Caracoles Mine

Producer in La Paz, Bolivia with commodities Tin, Tungsten, Silver, Bismuth, Copper, Gold, Lead, Zinc, Antimony
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. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10068801
MRDS ID W002054
Record type Site
Current site name Caracoles Mine

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -67.48282, -16.91435 (WGS84)
Elevation 4850
Relative position 10 KM NW OF PONGO ON QUIME RIVER, AND 100 KM SE OF LA PAZ

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

La Paz(province)

Bolivia(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Federal lands

Federal(land status)

Geographic areas

Country State
Bolivia La Paz

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Tin Critical Primary
Tungsten Critical Primary
Silver Primary
Bismuth Critical Secondary
Copper Tertiary
Gold Tertiary
Lead Tertiary
Zinc Critical Tertiary
Antimony Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bismuthinite Ore
Cassiterite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Galena Ore
Scheelite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Stibnite Ore
Wolframite Ore
Chlorite Gangue
Limonite Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Siderite Gangue
Tourmaline Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Silicification And Tourmalinization

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 Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Diorite
    Rock unit name Quisma Cruz Granodiorite
    Rock description Quisma Cruz Granodiorite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Miocene
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Early Cambrian
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
    Rock unit name Pampa Shale, Phyllite (450 M);Catavi Sandstones (100 M)
    Rock description Pampa Shale, Phyllite (450 M);Catavi Sandstones (100 M)
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Sandstone

Nearby scientific data

(1) -67.48282, -16.91435

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Nw-Se Folded Sediments With Nw-Se Batholiths
Type of structure Local
Structure description Ne Trending Fissures

Ore body information

  • General form IRREGULAR, TABULAR
    Strike N 20 TO 70 E
    Dip 50 TO 85 NW
    Length 1000M
    Width 2M
    Depth to top 0M
    Depth to bottom 300M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • There Are Three Fissure Systems: Primary N 45 To 60 E And Dip 70 To 80 Nw; Secondary Set Nw-Se With Dip 70-90 Sw; Te-Rtiary Set N 30 To 40 W With Dip 70 To 85 Ne.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1925

Mining district

District name Quimsa Cruz Area

Land status

Ownership category Federal

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Corporacion Minera De Bolivia

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 200M

Reference information

Bibliographic references

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.