page_title: Corocoro United Copper Mines
hierarchical_section_title: Corocoro United Copper Mines
caption_attribution_description: English: Native copper pseudomorph after aragonite (1.7 cm across at its widest) from the Tertiary of Bolivia. Pseudomorphs are minerals that have replaced other minerals, while retaining the crystal shape of the original mineral. This is a hexagonal crystal of native copper (Cu). The original crystal was pseudohexagonal, cyclically twinned aragonite (CaCO3 - calcium carbonate). The very dark red is cuprite, the result of oxidation of the native copper. The greenish areas are malachite (Cu2CO3(OH)2 - copper hydroxy-carbonate). This interesting specimen came from Bolivia's Corocoro Copper Mining District, but more specific provenance info. was not accompanying. It may be from the Umacoya Vein, a cupriferous horizon in coarse-grained siliciclastics of the Vetas Formation (Lower Miocene). Another possibility is that it came from the Ramos Formation (Eocene). Copper mineralization in the Corocoro Mining District is associated with the Corocoro Fault. Locality: in or near the town of Corocoro, Corocoro Mining District, southern La Paz Department, western Bolivia.
context_page_description: The Corocoro United Copper Mines, Ltd. was the largest copper mine in Bolivia, an honor previously held by Compania Corocoro de Bolivia. The corporate office was at 151 Finsbury Pavement House, London, England, while the mine office was at Coro Coro, Bolivia. It was organized August 6, 1909 under the laws of Great Britain. The lands included 515 claims in the Coro Coro district. The principal mines were the Wisk'achani, formerly owned by J. K. Child & Co., Ltd.; the Santa Rosa, formerly owned by Carreras Hermanos; and the Guallatiri, formerly owned by the Succession Noel Berthin. The mines were opened on two successive conglomerate strata of different geological horizons, and similar only in their origin and cupriferous nature. The mines are believed to have been worked by the Incas. The nearest water supply was the Rio Desaguadero, 14 miles away, down which the copper was shipped by way of Puerto de Desaguadero, and from there to Mollendo, Chile, for export to Europe.
context_section_description: The Corocoro United Copper Mines, Ltd. was the largest copper mine in Bolivia, an honor previously held by Compania Corocoro de Bolivia. The corporate office was at 151 Finsbury Pavement House, London, England, while the mine office was at Coro Coro, Bolivia. It was organized August 6, 1909 under the laws of Great Britain. The lands included 515 claims in the Coro Coro district.  The principal mines were the Wisk'achani, formerly owned by J. K. Child & Co., Ltd.; the Santa Rosa, formerly owned by Carreras Hermanos; and the Guallatiri, formerly owned by the Succession Noel Berthin. The mines were opened on two successive conglomerate strata of different geological horizons, and similar only in their origin and cupriferous nature. The mines are believed to have been worked by the Incas. The nearest water supply was the Rio Desaguadero, 14 miles (23 km) away, down which the copper was shipped by way of Puerto de Desaguadero, and from there to Mollendo, Chile, for export to Europe.
caption: Native copper pseudomorph after aragonite, Corocoro
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