Porco Mine

Producer in Potosi, Bolivia with commodities Tin, Lead, Zinc, Antimony, Silver
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Mineral occurrence model information
  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. Mining district
  15. Land status
  16. Ownership information
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10068799
MRDS ID W002052
Record type Site
Current site name Porco Mine

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -65.99389, -19.81703 (WGS84)
Elevation 4800
Relative position 35 KM SW OF POTOSI, AND 6 KM SOUTH OF RR STATION AGUA DE CASTILLA

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

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Tin Critical Primary
Lead Primary
Zinc Critical Primary
Antimony Critical Secondary
Silver Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Cassiterite Ore
Galena Ore
Pyrargyrite Ore
Silver Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Stibnite Ore
Pyrite Gangue

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) > Pyroclastic Rock > Tuff
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Early Jurassic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pliocene
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Pyroclastic Rock > Volcanic Breccia (Agglomerate)
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Dacite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Pyroclastic Rock > Tuff
    Rock unit name Mondragon-Non-Marine Sediments;Torotoro Red Sandstone
    Rock description Mondragon-Non-Marine Sediments;Torotoro Red Sandstone
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Pyroclastic Rock > Volcanic Breccia (Agglomerate)

Nearby scientific data

(1) -65.99389, -19.81703

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description N-S
Type of structure Local
Structure description N-S Fissure Probably Parallel To Fold Axes Of Underlying Ordovician Sediments

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR
    Strike N-S, NE-SW
    Dip VERTICAL
    Thickness 2M
    Length 1500M
    Width 1M
    Depth to top 0M
    Depth to bottom 500M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • N-S Fissure Veins In Tuff Adjoining Apo Porco Dacite Plug.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Medium
Significant No
Discovery year 1492
Discoverer Indigenous Indians
Year of first production 1542
Production years 1500(?) TO 1972

Mining district

District name Porco District

Land status

Ownership category Federal

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Compania Minera Del Sur (Under Lease From Comibol)
  • Type Owner
    Owner Corporcacion Minera De Bolivia (Comibol)

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    AHLFELD, F., AND SCHNEIDER-SCHERBINA, A., 1964, LOS YACIMIENTOS MINERALES Y DE CARBUROS, DEPTO. NAC. GEOLOGIA, BOL. 5 (ESPECIAL) PP. 204-206.

  • Deposit

    RUEDA A., JUAN, 1971, GEOLOGIA DEL YACIMIENTO PORCO Y SUS ALREDEDORES: LA PAZ, UMSA, TESIS DE GRADO

  • Deposit

    CABALLERO M., MARIO, 1978, GEOLOGIA ECONOMICA DEL YACIMIENTO MINERO DE PORCO: LA PAZ, UMSA, TESIS DE GRADO

  • Production

    MINISTRY OF MINES AND METALLURGY, 1970

Reporter information

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

Beyond USGS

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