Pulacayo Mine

Producer in Potosi, Bolivia with commodities Silver, Lead, Zinc, Copper
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. Controls for ore emplacement
  14. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  15. Mining district
  16. Land status
  17. Ownership information
  18. Workings at the site
  19. Links to other databases
  20. Bibliographic references
  21. General comments
  22. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10068798
MRDS ID W002051
Record type Site
Current site name Pulacayo Mine
Alternate or previous names Huanchaca

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -66.69668, -20.37675 (WGS84)
Elevation 4250
Relative position 20 KM NNE OF UYUNI

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Potosi(province)

Bolivia(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Federal lands

Federal(land status)

Geographic areas

Country State
Bolivia Potosi

Comments on the location information

  • PULACAYO IS AT THE SOUTHERN END OF THE SSE TRENDING LOS FRAILES MOUNTAIN RANGE, WHICH BORDERS ON THE EAST THE SALAR DE UYUNI IN THE PUNA PLATEAU.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Primary
Lead Primary
Zinc Critical Secondary
Copper Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • ORIGINALLY, A VERY LARGE SILVER PRODUCER; NOW PRINCIPALLY OF BASE METALS, APPARENTLY APPROACHING EXHAUSTION.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Boulangerite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Wurtzite Ore
Barite Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Quartz Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Propylitic, Sericitic, Silicic

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 77
USGS model code 20b
Deposit model name Sn-polymetallic vein

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Dacite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Oligocene
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Intermediate Volcanic Rock > Andesite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Dacite

Nearby scientific data

(1) -66.69668, -20.37675

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description N-S, Eastern Cordillera . Faults Trend Just West Of North Separating Sedimentary Units.
Type of structure Local
Structure description Folded Pal Seds In An A Symmetric Anticline. The Volcanic Stock Wasintruded Along The Central Part Of This Anticline.

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR
    Strike E-W
    Dip 65 TO 75 N
    Length 2200M
    Width 2000M
    Depth to top 0M
    Depth to bottom 1100M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • E-W Fissure Systems Dipping N. In Northern Part Of Plug, And Dipping S. In Southern Part

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE MINERALIZATION OF THE PULACAYO VEINS IS DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH AN ANDESITIC STOCK THAT HAS ITS CULMINATION THROUGH A NARROW CONDUIT IN THE PAISANO PEAK.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Medium
Significant No
Discovery year 1833
Discoverer Mariano Ramirez

Mining district

District name Pulacayo District

Land status

Ownership category Federal

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Corporacion Minera De Bolivia (Comibol)

Comments on the production information

  • MINE APPEARS TO BE DEPLETED; NO PRODUCTION 1967-1971

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 2700M
    Overall depth 1100M

Comments on development

  • ECON.COM: AFTER MORE OR LESS CONSTANT PRODUCTION SINCE 1856, MINE APPEARS TO BE APPROACHING EXHAUSTION

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    AHLFELD, F., AND SCHEIDER-SCHERBINA, A., 1964, LOS YACIMIENTOS MINERALES Y DE HIDROCARBUROS: DEPTO. NAC. GEOLOGIA, BOL. 5, (ESPECIAL), PP. 297-300.

  • Deposit

    RUDROFF, A., 1932, DER SILBER-BLEI-ZINKBERGBAU VON PULACAYO, BOLIVIA: METALL UND ERZ, P. 125-132.

  • Deposit

    AHLFELD, F., 1929, DIE SILBER-ZINKLAGERSTAETTE PULACAYO, BOLIVIEN; NEUES JHRB. MIN. A., BB 75, PP. 1-23. (1929)

  • Deposit

    LYONS, W.A., 1963, STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY OF PULACAYO MINE, BOLIVIA: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY V.58, NO. 6, P. 978-987.

  • Deposit

    MURPHY, J., 1965, EXAMINATION OF SMALL MINES AND PROSPECTS IN PUNUTUMA-PULACAYO-TOMAVE: INFORME NO. 2027, COMIBOL.

  • Deposit

    MCNAMEE, J., 1970, PRELIMINARY REPORT IN THE FEASIBILITY OF RE-OPENING THE PULACAYO MINE: INFORME S/N, COMIBOL.

  • Deposit

    GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS BY F.S. TURNEAURE, 1940'S?

  • Deposit

    INVESTIGATIONS BY ZUBRZYCKI (1959) FOR COMIBOL

  • Deposit

    INVESTIGATIONS BY GEOBOL (1969)

  • Other Database

    CIMRI

  • Production

    MINISTRY OF MINES AND METALLURGY, 1971

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit TWO VEIN SYSTEMS, CHARACTERIZED BY DIFFERENT LITHOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTS, EXIST AT PULACAYO: 1)THE UPPER SYSTEM, FORMED BY TEN VEINS IN THE ALTERED ANDESITIC STOCK. THEY ARE INCLINED AGAINST THE 2)LOWER STOCK, FORMED BY THE TAJO AND NUMBER 4 VEINS IN THE ARGILLACEOUS RED SANDSTONES AND CONGLOMERATES. THE UPPER VEIN SYSTEM IS THOUGHT TO BE TENSIONAL IN ORIGIN, THE LOWER SYSTEM, PRODUCED BY SHEARING FORCES.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-MAY-1973 Irving, Earl M. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-JUN-1978 Urquidi-Barrau, Fernando U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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