAIS DEPOSITOS MINERAIS DO BRASIL: BRASILIA, DEPARTAMENTO NACIONAL DE PRODUCAO MINERAL, V. 2, P. 7-28.

  • Deposit

    LEAO DE SA, E., AND BORGES, N.R.A., 1991, GOLD MINERALIZATION IN CAUE AND CONCEICAO IRON ORE MINES - ITABIRA - MG, IN FLEISCHER, R., GROSSI SAD, J.H., FUZIKARA, K., AND LADEIRA, E.A., EDS., FIELD GUIDE BOOK OF BRAZIL GOLD '91: AN INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE GEOLOGY OF GOLD, BELO HORIZONTE, P. 74-85.

  • Deposit

    ALVARADO, BENJAMIN, 1970, IRON ORE DEPOSITS OF SOUTH AMERICA. IN SURVEY OF WORLD IRON ORE RESOURCES -- OCCURRENCE AND APPRAISAL: NEW YORK, UNITED NATIONS, P. 302-380, 433 QUN22S.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS, D.N., JR., 1972, CIA, VALE DO RIO DOCE: SKILLINGS' MINING REV., V. 61, NO. 44, P. 1, 8-13.

  • Deposit

    OLIVO, G.R., GAUTHIER, M., BARDOUX, M., LEAO DE SA, E., FONSECA, J.T.F., AND SANTANA, F.C., 1995, PALLADIUM-BEARING GOLD DEPOSIT HOSTED BY PROTEROZOIC LAKE SUPERIOR-TYPE IRON FORMATION AT THE CAUE IRON MINE, ITABIRA DISTRICT, SOUTHERN SAO FRANCISCO CRATON, BRAZIL: GEOLOGIC AND STRUCTURAL CONTROLS: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, V. 90, NO. 1, P. 118-134.

  • Other Database

    CIMRI

  • Production

    DORR AND OTHERS (1963); SKILLINGS, D.N., JR. (1972); V. DE MELO AND OTHERS (1986); OLIVO AND OTHERS (1995)

  • Reserve-Resource

    LEAO DE SA AND ANDRADE (1990); DORR AND OTHERS (1963); SKILLINGS (1972); ALVARADO (1970).

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit ARE FIVE GOLD ORE BODIES, CORPO Y, CORPO X, CENTRAL, ABA LESTE, ABA NORTE AND ARE HOSTED IN JACTINGA, HYDROTHERMALLY ALTERED IRON FORMATION PRESENTLY BEING MINED. IN CORPO Y, HIGH GRADES PARALLEL A N82E, 22 DEGREE PLUNGE OF QUARTZ BOUDINS, GRADES REACH 1000 G/T AU; AU CONTAINS UP TO 20% PD. IN CORPO X, HIGH GRADES OCCUR IN HEMATITE BANDS (SIZE OF OREBODY 28 M LONG 1-5 M THICK), GRADES AS HIGH AS 148 G/T AU AND UP TO 15% PD. IN CENTRAL, ONE IS IN TALC-BEARING HEMATITE BANDS (20 M LONG AND 20 KM TO 7 M THICK. IN ABA LESTE, GOLD IN MASSIVE ALTERED HEMATITE BANDS 2-3 LONG AND UP TO 1 METER THICK, GRADES REACH 12.9 G/T AU AND UP TO 13% PD. IN ABA NORTE, HEMATITE BOUDINS ALONG 140 M SECTION WITH THICKNESS OF FEW CM TO 5 M WITH AU UP TO 62 G/T AND UP 1.5% RH IN AU. IRON DEPOSIT IS AT LEAST 2200 M LONG WITH 400 M OF EXPOSURE VERTICALLY.
Deposit THIS RECORD WAS COMBINED WITH RECORD W026221 (DELETED) ON 1/11/95.
Deposit First Production Year: 1832-1932 USED IN LOCAL FORGES; FIRST SIGNIFICANT 1942 (6.401 TONS OF ORE)

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Updater 01-MAR-93 Page, Norman J. U.S. Geological Survey
Reporter 11-APR-94 Page, Norman J. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 19-JUN-95 Page, Norman J. U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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

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