2 L , BANCO MINERO DEL PERU. e4 “ ) WRGHIVO CENTRAL 6. | ane DIV- DE . —|NG 8 <- ESTUD GEOLOB af REPORT ON THE "LA FLOR N° ? coppéR DEPOSITS > / by Everett Henry Graff Consulting Mining Geologist - April 1971Location The “Flor N2 2" mining property is located in the Department of Jea, Province of Pisco and District of Huancano. ‘The route is via the Pan American highway from Lima to the town of Chincha ( 228 kilometers ). There is a road from Chincha up the main San Juan valley. This road is followed for a distance of 41 kilometers to a dry canyon which branches to the east. A yoad has been made from this point for a distance of 650 meters to the base of the mountain where the mine is located. The slope is very steep. However, a good trail has recently been completed to the property for a distance of twelve kilometers. A road on a eight percent grade will require approximately fifteen kilometers of construction. At least eighty percent of this distance will be in loose, highly fractured talus slope type material. The last five kilometers is in clay. Flevation The olevation of the present workings ranges between 2,160 meters and 2,200 meters. The climate is dry and hot most of the year; typical of the near coastal belt. Water It is interesting and important to note that the tributary drainage channels from the higher mountain region do carry under~ ground water. One of these traverses the area near the base of the present mine workings. One shallow vel] now supplies enough additional wells will likelyygive sufficient water for a small operation. a water for general camp use. I believe that two or threHistory There are no indications of old spanish workings. The first recent information concerning the copper mineralization was reported by the indians in the area. Engineor Miguel A. Merino Picasso has denounced 160 hectareas covering the main deposit. During the last two or three years he has driven a number of short cvosscuts, shallow winzes and trenches along the outcrops. This work has exposed part of the mineralized zone in the ghly fractured better grade section of the deposit for a Visible length of 200 meters. Selective mining and hand sorting have enabled him to ship a stall tonnage of better grade ore assaying between 10 percent and 14 percent’ copper. Several examinations and reports on the property have been made by other engineers during the last two years.Geology Barly and late Tertiary intrusives are characteristic of this mineralized zone. ‘The rocks consist of granodiorite, quartz diorite and some quartz monzonite dike: The highly fractured and best mineralized section is located along the difforentiated zone between the quartz diorite and the granodiorite. Tt appears that the separation of the ore solutions occurred late in the history of the differentiating magma and that this separation was accompanied by a sharp decline in silica and lime content of the magma, It is concluded that the fluids removing and metals from the differentiating magma also carried away silie lime. There is evidence that the separation of the ore fluids occurred while the intrusive mass was still in a partially mobile state. The metallic components wore released from the differentiating magma and deposited at various stages. The main contact with a limestone formation Mes about three hundred meters east of the fracture zone and at a considerably higher horizon. There are several smal lenses and thin beds of limestone along the trail and fairly near the highly fractured zone. However, T saut_no basic evidence which will justify classifying the deposit as one of contact origin. -The ore bearing solutions and tho mineralization are strictly of structural control.Mineralization The gonoral strike of the main fracture zone is N 30° W . The dip varies between 20° and 30° to the northeast. The highly fracturcd zone is approximately thirty meters wide. The better grade mineralization occurs irregitlarly along cross veins, fractures and pods. A sample of this ore which is now being mined on a smal) scale, assays 11.5 percent copper. A sample across the entire mineralized fracture zone assays 6.3 poreent coppers The oxide minerals are the most prominent; namely azurite, malachite, cirysocolla, There is some brochantite. The primary copper minerals chalcopyrite and bornite can be seen in small amount along the west footwall of the highly fractured zone. There is some of the supergene copper mineral cuprite. The secondary copper minerals covellite and chalcocite were also observed. A transition zone is evident, Howover, the oxides within the main deposit are expected to continue to a depth of 100 meters. ‘The gangue minerals are quartz, calcite, kaolin and iron oxides. Disseminated chalcopyrite was observed in a nunber of places as shown on the accompanying map. However, no prediction of the extent nor the grade can be made without a systematic investigation which will require a well organized mapping and drilling program, ‘A sample of sulphide ore from the footwall side of the main fracture zone assays 3.4 percent copper. However, this is not indicative of the gmide within the disseminated area. I do not expect i the grade of the porphyry to be over one percent coppers gtORE __ESTIMATE " Assured Ore ™ (Ore exposed in the highly fractured zone now being worked ) . Length (nt) Width (nt) Depth (nt) 200 x 30 x 10 X 2.7 Grade Metric tons _ Cu.% Ags oz. Aue gms. 129,609 1,2 - 1.0 " Reasonably Assured "Ore Length (nt) Width (mt) Depth _(nt) . 200 x 30 ” Metric tons - S 648,900 -. 5.0 --- 1.2 =-- 1.0 The above tonnage and grade figures have been calculated by applying ,a twenty percent correction factor to all of the statistics regarding assay results acquired by other engineers in previous sampling; as well as ny own. feMy tonnage calculations in this Ore Estimate are based on persona) examination and interpretation of ‘the structure and the mineralization as it can now be observed. The existing maps also proved useful. Selective mining and hand sorting does make it possible to obtain a snall tonnage of high grade ore. However, any operation of this nature is not economic. Furthermore, it is not the manner to exploit a deposit of this type. The present evidence justifies the development of the deposit by continuing the face of the existing lower crosscut to the east for at least another 40 meters. Drifts can then be driven to the northwest. and southeast along the better grade ore section. Sone sulphide copper ore will appear. However, the major min- eralization will likely be in oxides to a depth of at least 100 neters. There is surface evidence indicating that the main, highly fractured mineralized zone will continue several hundred meters beyond the present workings to the northwest and to the southeast. However, this can be proven only by a systematic development program. Mine preparation work and development is now justificd. It should be started ag soon as possible. No more time nor money should be spent on surface exploration and the selective mining procedure. The tonnage and grade Ore Estimate figures, as given herein, clearly indicate that enough tonnage of better grade ore can be developed rapidly'~ enough to justify a 100 to 200 ton per day ? operation. EiSurface reconnaissance proved the existance of disseminated copper sulphide ( chalcopyrite ) within the granodiorite and the quartz diorite intrusives. Mowever, it is impossible at this time to present any reliable tonnage or grade figure for even " potential " class ore. Any investigation or procedure of this nature showld be considered as a subsequent eyele to be conducted during the sual} scale milling operation. The testing and proving of a disseminated, porphyry copper doposit of tiis nature will require a extensive and expensive diamond drilling progran, Nevertheless, it is important to note that this type of mineralization docs exist in the region,Recommendat foils Continue the face of the lower crosscut for at least 50 meters ( N 50° E) Drift northwest and southeast on the main ore and fracture zone for at least 200 meters. Drive crosscuts from the drifts at 50 meter intervals ~ total 150 meters. Drive five raises on ore to the surface ~ total 200 meters. nore A minimum of 600 meters of development is well justified at this time and should be driven as soon as possible. This work will block out the ore as estimated. 2 . oe y Se. (Enz LLL (Zo “ e . ~~ Everett H. Graff Consulting Mining Geologist Lina, Peru Aprii 30, 1971