Lo Aguirre

Last updated
Lo Aguirre
Location
Chile location map.svg
Schlaegel und Eisen nach DIN 21800.svg
Lo Aguirre
Santiago Metropolitan Region
Country Chile
Coordinates 33°26′46.77″S70°55′16.77″W / 33.4463250°S 70.9213250°W / -33.4463250; -70.9213250
Production
Products Copper
History
Opened1980
Closed2000
Owner
CompanyNueva Pudahuel

Lo Aguirre is a medium-sized copper mine located west of Santiago in central Chile. [1] The copper deposit is of stratabound type and formed during a time of extensional tectonics in what is now the Chilean Coast Range in the Jurassic and Cretaceous. [1] The mile lies at elevation between 500 and 700 m a.s.l. [1] In the late 1980s Lo Aguirre became a commercial solvent-extraction-based operation using bioleaching. It became Chile's first mine to achieve this despite a previous attempt at Chuquicamata in the early 1970s. [2] [3] The mine begun operations in November 1980 and closed in 2000 but the procedures associated to the closure lasted until 2016. [1] [3] The mine was known for being the mine that was closest to Chile's capital Santiago. [3]

The mine existed in the 18th century when Jesuits mined copper oxides from it. [1] Mining and exploration activity in it started again in 1865 and lasted until 1924. [1] In the last eight years of activity the mine was owned by Santiago Mining Co, a subsidiary of Anaconda Copper. [1]

There are three main mineralized orebodies in Lo Aguirre known as Principal, Amanda and Milagro. [1] Geologically the ore deposit of Lo Aguirre is similar to the deposits of Michilla, Mantos Blancos and El Soldado. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Saric, Nicolas; Kreft, Carlos; Huete, Carlos (2003). "Geología del yacimiento Lo Aguirre, Chile" [Geology of Lo Aguirre copper deposit, Chile]. Revista Geológica de Chile (in Spanish). 30 (2): 317–331. doi:10.4067/S0716-02082003000200010.
  2. Domic, Esteban M. (2007). "A Review of the Development and Current Status of Copper Bioleaching Operations in Chile: 25 Years of Successful Commercial Implementation". In Rawlings, D.E; Johnson, B.D. (eds.). Biomining. Springer. ISBN   3-540-34909-X.
  3. 1 2 3 Sottorff, Sebastián (2016-10-17). "Finaliza cierre de mina Lo Aguirre; autoridades analizan instalar un parque". El Mercurio (in Spanish).