A gold-silver mine, located near Cotuí. Closed in 1999.
Epithermal deposit.
The first documented reference to Spanish mine workings in the area dates to 1505. Private industry financed an exploration program between 1953 and 1967, with the results that Pueblo Viejo was "rediscovered". Another processing plant was constructed in 1973, and a mill constructed in 1975. In 1979 the Dominican government purchased 54% of the stock of the mine. Mining operations and technical assistance are currently being contracted by the government from Rosario Resources Corporation, a subsidiary of Amax, Incorporated.
The mine is located within a series of limestone and dolomitic hills having an average elevation of 300 meters above sea level. The Pueblo Viejo deposit is epithermal in nature, with the gold deposits being developed by the weathering of a gold-quartz-pyrophylite deposit formed in a small basin in the upper part of an old volcanic unit. The deposit contains no mineable vein orebodies, but contains numerous narrow vein like structures that are closely spaced and irregular. These structures are being mined by open pit operations. Gold production is obtained from these features in the Las Lagunas Formation, a pocket of metasediments. Since 1973 production has been maintained from oxides, however the oxide reserves are projected to be depleted in the next few years. Current production amounts to 9,300 metric tons of ore per day, resulting in a recovery of 472 ounces of gold and 1,866 ounces of silver daily. Upon depletion of the oxides, production operations will be shifted to the sulfides. In the interim, transition ore, a mix of oxides and sulfides, will be mined.
References:- Mining Annual Review (1985): 360.
- Econ. Geol. 88 (1993), 55-71.
- Nelson, C.E. (2000): Volcanic domes and gold mineralization in the Pueblo Viejo district, Dominican Republic. Mineralium Deposita 35, 511-525.
- Econ. Geol. 101 (2006), 1427-1435.
- Econ. Geol. 102 (2007), 755 & 758. [Discussion and reply on 2006 paper.]
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http://www.heritagegeophysics.com/papers/dave2.htm
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Map Reference: 18°56'N , 70°13'W
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Mineral List:19 entries listed. 16 valid minerals.
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