Geological & Mining

By:
Potential
of Ecuador
By:
John E. Bolaos
(P.Engineer, M.Sc., M.C.S.M.., QP Geo.)

26 Mayo 2016

Ecuador:
620 Km of the Andes
Surface 283,600 Km2
It is parte of the
Circum-Pacific belt.
The Huancabamba
deflection marks a
geological and
structural boundary.
Complex subduction
zone creating several
tectonic frames.
Surface of the Andes +
Cordillera Condor 8 M
Ha

Location of the
Republic of Ecuador

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE GEOLOGY

The geological literature of Ecuador starts in 1892 when Teodoro

Wolf published the study Geography and Geology of Ecuador.
After Wolf, several authors published various geological papers
describing geological and mineralogical targets in Ecuador (i.e.
Holloway, 1932 among others).
Later, during the 60s to the 90s, Ecuador signed international
agreements for technical cooperation with several countries such as
U.K., Japan, Belgium, Germany, etc.
One of the most productive programs carried out in Ecuador was the
Environmental Control and Mining Development Project
(PRODEMINCA) carried out during 1997 and 1999 with the
participation and financing of the World Bank and the Governments
of U.K., Sweden and Ecuador.

INIGEMM
VISOR GEOGRFICO y GEOLGICO
Informacin disponible:
Infraestructura: Puertos Martimos, Aeropuertos, Vas,
Centrales Elctricas
Patrimonio de reas Naturales del Estado (MAE)
Catastro Minero (ARCOM)
Geologa Simplificada
Base de Datos de Sedimentos Fluviales (Au y Cu)
Geofsica Recopilada
Informacin de Proyectos Pblicos y Privados
www.geoinvestigacion.gob.ec

Roads Net & Ports

in Ecuador

Geological Map of the

Republic of Ecuador,
Scale: 1:1.000.000
British Geological
Survey and CODIGEM ,
1993

Mapa de las divisiones

litotectnicas
(terrenos)
del Ecuador.

(Litherland y Zamora, 1991)

Tectono -Metallogenic
Map of the Republic of
Ecuador,
Scale: 1:1.000.000
British Geological Survey
and CODIGEM , 1993

Auriferous
Potential
Map of
Ecuador
(Fungeomi
ne
Capemine
2008

GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION
2016
REAL CORDILLERA & EASTERN
SUBANDEAN ZONE
SCALE 1:100,000

GEOLOGICAL MAPPING:
30 geological maps scale 1:100,000 covering
an efective area of about 60,000 Km2
STREAM SEDIMENTS GECHEMISTRY
Approximate surface coverage 48.000 Km2
(Source: INIGEMM, 2015)

GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION
2016

GEOLOGICAL UPDATE OF THE

COAST, WESTERN CORDILLERA & AMAZON
103 geological maps scale 1:100,000
Coverage of about 160,000 Km2

GEOPHYSICS
Airborne magnetometry and gravimetry

MINERAL OCCURRENCES SURVEY

2016
DETAILED RESEARCH OF ZONES OF MINING POTENTIAL.
Additional diamond drilling programs if deserved.
GEOLOGICAL DATABASE OF ECUADOR
Databse and implementation of the national geological rock and core
repository.

QA&QC (AUDITING):
Through a qualified-profesional consulting firm with the
corresponding geological background to audit processes and works.

MINING BLOCKS TO BE OFFERED INIGEMM

Source:
Catalogue of
Investments in
Strategic Sectors
2015 - 2017

GEOLOGICAL AND MINING POTENTIAL

OF THE ANDES, ECUADOR

The spatial-time distribution of the Cu

porphyries and related epithermal
mineralizations of the Peru
metallogenic belts are very similar to
those ones in Ecuador.

Source: (Ph.D. Thesis Philip Shtte, 2010, University of

Geneve)

GEO-STRUCTURAL DOMAINS
(TERRANES)

From West to East Ecuador counts

with 6 geo-structural domains:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

The Fore Arc Basin of the

Coast
Western Cordillera
Interandean Graven
Real or Central Cordillera
Eastern SubAndean Zone
Back Arc Basin of Iquitos

(Figure after Litherland and Zamora 1991)

1. The Fore Arc Basin of the

Coast

(Figure after Litherland and

Zamora 1991)

1. THE FORE ARC BASIN OF THE COAST

Is the lower and flat zone to the W.

Cretaceous to Cenozoic basin underlain
by aloctonous basaltic ocean crust
(Ocean Pion Terrane).
Geo-mining potential:
Fe+Ti+PGMs sedimentary (Esmeraldas
and Manabi)
Au+Fe+Cu placer deposits related to
rivers to the W of the Western
Cordillera.
Au+Sb+Hg+Ba Epi-Mesothermal
deposits to the S of the Coast (El Oro).

2. Western Cordillera

(Figure after Litherland and Zamora 1991)

2. WESTERN CORDILLERA

Located between the fore-arc of the Coast and the graven or the
InterAndean Central Valley.
Formed by an accretionary prism mainly of ocean crust
composition, continental crust and accreted Late Mesozoic to
Cenozoic ocean terrains (Pion, Pallatanga, Macuchi).
It is overlain by calc-alkaline Post-Eocene continental margin
volcanic sequences.
Geo-Mining Potential:
Au+Pt placer deposits (i.e. rivers in Toisan Cordillera).
Au+Ag+Cu+Fe VMS in Macuchi Unit.
Cu+/-Au+/-Mo porphyry deposits (Imbabura, Bolivar and
Azuay).
Au+Cu High Sulphidation Epithermal deposits (Macuchi
Unit).

3. Interandean Graven

(Figure after Litherland and

Zamora 1991)

3. INTER-ANDEAN GRAVEN

Bounded by regional faults with Andean bearing.

Oligocene to Miocene volcano-sedimentary sequences that cover the Chaucha,
Amotape and Guamote terrains.
Geo-mining potential:
Au+Ag+/-Cu+As+Sb+Hg Epithermal deposits (Azuay and Loja).
Cu+Mo+/-Au+/-Zn+/-Bi Porphyry deposits to the S of Ecuador
Au+Ag+Cu+Zn+Pb Epi-Mesothermal deposits to the S of Ecuador.
Sn+W / U associated to S type Granitoids in the Amotape terrain.
Cu+Ni+Co+/-Cr+PGMs deposits associated to ultramafic rocks and ophiolite
complexes mainly in the Amotape terrain.
Fe+Cu+Zn+/-Pb+Au VMS related to the Amotape terrain.
Cu+-Zn+Pb+Ba deposits related to granitoids on the Guamote division.

4. REAL CORDILLERA

(Figure Litherland et. al. 1994)

4. REAL CORDILLERA

Assosiated to the Alao Division (Jurassic Island Arc) are:

Ag+Au+Sb+Pb+Zn Epithermal deposits.
Fe+Cu+Pb+Zn+Ag+Au VMS
Cu+Au+/-Mo Porphyry deposits
PGMs+Au deposits associated to mafic and ultramafic
intrusions.
Associated to the Loja Division (a Triassic S type intrusive) are:
Sn+W in S type granitoids.
Cu+Ag+Pb+Zn+Sn+/-W breccias bodies.
Au+Ag+Cu+As+Zn+Pb+Sb epithermal deposits.
Associated to the Salado Division (Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous
plutonic and island arc lithologies) are:
Au+Cu+Mo+Pb+Zn skarn klippes.
Cu+Au epi-mesothermal deposits related to porphyries.
(Figure Litherland et. al. 1994)

5. Eastern SubAndean
Zone

5. EASTERN SUBANDEAN ZONE

It comprises the Eastern slopes of the Andes

Cordillera.
It is formed by the forearc belt of the basement
covered by volcano-sedimentary sequences.
It is intruded by large I type batholiths.
To the N of this zone there is the Cordillera del
Cutucu, an uplifted zone that host important
prospects of Au+Cu+other.
To the S there is the El Condor Cordillera which
counts with tremendous mineral discoveries of
Au+Cu+U+others.

6. Back Arc Basin

of Iquitos

GEOLOGICAL AND MINING POTENTIAL OF ECUADOR

6. BACK ARC BASIN OF IQUITOS

It comprises the Oriente or

Amazonian basin mainly form
by sedimentary and volcanosedimentary sequences.
It hosts the most important oil
field of Ecuador.
Associated to it there are
important Au+Fe placer
deposits.
Si deposits are associated to
some sedimentary formations.

MINING DISTRICTS IN ECUADOR

1. Imbaoeste (Cordillera Occidental).

2. La Plata district (Cordillera

Occidental).
3. Azuay district (Cordillera Occidental
and Cordillera Real).
4. La Bonita district.
5. Cayambe district.
6. Alao Paute District (Cordillera Real).
7. Zamora District (Cordillera del
Condor).
(Figure Fungeomine, 2008)

PORPHYRY COPPER BELTS

OF THE NORTHERN ANDES

Imbaoeste District: Chical, Llurimagua,

Cascabel

Azuay District: Cu+Mo+/-Au porphyry

deposits: Chaucha, Gaby&Papa
Grande, Fierro Urcu, etc.

Zamora Districts: FDN, San Carlos,

Mirador, Warintza, Cumay, Tumi, El
Hito&Santa Barbara, etc.

(Modified from Sillitoe, Prodeminca, 2000)

EPITHERMAL MINERALIZATION

Porphyry related epithermal

mineralization are known to occur
within the litotectonic terranes of the
Andean Cordillera of Ecuador.

i.e. Gima, Mozo, Encrucijada,

Beroen,etc.
(Modified from Sillitoe, Prodeminca, 2000)

PORPHYRY COPPER BELTS

OF THE NORTHERN ANDES

Each district has been subdivided into

mineralized belts and orefields. For example:
The Azuay District (Collay Shincata Belt,
Molleturo ore field and Ponce Enriquez
Orefield), the Zamora District (Nambija Belt,
San Juan Bosco orefield and Pachicutza
orefield).
(Modified from Sillitoe, Prodeminca, 2000)

EPITHERMAL DEPOSITS

High sulphidation epithermal deposits

(alunite-Kaolinite) have been encountered in
the Azuay District (Gaarin Belt, i.e.
Quimsacocha; and Collay-Shincata Belt, i.e. El
Mozo , Asaray, Cerro Colorado and Loma
Quipal projects).
Some other occurrences of this type of
mineralization have been described to the
south in the Loja Province (i.e. La Encrucijada
and Quinapalma projects) suggesting the
extension of the Collay-Shingata belt to the
south.
(Figure Prodeminca 2000).

EPITHERMAL DEPOSITS

Low sulphidation epithermal

deposits/systems (adularia-sericite) have
been described also in the Azuay District
(Molleturo orefield i.e. Beroen project;
Gaarin Belt i.e. Gaarin project; and
Collay-Shicata Belt i.e. La Encrucijada
project).
(Figure Prodeminca 2000).

VMS DEPOSITS

Volcanic hosted massive sulphides have

been related to the La Plata District (i.e La
Plata and Macuchi projects) located on the
western slopes of the Cordillera Occidental.
Another important district for VHMS
deposits is the Alao-Paute District located
In the Cordillera Real (i.e. Pilas, Cruzacta
and Guarumales projects).
(Figure Prodeminca 2000).

MAIN MINING PROJECTS ECUADOR

12
11 6
15

16

18
10
17

Fuente: MRNNR, Wood Mackenzie

Cobre

Fruta del Norte

Lundin

Oro/Plata

Rio Blanco

Junefield

Oro/Ag/Cu

Loma Larga

INV Metals

Oro

Panantza

EXSA

Cobre

Cascabel

Soldgold

Oro/Cobre

Curimining

Oro/Plata

Warintza

Lowell

Cobre/Moly

Ruta de Cobre

Southern Copper

Cobre

10

Condor Gold

Condor mining

Oro

11

Llurimagua

ENAMI y Codelco

Cobre/Moly

12

Tola Norte

ENAMI

Hierro

13

Telimbela

ENAMI

Cobre

14

El Torneado

ENAMI

Cobre

15

Pacto

ENAMI

Oro/Cobre

Proyectos Privados

16

La Bonita

ENAMI

Oro/Cobre

Proyectos Enami-Ep

17

Sangola

ENAMI

Oro

18

Nanguipa

ENAMI

Oro/Cobre

Metal

ECSA

Curipamba

Compana

Mirador

6
7
13
14

4
9

Proyecto

Simbologa:

MAIN MINERAL
DEPOSITS IN
ECUADOR

GENERAL
RECORDED
MINERAL
OCCURRENCES
IN ECUADOR

(Source: Prodeminca, 2000)