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Descubridora Mine, Chañarcillo, Copiapó Province, Atacama Region, Chile

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Mina Descubridora de Chañarcillo

Descubridora mine was started in the early 1830s, immediately after the discovery of the deposit. It was the first mine to be worked in the Chañarcillo district, and this is also reflected by its name, which means "discoveress".

The deposit was discovered by a certain Juan Godoy. Depending on the reference consulted on this subject, this was in 1831 or 1832. Mr. Godoy is variously reported to have been a poor farmer, hunter, donkey driver or miner and his discovery is variously attributed to him hunting, reposing on an outcrop, searching for a lost animal or just stumbling over a lump of native silver.

Since the whole are was then densely overgrown by Chañar - a species of dwarf plum-tree - the area was named Chañarcillo.

Mineral List

Calcite
Chlorargyrite

Chlorargyrite
var: Bromian Chlorargyrite
Iodargyrite

'Limonite'
Silver

6 entries listed. 4 valid minerals.

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References

Moesta, F.A. (1870): Ueber das Vorkommen der Chlor-, Brom- und Jodverbindungen des Silbers in der Natur - Ein Beitrag zur Kenntniss der Geologischen und Bergbaulichen Verhältnisse von Nordchile. Verlag von Oscar Eberhardt's Universitätsbuchhandlung (Marburg), 47 pp.

Henwood, W.J. (1871): Observations on Metalliferous Deposits: On the Mining District of Chañarcillo in Chili. Transactions of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall 8(1), 69-153.

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