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Los Pelambres Cu Mine

Prospect in Chile with commodities Copper, Molybdenum
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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. Host and associated rocks
  9. Nearby scientific data
  10. Geologic structures
  11. Ore body information
  12. Controls for ore emplacement
  13. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  14. Ownership information
  15. Reserves and resources
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. General comments
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10068477
MRDS ID W001545
Record type Site
Current site name Los Pelambres Cu Mine
Related records 10279943

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -70.49452, -31.70246 (WGS84)
Elevation 3300
Relative position ABOUT 150 KM FROM VALPARAISO VIA SALAMANCA. LAST 22 KM ON MULEBACK. DEPOSIT IS ON ARGENTINA BORDER

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Chile(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
Chile

Comments on the location information

  • AREA INACCESSIBLE FROM MAY THROUGH AUGUST BECAUSE OF SNOWSTORMS

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Molybdenum Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bornite Ore
Brochantite Ore
Chalcanthite Ore
Chalcocite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Chrysocolla Ore
Tetrahedrite Ore
Anhydrite Gangue
Jarosite Gangue
Limonite Gangue
Magnetite Gangue
Tourmaline Gangue
Molybdenite Unknown

Alteration

  • (Local) A Core Of Potassium Silicate Alteration Is Confined To The Stock And Roof Pendants. Surrounded By Annular Zone Of Feldspar-Destructive Alteration, Consisting Of Sericitization, Argillization, And Silicification, Averaging 500 M In Width. Grades Out To Propylitic Alteration. Potassic, Phyllic. (Total Area Covered Is 6km X 2.5km)

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Tonalite
    Rock unit name Los Pelambres Tonalite Stock;Continental Lutites, Arenites And Andesitic Volcanics; Colimapu Formation;Andesitilavas, Tuffs And Agglomerates; Rio Damas F
    Rock description Los Pelambres Tonalite Stock;Continental Lutites, Arenites And Andesitic Volcanics; Colimapu Formation;Andesitilavas, Tuffs And Agglomerates; Rio Damas F
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Miocene
    Chronological age 9
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Tonalite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Miocene
    Chronological age 9
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Pyroclastic Rock > Tuff

Nearby scientific data

(1) -70.49452, -31.70246
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description North Trending Folds, Faults And Plutonic Masses
Type of structure Local
Structure description Monocline, Strikes N-Nw., Dips From 20 To 80 To 20 Deg. West, And Is A Subsidiary Flexure On The Western Flank Of A N-S Trending Anticlinorium

Ore body information

  • General form OVAL, HALF MOON
    Thickness 1450M
    Length 3300M
    Width 1500M
    Depth to bottom 700M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Monocline (See Local Structures) Which May Be A Surface Reflection Of A Major Fault At Depth

Comments on the geologic information

  • TONALITE INTRUDES UPPER JURASC (KIMMERIDGIAN ANDESITES WHICH STRIKE NNW AND DIP 20-80W (HIGHER DIPS PROXIMAL TO INTRUSION): STOCK IS 4.5 KM X 2.4 KM. TWO BRECCIAS, < 200 M IN DIAMETER ARE ECONOMICALLY UNIMPORTANT.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Prospect
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Medium
Significant No
Discovery year 1914
Discoverer William Braden

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Joint Chilean - U. N. Venture
    First year 1966

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1988
    Total resources 430000000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.8 wt-pct Copper Major 1988
    Molybdenum Mo 0.035 wt-pct Molybdenum Major 1988

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • 4-26 G/T AG; O.4 G/T AU
  • NO ESTIMATE OF POTENTIAL RESOURCES ON 3/73. BEYOND THE DEMONSTRATED RESERVES - BASED ON SILLITOE DESCRIPTION REF. 2 POTENTIAL RESOURCES OF LOS PELAMBRES DISTRICT MAY EQUAL THE DEMONSTRATED RESERVES.

Comments on the workings information

  • OVAL LOS PELAMBRES STOCK IS 4.5X2.5 KM. CONTACTS ARE SHARP AND STEEP WHERE OBSERVABLE. NO STRUCTURAL DISTURBANCE CAUSED BY INTRUSION WHICH PROBABLY WAS A PASSIVE PROCESS

Comments on development

  • BRADEN NOTICED STRIKING COLORATION ZONE. LITTLE DEVELOPMENT UNTIL 1969 WHEN UNITED NATIONS PROGRAM COMMENCED DRILLING.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    RUIZ, F., CARLOS, 1965, GEOLOGIA Y YACIMIENTOS METALIFEROS DE CHILE: INST. INV. GEOL. CHILE, TABLE 1 (SPANISH)

  • Deposit

    SILLETOE, R. H., 1973, GEOLOGY OF THE LOS PELAMBRES PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT, CHILE: ECON. GEOLOGY, V. 68, NO. 1, P. 1-10

  • Deposit

    GRIFFIS, A. T., 1972, EXPLORATION: MINING ENG., V. 8, NO. 7, P. 78-84.

  • Deposit

    UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, 1967, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE PROVINCE OF COQUIMBO, CHILE: NEW YORK, UNITED NATIONS, P.32-34

  • Deposit

    RUIZ, C. AND PEEBLES, F., 1988, YACIMIENTOS METALIFEROS DE CHILE: SANTIAGO, 334 P.

  • Deposit

    SERPLAC, 1981, INVENTARIO DE LOS RECURSOS MINERALES DE LA IV REGION: SANTIAGO (28 VOLS.)

  • Deposit

    EANMI, 1971, #4894.

  • Deposit

    FLORES, HECTOR, 1960, INFORME SOBRE LA MINA DE COBRE LOS PELAMBRES: DEPT. ILLAPEL, PRIVATE UNPUB. INF. (SPANISH).

  • Deposit

    1960 COMPILE INSTITUTO INVESTIGACIONES GEOLOGICAS CHIL

  • Other Database

    CIMRI

  • Reserve-Resource

    SILLITOE, R. H. 1973, P-5, REF. 2; RUIZ Y PEEBLES, 1988.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit OXIDIZED ZONE IS 0-200 M THICK; ENRICHED ZONE IS 100 M - 200 M THICK AND CHALCOCITE COMPRISES 25-30% OF SULFIDES YEILDING 0.7-2.0% CU; PRIMARY ZONE IS LOW GRADE BUT REACHES 1% CU IN SOME PLACES. ABOVE SIZES BASED ON CUTOFF OF >0.4% CU. 50% OF RESERVES IN QTZ-CP-BN VEINLETS.
Deposit RECORD # TC05097 BY WILLIAM C. WILLIAMS HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THIS RECORD. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JAN-1972 Davidson, Claire B. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-SEP-1990 Williams, William C. University of Arizona
Updater 20-SEP-1994 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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