Por: Rildo Rodríguez Mejía y Eder Villareal Jaramillo, Instituto Geológico Minero y Metalúrgico, y Cleber Huachaca Chipane, Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco.

Trabajo ganador del Premio Nacional de Minería en el Foro TIS de PERUMIN 37.

Abstract

The definition of structural controls is one of the first steps in mineral resource exploration and remains relevant through to the mine closure stage. This process is carried out based on observations at both regional and local scales.

In the Andes, the main structural corridors trend NW-SE, and their intersections with others increase the potential for mineral deposit emplacement. The objective is to define N-S corridors, which are usually not mapped using conventional structural geology methods. To achieve this, various datasets from the 1:50,000 National Geological Map were integrated and analyzed in conjunction with other specialized studies.

Eight N-S-trending structural corridors were identified, which control the emplacement of mineral deposits such as porphyries and epithermal systems. It was also observed that the dynamics of the N-S structural controls are responsible for facies and thickness variations within Mesozoic sedimentary sequences, which in turn enhance the quality of the sedimentary metalotect.