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Colquechaca (Aullagas), Chayanta Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia

Latitude: 18°39'S
Longitude: 66°1'W
Famous spanish colonial Ag mine, still active, which has been the source of some classic Ag sulphosalt specimens, including pyrargyrite and argyrodite.

(NOTE: There is no selenium in this deposit; the Se minerals sometimes erroneously ascribed to this locality are really from the Virgen de Surumi mine in Pakajake canyon, about 28km NE of Colquechaca.)

Colquechaca and Aullagas are not really separate mineral localities. The name Aullagas appears on very old labels, but is in reality the now uninhabited "ghost" town a bit over 1km from the current town of Colquechaca. Aullagas was an important town during the colonial era, and many roofless building shells remain, but the miners now live in the neighboring town of Colquechaca, at a bit lower elevation. Both towns worked the same ore veins, so the two names really denote a difference in residential district at different periods of history, not different ore deposits. For example, the Gallofa-Embudo vein passes by the now uninhabited town of Aullagas, and used to be worked from there, but that vein is now worked by means of the long Progreso and San Bartolome adits from the town of Colquechaca: different towns, different town names on labels, but same ore veins, same minerals.

Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities
Acanthite
Andorite
Argentopyrite
Argyrodite
Arsenopyrite
Baryte
Bismuth
Bismuthinite
'Bitumen
var: Elaterite'

Bournonite
Calcite
Canfieldite (TL)
Cassiterite
Chalcopyrite
Chalcostibite
Chlorargyrite
Cosalite
Cylindrite
Dyscrasite
Franckeite
Galena
Hocartite
Jalpaite
Jamesonite
Löllingite
Marcasite
Matildite
Mckinstryite
Miargyrite
Owyheeite
Polybasite
Proustite ?
Pyrargyrite
Pyrite
Pyrrhotite
Quartz
Siderite
Silver
Smithsonite
Sphalerite
Stannite
Stephanite
Teallite
Tetrahedrite
'Tourmaline'
Vivianite
Wolframite
Wurtzite


56 entries listed. 44 valid minerals. 1 type locality (valid mineral).

Localities in this Region

Bolivia
Bolivia

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Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2011. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them. Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. Mindat does not offer minerals for sale. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.
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