Potosi

Producer in Potosi, Bolivia with commodities Antimony, Lead, Silver, Tin, Tungsten, Zinc
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mining district
  11. Mineral rights holdings
  12. Land status
  13. Ownership information
  14. Reserves and resources
  15. Workings at the site
  16. Links to other databases
  17. Bibliographic references
  18. General comments
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10166411
MAS/MILS ID 3350350003
Record type Site
Current site name Potosi

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -65.79944, -19.6476 (WGS84)
Elevation 4500
Location accuracy 10000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Potosi(province)

Bolivia(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Bolivia Potosi

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Antimony Critical Tertiary
Lead Tertiary
Silver Tertiary
Tin Critical Tertiary
Tungsten Critical Tertiary
Zinc Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Arsenopyrite Unknown
Cassiterite Unknown
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Pyrargyrite Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Sericite Unknown
Sphalerite Unknown
Stannite Unknown
Tetrahedrite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -65.79944, -19.6476

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N31E
    Dip 90N
    Length 500M
    Width 900M
    Area 500HA
    Depth to top 75M
    Field Value
    Type of Orebody #1 FISSURE VEIN
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 SHEAR ZONE
    Type of Orebody #3 STOCKWORK
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control FAULTING
    Secondary Ore Control IGNEOUS
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. INTENSE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 SERICITIC
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #2 INTERM ARGILLIC
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #3 SILICIFICATION
    Strike And Dip N31E:90N
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 500
    Date of Last Modification 780213

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Significant No
Discovery year 1545
Year of first production 1546

Mining district

District name Potosi District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights State Lease
Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category State

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Bolivian Government Corp. Minera De Bolivia
    Interest 100
    Home office Bolivia
    Year 1960

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1954
    Measured 25000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 25000000mt ore
    Total resources 25000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Tin Sn 0.2999 wt-pct Tin Trace 1954

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Length 100000M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 2
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method FILLED STOPES
    Percent Waste Rock 40
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics ONE SYSTEM OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING MAY BACK SLAB
    Mine Support Chars. POST, HEADBOARD, CAPS, ROOF BOLTS
    Length of Inclines (m) 0
    Slope of Inclines 0
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    2nd Condition of Workings PART ACCESSIBLE
    Capacity 1200
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 20
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 300
    Operating Shifts per Day 1
    Year of Information 1975

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    TURNEAURE, F. S., 1960, A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MAJOR ORE DEP

  • Deposit

    OF CENTRAL BOLIVIA, PARTS 1 AND 2: ECON. GEOL., V. 55, PP. 2

  • Deposit

    574-606.

  • Deposit

    AHLFELD, F., 1954, LOS YACIMIENTOS MINERALES DE BOLIVIA: BAN

  • Deposit

    MINERO DE BOLIVIA, LA PAZ, PG. 89-94, PRINTED IN BILBAO, S

  • Deposit

    IMPRENTA INDUSTRIAL S. A., IN SPANISH.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOUR., 1975, WORLD ROUNDUP: MCGRAW HI

  • Deposit

    YORK, JANUARY 75, P. 80.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JR., 1975, INTERN. DIRECTORY OF MININ

  • Deposit

    MCGRAW HILL, N. Y., P. 212-213.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit 3 VEIN SYSTEMS EXIST: N31E, N53E, AND NGE. LARGE SHEETED ZON CENTER OF POTOSI STOCK IS N31E AND IS AMEANABLE TO OPENPIT. STATES BELOW 900 M LEVEL VEINS THIN BUT HAVE 3 PCT SN, CERRO PRODUCED 30000 T AG IN PAST, COULD BE OPEN PITTED AS 0.3 PCT MINE OF 25 TO 30 MILL. TONS, 1950 PRODUCTION 2845 T SN, 57 T 1951 PRODUCTION 2569 T SN, 28.5 T W03, ALL ABOVE DATA FROM A EMJ, 1975, SAYS NEW 60000 TPY ZN SMELT. BEING CONSIDERED BY POTOSI. LOCATION DATA FROM AHLFELD. DRAG LINE SYSTEM ON POTO TAILINGS, CALLED AROYFILLA MINE, CLOSED POST-1929 PRE-1954. SAYS 2000 EMPLOYED, MINE CAPACITY 100000 TO 500000 TPY ORE

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 14-DEC-94 Ljb U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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