Caracoles

Plant in La Paz, Bolivia with commodities Bismuth, Silver, Tin
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. Ownership information
  11. Production statistics
  12. Workings at the site
  13. Links to other databases
  14. Bibliographic references
  15. General comments
  16. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10207048
MAS/MILS ID 3350200095
Record type Site
Current site name Caracoles
Alternate or previous names De Bolivia, Gugenheim Company, Empresa Minera Caracoles De Estano, Aramayo Company

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -67.26619, -16.98098 (WGS84)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

La Paz(province)

Bolivia(country)

South America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Bolivia La Paz

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Bismuth Critical Secondary
Silver Secondary
Tin Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bismuthinite Unknown
Cassiterite Unknown
Silver Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -67.26619, -16.98098

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 0.8M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 FISSURE VEIN
    Shape of Orebody #1 IRREGULAR
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control FRACTURING
    Date of Last Modification 860829

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1890
Mining method Open Stope - Underhand
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Gravity
Milling method Gravity

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Comibol - Corp. Minera De Bolivia
    Interest 100
    Year 1983
  • Type Operator
    Owner Comibol, Empresa Minera Caracoles
    Year 1983

Production statistics

  • Year 1968
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 95000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1969
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 100000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1970
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 150000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1971
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 152500 Mt Ore
  • Year 1972
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 155000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1973
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 157500 Mt Ore
  • Year 1974
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 160000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1975
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 165000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1976
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 185000 Mt Ore
  • Year 1979
    Period 1977-1979
    Description 185000 Mt Ore/Yr 1977 Thru 1979 Mt Ore
  • Year 1980
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 136500 Mt Ore
  • Year 1981
    Description Mt Ore/Yr 202500 Mt Ore

Comments on the production information

  • MINOR BISMUTH AND SILVER ARE PRODUCED AS BY-PRODUCTS IN A SULPHIDE FLOTATION CONCENTRATE, SEPARATED FROM THE GRAVITY TIN CONCENTRATES. A $805.00 SMELTING COST AND A $24.91 MILLING COST PER TONNE ARE INCURRED IN THE PRODUCTION OF PRODUCT A. A $410.00 SMELTING COST AND A $24.91 MILLING COST PER TONNE ARE INCURRED IN THE PRODUCTION OF PRODUCTS B AND C, BI-AG CONCENTRATE.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • MINING OF SN, W, BI BY SKRINKAGE STOPING. SECTIONS ARE: PONGO, MILINOS, ARGENTINA, AND PACUNI. THE COMPLEX UNDERGOING EXPANSIO N AND CROSSCUT DEVELOPMENT 180 BELOW OLD WORKINGS INTERSECTED TH E RAMO ALI VEIN AVE. 7% SN ACROSS 1 M.
  • CRU DATA 1-89 RESOURCE 867,100 MT.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Overall depth 141M
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method UNDERHAND 10-35
    Percent Recovery 90
    Hardness of Rock HARDROCK WITH LITTLE WATER
    Rock Characteristics MULTIPLE SYSTEMS OF WEAKNESS PLANES
    Rock Support Chars. SUPPORTING WHEN DRY
    Mine Support Chars. TIMBER
    Number of Shafts 2
    Length of Inclines (m) 300
    Slope of Inclines 33
    Number of Inclines 2
    1st Condition of Workings OPEN
    Capacity 590
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 42.09
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 340
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1983
  • Type of workings Underground
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 2
    Capacity 294
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 25.57
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 340
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1989

Comments on other economic factors

  • THE MINE IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR SECTIONS: . ARGENTINA 6 LEVELS PACUNI 3 LEVELS CARMEN ROSA 2 LEVELS GRAN RECORTE 3 LEVELS

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    THERE ARE NO PUBLISHED REPORTS OR DOCUMENTS DESCRIBING THE

  • Deposit

    CARACOLES OPERATIONS. ALL LISTED INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED

  • Deposit

    BY DAVY MCKEE FROM CONFIDENTIAL COMIBOL AND OTHER BOLIVIAN

  • Deposit

    SOURCES.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THIS DEPOSIT CONTAINS MORE THAN 100 VEINS. VEIN WIDTHS VARY FROM A FEW CENTIMETERS UP TO 2 METERS, AVERAGING 70-80 CENTIMETERS.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-DEC-1992 Sabin, A. E. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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