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MINING

The province of Catamarca, located in the northwest of Argentina, has important geological and mining potential. Catamarca is the country’s first-ever copper and lithium producer with Bajo de la Alumbrera (in the process of closure) and Fénix (currently at production and expansion stages) projects. Regarding ornamental stones, it is the only producer of rhodochrosite that has a unique reserve in the world.

The mining policy in Catamarca is clear and effective, due to a good relationship between companies, communities, and the state. The consultation and public participation of the communities demonstrate transparency and truthfulness in the activity, which are fundamental pillars for the province government.

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LEGAL ASPECTS
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Catamarca: New “Código de Procedimientos Mineros” - Law 5682/20 - December 21, 2020
  •  Establishes the Ministry of Mining as the Mining Authority of the province of Catamarca.
  •  Modernizes, streamlines and simplifies mining management in the province.
  •  It eliminates bureaucracy and complexity, in addition to reducing procedural deadlines and unifying criteria, generating greater efficiency and agility in the procedures.
  •  Technological innovation and digitalization of the files.
  •  Regularization of the mining registerAll these actions, which streamline and make the mining process more transparent and efficient, improve the province’s attractiveness to mining investors.
“Catamarca Minera y Energética Sociedad del Estado (CAMYEN)” and “Yacimientos Mineros de Agua de Dionisio (YMAD)”: companies in which the government of Catamarca has participation and mark a course in the mining activity of the province.

CAMYEN is the mining and energy company of the province of Catamarca.

CAMYEN holds mining rights, that either it exploits on its own and/or associated to third parties.

CAMYEN has priority over those cases where the local Mining Authority has declared concession termination, vacancy or release of mining areas, so as to exercise any of the rights foreseen by the Argentine Mining Code.

PROJECTS

PRODUCTION STAGE

  • Minas Capillitas – Departamento Andalgalá.
    • 8 tons of semi-precious stone Rhodochrociteare obtained per year.

EXPLORATION STAGE

  • Filo de las Vicuñas – Departamento de Tinogasta.
    • Gold-bearing epithermal deposit, with subordinate silver, zinc and molybdenum mineralization.
  • Cortaderas Norte – Departamento de Tinogasta.
    • Agreement with Usufruct option with YPF SA. It is expected to obtain 20,000 tons of lithium per year.
  • Cerro atajo – Departamento Andalgalá.
    • The results are summarized, based on surface samples and drill holes, in an inferred reserve of 353.7 million tons with an average grade of 2.48 gr/tn Au; 39.9 gr/tn Ag and 0.13% Cu, making clear the potential of this deposit.

PROSPECTION STAGE

  • Energía Geotermal. 
    • Based on an agreement with Petra Energy, work will be carried out to identify areas of interest for prospecting, exploration and eventual production of endogenous steam in Caldera Cerro Blanco and San Martín Capayán.

➤ Exploration area of 344 km² in Hualfín, Belén, at an altitude that does not exceed 2,600 m.a.s.l.
➤ In operation: Farallón Negro, with more than 500 employees.
➤ In “Bloque Peirano”, an area belonging to YMAD, there are also several mining development projects. The most advanced, with 5,800 meters of drilling is called “Los Viscos”. In addition, there are other projects about which there are great expectations:

⦁ Agua Tapada.
⦁ Rincón grande
⦁ Macho Muerto
⦁ Las Pampitas
⦁ El Espanto

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MINING PROJECTS

It is important to mention the numerous small-scale mining projects located in different parts of the province, which are dedicated to the production of non-metallic minerals and application rocks, such as slab, limestone, gypsum, aggregates, among others.

Lithium Projects
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Metalliferous and Non-metalliferous Projects
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Projects at production state
1- TRAMONTANA PROJECT

The mineralization of the Tramontana is of the massive sulfide type with the presence of zinc, copper and cobalt and nickel as secondary ore. This project is located west of the Salar del Hombre Muerto, around 4000 meters above sea level, in Sierra de Calalaste that crosses the entire Puna heading N – S. The presence of water in plains stands out and an unoccupied position 1 km from the sector of interest, which can be used as a base camp for research. This district, previously unknown, with polymetallic VMS mineralization with the main level of probable VMS sulfides and 3 minor ones, for which it is suggested to build a “PI geophysical model” and profile the region looking for the same model in other places and 2 drilling searches of 200 m each to check the type of mineralization and determine provisional laws.

2- VIL ACHAY PROJECT

The Vil Achay tin deposit is located on the southeastern flank of the Fiambalá mountain range, 32 km north of the town of Tinogasta in the homonymous department, at 1850 m.a.s.l. It is precisely located on the right bank of the El Salto stream, in the environment of the Sierras Pampeanas. It is a project prospected between 1939 and 1983 and operated for the extraction of tin ore. New explorations and laboratory analyzes have been carried out to study the polymetallic potential, these have demonstrated the existence of significant amounts of metallic minerals and rare piles of earth.
The paragenic association of Sn – Cu – Zn and W – Sn – Li – Rb (both as “greisen” type), with Co-Ni – Fe (massive VMS sulfides) suggest a polycyclic bearing that makes its rehabilitation a very interesting project.

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3- VERNACUA PROJECT

It is one of the projects with the greatest exploratory potential in the province of Catamarca, given its geological characteristics and its gold and silver content, located in the San Buenaventura mountain range (South Limit of the Puna), in the auri-silver mining district of the same name. It is located at an altitude of 3,400 to 2,500 meters above sea level, so exploration tasks are carried out on a seasonal basis. Within the district, there are different mineral occurrences: La Borita (Cu and Ag); Co. Toronado (Au, Cu and Mo); La Hoyada (Au and Ag); The Sandones (Cu, Au and Ag); Potatoes (Au and Ag). The Vernancua project is genetically considered an epithermal-type gold and silver deposit with subordinate mineralization of copper, lead and zinc. As a historical review, it is known that the project was exploited by hand during the 1940s. The mineralization generally occurs in a vetiform manner, in two main 3 km long strips.

4- SAN JORGE PROJECT

The project is located in the Tinogasta Department, at an altitude of approximately 4,000 meters above sea level. with an area of interest between 70 and 80 km2. Despite the impurities detected in prospecting campaigns carried out by the Provincial Mining Directorate, the project yielded the best result in alkali carbonate content in the territory of Catamarca. It is recommended to carry out exploration with short holes, after detailed mapping to increase the level of data with respect to the area.

5- CERRO ATAJO PROJECT

Minas Atajo Group is situated in the Atajo District- Andalgalá Department in Catamarca Province, approximately 70 kilometers northwest of Andalgalá City, capital of the homonymous department in the Central-western region of Catamarca Province. Andalgalá City is located 250 kilometers away from San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca (capital).

The mining area is covered by the volcanic complex, which consists of: Andesitic Breccia – Basalt; Andesitic Breccia – Andesitic fine Toba (of a violet colour), Dacitic Toba with Andesitic lenses – Andesitic Breccia or Agglomerate (Peralta, 1). It is also integrated by the dacitic porphyric of “Atajo” Hill, “Blanco Chico” Hill and “Blanco Grande” Hill and the granite of “Bola” Hill. This complex was affected by a hydrothermal alteration with structural control, with a center of Cilicia and alunite. In the Cilicia nucleus or grain the following mineral content can be seen: pyrite, free gold, and other association with chalcopyrite, bornite, copper secondary minerals such as chalcocite, malachite, etc.

We are in the presence of vetiform and possibly disseminated deposits. To a smaller extent hauling sediment consists of diverse fractions that go medium size from pebbles to fine sand and silt, in slopes and river beds. This deposit is in the volcanic chain of Farallón Negro, Bajo de La Alumbrera, Minas Capillitas and Agua Rica

6- TRES QUEBRADAS PROJECT

Tres Quebradas project is set in Fiambalá, Catamarca Province, 30 km from the Chilean border, and 200 km from the maritime terminal Puerto caldera (Chile), 4.000 m.a.s.l.

The project includes “Tres Quebradas” Lagoon, which is a sodium, calcium and chloride supersaturated brine deposit, instead of a freshwater one. The brine density is of 1,22 (25% heavier than freshwater). Its black color derives from its manganese and other metals content.

There are two major salt flats in the area, formed by a very rough surface. This suggests that it is a mature salt formed mostly by a core of sodium chloride. The freshwater contribution to salt talks place at the southern end, where Valle Ancho River and Piscis River enter. All the rivers at the northern end of the complex provide thermal waters with high metal content. There are more than a dozen thermal contributions, and some have up to 1.00 mg/l of lithium content, which in turn is a worldwide record.

These contributions go straight to the salt flat and to “Tres Quebradas” Lagoon, where they concentrate by means of evaporation.

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MINING MAP