This mine holds the famous occurrence of the banded layers, concretions and stalactites of "Inca Rose" rhodochrosite, for which it is presently being mined. Originally mined by the Argentine army for its metals content, not the rhodochrosite (first described in the literature in 1873).
Epithermal mineralization related to Miocene-Pliocene volcanism hosted in Paleozoic granite. Principal veins are the Capillitas, Carmelitas, La Rosario, Ortiz, Restauradora, and 25 de Mayo veins. This is the most species-rich locality in Argentina. The mineral deposition has been divided into six stages.
Indigenous people probably mined the placers for gold preconquest. In the 17th and 18th centuries the area was mined for Jesuits. From the 1850's mining has been carried out by Argentine and English companies.
References
- Marquez-Zavalia, F. , Craig, J.R. and Solberg, T.N. (1999): Duranusite, product of realgar alteration, mina Capillitas, Argentina. Canadian Mineralogist, 37, 1255-1259.
- Paar, W., Roberts, A.C., Topa, D., Zagler, G., Berlepsch, P., Armbruster, Th. (2004): Putzite, (Cu4.7 Ag3.3)GeS6, a new mineral species from Capillitas, Catamarca, Argentina: description and crystal structure. Canadian Mineralogist: 42: 1757-1769.
- MARQUEZ-ZAVALIA, Maria Florencia & CRAIG, James R. (2004): Tellurium and precious-metal ore minerals at Mina Capillitas, Northwestern Argentina. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie Monatshefte 2004, 176-192.
- Putz, H. (2005): Mineralogy and Genesis of Epithermal Ore Deposits at Capillitas, Catamarca Province, NW Argentina. PhD Thesis, University of Salzburg.
- Putz, H., Paar, W. H., Topa, D., Makovický, E., Roberts, A. C. (2006): Catamarcaite, Cu6GeWS8, a new species of germanium–tungsten sulfide from Capillitas, Catamarca, Argentina: description, paragenesis and crystal structure. Canadian Mineralogist, 44, 1481-1497.
- PUTZ, Hubert; PAAR, Werner H and TOPA, Dan. A contribution to the knowledge of the mineralization at mina Capillitas, Catamarca. Rev. Asoc. Geol. Argent. [online]. 2009, vol.64, n.3, pp. 514-524.
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