2005 PurenGeochemical Study

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Geochemical study of the steam-heated lithocap

above the Puren deposit, La Coipa mine, Chile
Conference Paper May 2005
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Antonio Arribas
Akita University
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Geochemical study of the steam-heated cap above the Puren deposit,
La Coipa mine, Chile
Antonio Arribas (Placer Dome, Reno, USA)

Jose Luis Illanes, Carlos Peralta and Mario Fuentes (Mantos de Oro, Copiapo, Chile)
Puren is a newly discovered Ag-Au deposit 5 km northeast of the La Coipa mine in

Chile. Puren is currently under feasibility study and contains a measured and indicated
resource of 1.5 Moz Aueq. from 17 Mt of ore at an avg. grade of 2.8 g/t Aueq. Production
from Puren Phase 1 open pit (0.5Moz Aueq. reserve) is expected to start in late 2005.
Discovery of this blind deposit owes much to: a) development and application of a
geologic/exploration model based on observations at La Coipa mine, b) careful field
observations and analysis of previous exploration data, and c) persistence in drilling.
Overall, the setting of the Puren deposit is similar to that of the Coipa Norte orebody,
which is characterized by Ag-Au mineralization in silicic and advanced argillically
altered volcanic and basement rocks overlain by volcanic rocks affected by steam-heated
alteration. Silver-Au mineralization at Puren is blind and occurs under an average of
~100 m of colluvial soil and lithologic cover. The lithologic cover consists of pre-
mineralization, hydrothermally altered volcanic rock or post-mineralization ignimbrite.
The hydrothermal alteration, in part, has a steam-heated origin. The principal objective of
this study was to identify geochemical anomalies within the steam-heated cap at Puren in
order to develop a tool to aid basic geological mapping aimed at defining drill targets for
discovery of other blind, Puren-style orebodies in the La Coipa district.
Three composite samples from 31 representative RC and core holes located above and
around the Puren deposit were selected. The first composite sample consisted of colluvial
or soil cover between a drilled depth of 2 and 4 m. The second composite consisted of the
upper 8 meters of bedrock, which in all cases is composed of steam-heated alteration of
volcanic rocks. The third composite was collected within the steam-heated alteration zone
8 to 18 m below the top of bedrock. Economic Au and Ag grades occur about 40 m
below the deepest interval sampled for this study. Rock samples were analyzed by X-ray
fluorescence (whole-rock and trace elements), aqua regia ICP/MS and LOI.
The results obtained in bedrock samples indicate that silver, and to a lesser degree
tungsten and molybdenum, show a correlation (positive for Ag and W and negative for
Mo) with the general location and trend of the Puren orebody. Although only a few
elements showed a correlation, this was strong enough to be useful in identifying both the
location of the buried orebody as well as the trend of the mineralization and cross-cutting
structures. Colluvium samples also proved remarkably effective in identifying buried
ore, with clear Pb and Zn anomalies, among other elements such as Cu and In, above the
Puren deposit.
The geochemical anomalies identified at Puren provide a targeting tool that is

immediately applicable to prospective ground in the La Coipa district and to on-going
exploration by Mantos de Oro at the nearby Esperanza property. A similar approach may
be applicable to other shallow Au-Ag epithermal systems elsewhere.
Geochemical Study Of The Steam-heated
Lithocap Above The Puren Deposit
La Coipa Mine, Chile
Reno, Nevada - GSN 2005
May 18, 2005
Antonio Arribas (PDX, Reno)

Jose Luis Illanes, Carlos Peralta, Mario Fuentes (Mantos de Oro, Chile)
Peter Kowalczyk (PDX, Vancouver)
Paul Taufen (Consultant, Denver)
Generalized HS Geologic Model
Generalized HS Geologic Model
Placer Dome Global Operations
La Coipa: Minex Success
Owned and operated by Compaia Minera Mantos de Oro: Placer

Dome (50%) - Kinross (50%)
Mining starts in 1989 with 1,000 tpd plant, then a 15,000 tpd
agitation leaching plant in 1991
An initial reserve was 50Mt @ 1.58g/t Au, 60g/t Ag
Initial LOM 10 years (to 2001)
Mid 1990s MDO: Coipa 2015
Production to Dec. 2004: ~5 Moz Aueq.
Dec. 2004 reserves: 1.1Moz Au and 66Moz Ag
Overall exploration costs ~$7 per oz Aueq.
Estimated mineral reserves and mineral resources as at December 31. Full details and important related information are contained in
Placer Domes press release dated February 26, 2004 and February 23, 2005 and available on our website at www.placerdome.com
La Coipa, Ore Distribution
- Alteration
Steam heated, vuggy silica, advanced
argillic, argillic
- Mineralization Styles
Disseminated, breccia, veins and mantos
- Structural & lithological controls
- Hypogene mineralization
Native gold and silver, argentite, electrum,
proustyte, pyrargyrite, pyrite, enargite,
tetrahedrite, tennantite, chalcopyrite, bornite,
galena and sphalerite
- Supergene overprint
Native gold and silver, cerargyrite, embolyte,
iodargyrite, argento-jarosite
View Of La Coipa Mine
Maricunga Belt
Deposits And Alteration
View Of Puren
North Target
South Target
Puren Discovery Facts
Puren is a blind deposit, covered by colluvium/soils and steam-heated altered

volcanics
Property optioned in 1995 by Placer Dome from Codelco. Several geophysically-
defined targets were drilled (19 holes) without significant success; option was
dropped
MDO negotiated a deal with Codelco in 2002 (US$1.75M to earn 65%). Two
targets were defined by geological mapping: the southern target failed to
produce economic mineralization, the northern target delivered a M&I resource
of 1.53 Moz Aueq from 17 Mt of ore at 2.8 g/t Aueq
Puren JV begins Phase 1 pre-stripping later in 2005, Puren Phase I will extend
La Coipa mine life by >2 yr
Current reserve (Puren Phase 1 pit) is ~500,000oz Aueq
Estimated mineral reserves and mineral resources as at December 31. Full details and important related information are contained in
Placer Domes press release dated February 26, 2004 and February 23, 2005 and available on our website at www.placerdome.com
Puren 1050NE Section: Lithology
Puren 1050NE Section: Alteration
Puren 1050NE Section: Silver
Methodology Of The Study
Representative RC and core holes located above and around the

Puren deposit were selected
Three composite samples:
1) Colluvial/soil cover (2 - 4m depth)
2) The upper 8 meters of bedrock
3) Bedrock depths 8 to 18 m
Bedrock always consisted of pre-mineralization, steam-heated
altered pyroclastics
Rock samples analyzed by:
a) Aqua regia ICP/MS
b) Whole rock, trace element XRF
c) LOI Average minimum depth to Phase 1
mineralization is 95 m, about 50 m
below the deepest sample in this study
Results: Shallow Bedrock Samples
Results: Colluvium Samples
Ag In Colluvium
Ag In Colluvium Samples
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Significance Of The Results
The geochemical anomalies identified at Puren:

Consistently show the location of the Puren deposit at deeper
levels
Show the trend of the Puren deposit
Provide additional evidence for cross-cutting structures
It is immediately applicable to prospective ground in the La
Coipa district and to on-going exploration at the Esperanza
property
Applicable to other shallow Au-Ag epithermal systems
elsewhere

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Geochemical study of the steam-heated lithocap

Conference Paper May 2005

Epithermal and Porphyry Deposits View project

Porphyry copper exploration View project

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Antonio Arribas (Placer Dome, Reno, USA)

Puren is a newly discovered Ag-Au deposit 5 km northeast of the La Coipa mine in

The geochemical anomalies identified at Puren provide a targeting tool that is

Antonio Arribas (PDX, Reno)

Owned and operated by Compaia Minera Mantos de Oro: Placer

- Structural & lithological controls

Puren is a blind deposit, covered by colluvium/soils and steam-heated altered

Representative RC and core holes located above and around the

Significance Of The Results

The geochemical anomalies identified at Puren:

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