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Capillitas Mine, Andalgalá Department, Catamarca, Argentina

Rhodochrosite
Capillitas Mine, Andalgalá Department, Catamarca, Argentina

Photo: 2002 John H. Betts
Latitude: 27°20'44"S
Longitude: 66°22'51"W
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.

External Links

- http://www.cricyt.edu.ar/libro_ianigla/249%20marquez.pdf
- http://www.art-petrus.com.ar/RHODO.htm [Link Broken? Aug 2011]

Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities
Acanthite
Adamite
Aikinite
Allargentum
Alunite
Anglesite
Antlerite
Argyrodite
Arsenopyrite
Azurite
Baryte
Beaverite-(Cu)
Bismuthinite
Bornite
Boulangerite
Bournonite
Brochantite
Calaverite
Calcite
Caledonite
Carbonatecyanotrichite
Catamarcaite (TL)
Celestine
Cerussite
Chalcanthite
Chalcocite
Chalcopyrite
Colusite
Copiapite ?
Covellite
Cuprite
Cyanotrichite
Diaspore
Dickite
Dietrichite
Digenite
Duranusite
Emplectite
Enargite
Famatinite
Ferricopiapite
Fluorite
Freibergite
Galena
Germanite
Gold
var: Electrum
Goldfieldite
Goslarite
Greigite
Gypsum
Halotrichite
Hematite
Hessite
Hübnerite
Jamesonite
Jarosite
Jordanite
Kaolinite
Krennerite
Linarite
Luzonite
Marcasite
Mawsonite
Melanterite
Melonite
Metavoltine
Nekrasovite
Olivenite
Orpiment
Osarizawaite
Parnauite
Pearceite
Petzite
Proustite
Putzite (TL)
Pyrite
Pyrrhotite
Quartz
var: Milky Quartz
Realgar
Renierite
Rhodochrosite
var: Capillitite
Römerite
Rutile
Serpierite
Siderite
Siderotil
Silver
Sphalerite
Stannite
Stannoidite
Stützite
Sylvanite
Tellurium
Tennantite
Tetradymite
Tetrahedrite
'Tetrahedrite Group'
Thalcusite
UM2006-11-S:CuFeGeZn
Voltaite
Volynskite
Wittichenite
Wurtzite


155 entries listed. 101 valid minerals. 2 type localities (valid minerals).

Localities in this Region

Argentina
Argentina

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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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