1. Mineral Resources
  2. Online Spatial Data
  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Chuquicamata

Producer in Chile with commodities Copper, Molybdenum, Silver, Gold, Lead, Tin, Selenium, Platinum, Rhodium
Map
XML
JSON
KML
A
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. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  13. Mining district
  14. Land status
  15. Ownership information
  16. Production statistics
  17. Reserves and resources
  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 10079698
MRDS ID W029791
Record type Site
Current site name Chuquicamata
Related records 10182609

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -68.90784, -22.28922 (WGS84)
Elevation 2870
Relative position 200 KM NE FROM ANTOFAGASTA

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Chile(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country
Chile

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Molybdenum Secondary
Silver Secondary
Gold Secondary
Lead Tertiary
Tin Critical Tertiary
Selenium Tertiary
Platinum Critical Tertiary
Rhodium Critical Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

  • DISSEMINATED AND PORPHYRY - STOCKWORK

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Antlerite Ore
Atacamite Ore
Bornite Ore
Brochantite Ore
Chalcanthite Ore
Chalcocite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Chrysocolla Ore
Covellite Ore
Cubanite Ore
Cuprite Ore
Digenite Ore
Enargite Ore
Galena Ore
Gold Ore
Melaconite Ore
Molybdenite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Tetrahedrite Ore
Anglesite Gangue
Blodite Gangue
Calcite Gangue
Chlorite Gangue
Epsomite Gangue
Gypsum Gangue
Halite Gangue
Hematite Gangue
Jarosite Gangue
Limonite Gangue
Mirabilite Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Soda Niter Gangue
Wulfenite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Potassic, Quartz-Sericite, Argillic, Propylitic (From Core Outward Quartz-Sericite Zone Is 2500 M Long X 100-500 M Wide)

Analytical data

Result ABOVE 100 M - 1.5% CU (SOLUBLE)
Result 100-500 M - 1.7% CU (SOLUBLE)
Result BELOW 500 M - 1.0% CU (SOLUBLE)

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Diorite
    Rock unit name Chuquicamata Intrusive;Fortuna Granodiorite;Elena Granodiorite
    Rock description Chuquicamata Intrusive;Fortuna Granodiorite;Elena Granodiorite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Oligocene
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Diorite
    Rock unit name Fortuna Granodiorite
    Rock description Fortuna Granodiorite

Nearby scientific data

(1) -68.90784, -22.28922
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Ne To Sw Almost Vertical
Type of structure Local
Structure description North-South Fault Zones: West Fissure, C-2 Fissure, Panizo Fissures, Balmaceda Fissures; N-E Fissures

Ore body information

  • General form IRREGULAR
    Thickness 400M
    Length 3000M
    Width 1100M
    Depth to bottom 1500M

Comments on the geologic information

  • MINERALIZATION DATES CONFINED BY DATES ON SERICITIZATION AND POTASSIC ALTERATION. SULFUR ISOTOPE ORE = -4.7/MIL; SULFUR ISOTOPE, FORTUNA GD = +4.0 (S=0.074%) IINITIAL STRONTIUM RATIOS = 0.70426-0.70454 PB, GALENA - 206/204 = 18.592 207/204 = 15.624 208/204 = 38.586 PB, W.R. - 206/204 + 18.591 207/204 = 15.604 208/204 = 38.583 PB, W.R. - 206/204 = 18.621 207/204 = 15.600 208/204 = 38.585

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant No
Discovery year 1910
Discoverer Historical Mining
Year of first production 1915

Mining district

District name Chuquicamata

Land status

Ownership category State

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Compania De Cobre Chuquicamata
  • Type Owner
    Owner Codelco-Chile

Production statistics

  • Year 1915
    Material CU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^1.75% (Fine Copper)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Copper Copper 2wt-pct
  • Year 1949
    Period 1940-1949
    Material CU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^Cu 99.98 %
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Copper Copper 100wt-pct
  • Year 1959
    Period 1950-1959
    Material CU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^Cu 99.98 %
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Copper Copper 100wt-pct
  • Year 1969
    Period 1960-1969
    Material CU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Cp_Grade: ^Cu 99.98 %
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Copper Copper 10wt-pct
  • Year 1970
    Material CU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^Cu 99.98 %
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Copper Copper 100wt-pct
  • Year 1971
    Material CU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^Cu 99.98 %
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Copper Copper 100wt-pct
  • Year 1972
    Material CU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^Cu 99.98 %
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Copper Copper 100wt-pct
  • Year 1973
    Material CU
    Accuracy Accurate
    Description Ap_Grade: ^Cu 99.98 %
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Copper Copper 100wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • 2000 MT OVERBURDEN REMOVED. 1985 PRODUCTION INCLUDES EXOTICA. OXIDES EXHAUSTED IN 1952. ANON. (1994).

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1975
    Total resources 1400000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 1.2 wt-pct Copper Major 1975
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1977
    Total resources 911000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.99 wt-pct Copper Major 1977
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1992
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 1.03 wt-pct Copper Major 1992

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • CHILE EXPLORATION COMPANY ESTIMATED 354,700,OOO T OF PROVEN ORE AT 2.18% AND 700,000,000 T OF PROBABLE ORE AT 2.12%. (LITTLE, 1926)

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Overall length 395.02M
    Overall width 1440M

Comments on the workings information

  • (1967) WORKINGS DOWN TO 320 M. 1992, SLOPE HEIGHT IN THE PIT IS 600 M. THIS WITH THE WEST FAULT CAUSES SLOPE STABILITY PROBLEMS. THE MAIN PIT WILL EVENTUALLY REACH A DEPTH OF 750 M. BENCHES ARE 24 M WIDE AND 26 M HIGH, WITH A WORK ANGLE OF 44 DEGREES AND A FINAL PIT ANGLE OF 47 DEGREES FOR THE EAST AREA AND 28 DEGREES FOR THE WEST.

Comments on development

  • RESULTS OF 1991 EXPLORATION AROUND CHUQUICAMATA HAVE BEEN POSITIVE AND ARE BEING EVALUATED. ORE GRADES ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE IN THE CURRENT MAIN PIT. ; MILL.CAP: 16,865 ST/D ; ECON.COM: COMPLEX INCLUDES A MILL, CONCENTRATOR, SMELTER AND REFINERY. CODELCO INVESTS ABOUT $250 MILLION ANNUALLY IN NEW EQUIPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE. WORKFORCE TOTLAS 10,500 PEOPLE. MINE HAS A YEARLY OPERATIONAL BUDGET OF $800 MILLION, AND ANNUAL SALES AMOUNT TO ABOUT $2 BILLION.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    RUIZ FULLER,C., 1965, GEOLOGIA Y YACIMIENTOS METALIFEROS DE CHILE, EDITORIAL UNIVERSITARIA 1965

  • Deposit

    SUTULOV, ZAUSCHQUEVICH, ET AL., 1975, EL COBRE CHILENO ED. CORPORACION DEL COBRE, EDITORIAL UNIVERSITARIA, DEC. 1974

  • Deposit

    RIDGE, JOHN D., 1972, ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF MINERAL DEPOSITS IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE, P.597, THE GEOLOGCAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA INC., MEMOIR 131

  • Deposit

    AMERICAN METAL MARKET, 8/4/77, P. 18, V. 85, NO. 150

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, JANUARY, 1987, P. 58.

  • Deposit

    FRUTOS, J. AND PINCHEIRA, M., 1986, FICHAS METALOGENICAS DE YACIMIENTOS MINERALES METALICOS CHILENOS, IN FRUTOS, J., OYARZUN, J., AND PINCHEIRA, M., EDS., GEOLOGIA Y RECURSOS MINERALES CHILENOS: UNIVERSIDAD DE CONCEPCION, CONCEPCION, P. 841-888.

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    SILLITOE, R., 1988, EPOCHS OF INTRUSION-RELATED COPPER MINERALIZATION IN THE ANDES: JOUR. S. AMERICAN EARTH SCI., V. 1, P. 89-108.

  • Deposit

    MAKSAEV, V., BORIC, R., ZENTILLI, M, AND REYNOLDS, P., 1988, SIGNIFICADOS METALOGENICO DE DATACIONES K-AR 40AR-39AR, Y TRAZAS DE FISION DE ZONAS MINERALIZADAS EN EL NORTE GRANDE DE CHILE: V CONGRESO GEOLOGICO CHILENO, P. B65-B86.

  • Deposit

    AMBRUS, J., 1977, GEOLOGY OF THE EL ABRA PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT: ECON GEOL., VOL. 72, P. 1062-1085.

  • Deposit

    ALVAREZ, C., MIRANDA, M, AND GUZMAN, V., 1980, GEOLOGIA DEL COMPLEJO CHUQUICAMATA, IN MINERIA DE COBRES PORFIDICOS: INSTITUTO DE INGENIEROS DE MINAS DE CHILE, SANTIAGO, V. 2, P. 314-363.

  • Deposit

    SASAKI, A., ULRIKSEN, C.M, SATO, K., AND ISHIHARA, S., 1984, SULFUR ISOTOPE RECONNAISSANCE OF PORPHYRY COPPER AND MANTO-TYPE DEPSOITS IN CHILE AND THE PHILLIPPINES: BULL GEOL. SUR. JAPAN, V. 35, P. 615-622.

  • Deposit

    ZENILLI, M., DOE, B., HEDGE, C., ALVAREZ, O. TIDY, E., AND DAROCA, J., 1988, ISOTOPOS DE PLOMO EN YACIMIENTOS DE TIPO PORFIDO CUPRIFERO CAMPARADOS CON OTROS DEPOSITOS METALIFEROS EN LOS ANDES DEL NORTE DE CHILE Y ARGENTINA: V CONGRESO GEOLOGICO CHILENO, P. B331-B369.

  • Deposit

    AMBRUS, J., 1979, EMPLAZAMIENTO Y MINERALIZACION DE LOS PROFIDOS CUPRIFEROS DE CHILE: TESIS DOCTORADO , UNIVERSIDAD DE SALAMANCA.

  • Deposit

    BORIC, R., DIAZ, F., AND MAKSAEV, V., 1984, COMPLEMENTO MAPA METALOGENICO, II REGION: GERENCIA DE DESARROLLO, SANTIAGO (12 VOLS.)

  • Deposit

    MINING, 1990, ANNUAL REVIEW, P. 44.

  • Deposit

    LITTLE, J., 1926, GEOLOGY AND METAL DEPOSITS OF CHILE: THE BRANWELL CO., NEW YORK, P. 174.

  • Deposit

    LASOTA, P.D., 1992, OPEN-PIT MINING IN CHILE: MINING ENGINEERING, APRIL, 1992, P. 307-310.

  • Deposit

    JARRELL, O.W., 1944, OXIDATION AT CHUQUICAMATA, CHILE: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, V. 39, NO. 4, P. 251-286.

  • Deposit

    LOPEZ, V.M., 1939, THE PRIMARY MINERALIZATION AT CHUQUICAMATA, CHILE, S.A.: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY V. 34, NO. 6, P. 674-711.

  • Deposit

    ANON., 1994, CHUQUICAMATA 1995 OUTPUT SET TO FALL: MINING JOURNAL, LONDON, OCT. 7, 1994, V. 323, NO. 8296, P. 255.

  • Deposit

    ALVEAR URRUTIA, J., 1974, CHILE NUESTRO COBRE, EDITORIAL LASTRA S.A.

  • Other Database

    CIMRI

  • Production

    THE 1970 THROUGH 1973 ANNUAL PRODUCTION AND ALL OF THE CUMULATIVE PRODUCTION FIGURES ARE FROM SUTULOV AND OTHERS, 1975. THE 1974-1976 ANNUAL PRODUCTION FIGURES ARE FROM BLICK DURCH DIE WIRTSCHAFT 15.3, 1977. RUIZ AND PEEBLES (1988), MINING, 1990, ANNUAL REVIEW, P. 44, LOTA, 1992.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit ELONGATED NNE TO SSW. DEPOSIT TRUNCATED ABRUPTLY BY FALLA OESTE (N10E, 90) IN THE WEST OXIDIZED TO 200 M; SUPERGENE ENRICHMENT TO 750 M (AT TWO LEVELS).
Deposit DATES ARE RANGES FROM SILLITOE (1988), MAKSAEV, ET AL. (1988), AMBRUS (1977), AND ALVAREZ, ET AL. (1980) ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JUN-1978 Theune, C.T.; Goudarzi, Gus H. (72 12) U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-JAN-1988 Orris, Greta J. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-SEP-1989 Williams, William C. University of Arizona
Updater 01-APR-1992 Bolm, Karen S. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 01-MAR-1994 Page, Norman J. U.S. Geological Survey
Updater 21-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.

Maps centered on this site