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Portillo Argentino Cu-Pb-Zn Prospect

Occurrence in Mendoza, Argentina with commodities Copper, Molybdenum, Lead, Zinc
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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. Links to other databases
  16. Bibliographic references
  17. General comments
  18. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10068837
MRDS ID W002095
Record type Site
Current site name Portillo Argentino Cu-Pb-Zn Prospect
Alternate or previous names El Portillo

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -69.58281, -33.61414 (WGS84)
Elevation 4350
Relative position 100 KM SW OF MENDOZA, NEAR CHILE - ARGENTINA BORDER

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Mendoza(province)

Argentina(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Argentina Mendoza

Comments on the location information

  • COORDINATES ARE APPROX CENTER OF RESERVE AREA OF 525 SQ KM.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Molybdenum Primary
Lead Primary
Zinc Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Ore
Galena Ore
Molybdenite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Bismuthinite Gangue
Quartz Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Alteration By Chloritization, Sericitization, Calcitization, Argillitization

Analytical data

Result 129 ROCK SAMPLES AND 128 SEDIMENT SAMPLES WERE COLLECTED. ALMOST ALL SAMPLES FROM THE 2 ALTERATION ZONES WERE ANOMALOUS IN MO AND UP TO SEVERAL THOUSAND PPM IN CU-PB-ZN

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Metasedimentary Rock
    Rock unit name Alluvium & Scree Deposits; Moraine And/Or Rock Glaciers;Metasedimentary Rocks; Divided Into: Calc-Silicate Hornfels, Quartz-Biotite Hornfels, Garnet Hornfels
    Rock description Alluvium & Scree Deposits;Moraine And/Or Rock Glaciers;Metasedimentary Rocks; Divided Into: Calc-Silicate Hornfels, Quartz-Biotite Hornfels, Garnet Hornfels
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Early Cambrian

Nearby scientific data

(1) -69.58281, -33.61414
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description N-Trending Folded And Faulted Ranges East Of Principal Cordillera. Pal Rocks Intruded By Intermediate To Felsic Plutons. Faults Of 5000-M Displacement On Eastern Frontal Cordillera
Type of structure Local
Structure description Cordon Del Portillo Trends N-S. Transverse Ridges Separate Deep, Narrow Valleys.

Ore body information

  • General form IRREGULAR
    Length 5000M
    Width 3000M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Intrusion Of Granite-Granodiorite

Comments on the geologic information

  • ABOVE UNITS WERE MAPPED IN UNDP, 1968, REF.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Occurrence
Commodity type Metallic
Significant No
Discovery year 1964
Discoverer United Nations & Gov'T Of Argentina

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Government Of Argentina

Comments on the workings information

  • DIMENSIONS INCLUDE 2 YELLOW-BROWN FRACTURED, PYRITIZED, ALTERATION ZONES DEVELOPED IN INTRUSIVES E AND W OF PORTILLO ARGENTINO (THE CORDILLERA DIVIDE)

Comments on development

  • U.N. PROJECT INCLUDED: PHOTOGEOLOGY, GEOLOGICAL MAPPING, GEOCHEMICAL STUDIES, INDUCED POLARIZATION (IP) STUDIES ; ECON.COM: CATEGORIZED IN UNDP, 1970, REF., IN GROUP B. "AREA WITH CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF ECONOMIC MINERALIZATION". BEST PROSPECTS IN AREA ARE 1) ZONE OF ANOMOLIES IN PASO DEL PORTILLO AREEA WITH GEOCHEMICAL ANOMALIES (PB. 200 PPM, ZN 1000 PPM), 2) ALTERDE ZONE OF CUCHILLA AMARILLA WITH MINERALIZATION OF CU-MO AND THE OCCURANCE OF PB, 3)A ZONE WITH MO ANOMALIES TO THE WEST OF PASO DEL PORTILLO.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, 1968, MINERAL SURVEY IN THE ANDEAN CORDILLERA, ARGENTINA: NEW YORK, UNITED NATIONS, P. 118-119.

  • Deposit

    UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, 1970, INVESTIGATION OF PORPHYRY COPPER TYPE MINERALIZATION IN THE PROVINCE OF MENDOZA, NEUQUEN, AND SAN JUAN, ARGENTINA: NEW YORK, UNITED NATIONS, P. 217-219

  • Deposit

    MINING SECRETARY, 1993, DIRECTORY OF MINING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITES IN THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC, P. 223.

  • Deposit

    1966 DIREXPL UNITED NATIONS

  • Deposit

    SEE U.N., 1968, REF.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit AREA WAS "RESERVED" IN U.N. STUDY BECAUSE OF DISCOVERY OF CU-PB-ZN ANOMALIES RELATED TO PYRITIZED, HYDROTHERMALLY ALTERED ZONES IN GRANITIC AND GRANODIORITE ROCKS NEAR ROOF AND WESTERN MARGINS OF GRANITE BATHOLITH

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-MAY-1973 Davidson, Claire B. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-AUG-1993 Venable, Margaret U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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

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