Mineral resources of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32685/0120-1425/bolgeol18.1.1970.223Keywords:
Colombia, Magdalena Department, metallic mineral resources, non-metallic mineral resources
License
Copyright (c) 1970 Servicio Geológico Colombiano
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Downloads
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Published
Abstract
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, on the north coast of Colombia, is an isolated, triangular, mountainous area reaching heights of almost 5800 meters. The overly complex geology is shown on the 1:200 000 scale geological map.
Despite five major periods of granitic intrusion, three periods of metamorphism, and several extensive volcanic eruptions, metallic deposits are small and widely dispersed. Economically exploitable sulfide deposits appear to be absent. Many small deposits of copper, with chalcocite, cuprite, malachite, and azurite, are found in the epidotized rocks of the Mesozoic red strata and the intercalated volcanic rocks, but their economic potential is very small. Those of other common base metals seem to be absent. The most important metallics may be the ilmenite-apatite deposits, associated with the gneiss anorthosite. The known magnetite deposits are too small to be commercially exploited. No primary gold deposits were recognized, and alluvial deposits are very small and uneconomic.
The largest and most important deposits are non-metallic. Huge limestone reserves are suitable for cement manufacture, and some of the high purity limestones are suitable for the most demanding chemical uses. Small deposits of talc-tremolite can be mined locally for use in ceramics. The important bituminous coal deposits in the Cerrejón area are excluded from this study. Other non-metallic resources include igneous rocks of various colors and textures usable as ornamental stone and dolomite for agricultural uses. Finally, there are probably significant undeveloped groundwater resources on the broad Rancheria and Cesar valleys flanks that separate the Sierra Nevada from the Serranía de Perijá.
References
Bueno, Jesús A., 1957, Yacimientos de caliza cristalina en Ciénaga, Departamento Magdalena: Servicio Geol. Nal. (Colombia), Informe 1225, 10 p.
Champetier de Ribes, G., Pagnacco, P. F., Radelli, L., and Weecksteen, G., 1963, Geología y mineralizaciones cupríferas de la Serranía de Perijá, entre Becerril y Villanueva: Servicio Geol. Nal. (Colombia). Bol. Geol., v. 11 No. 1-3, p. 133-188.
Fricke, W., Grebe, W. H., and van den Boon, G., 1960, Investigaciones de yacimientos minerales en Colombia: Bundesanstalt für Bodenforschung, servicio Geol. Nal. Informe 1399.
Gansser, August, 1955, Ein Beitrag zur Geologie und Petrographie der Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Kolumbien, Sudamerika), (Contribución a la Geología y Petrografía de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, Suramérica) traducido al español por F. Cediel, 1966: Schwizer Mineralog. w. Petrog. Mitt., v. 35, No. 2, p. 209-279.
Horikoshi, Y., and others, 1965, Investigation of ore deposits in Colombia, first report of the Overseas Technical Cooperation Agency of Japan, to the Colombian Government, p .1-75.
Horikoshi, Y., and others, 1966, Second investigation of ore deposits in Colombia: second report of the Overseas Technical Cooperation Agency, Government of Japan, to the Colombian Government, p. 1-55.
Hurley, P. M., and MacDonald, W. D., 1967, Gneisses of possible Precambrian age from the Guajira Peninsula in northern Colombia, in U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Fifteenth Ann. Progress Rept., 1967, Contract. At (30-1) - 1381, in - complete. Massachusetts Inst. Technology, p. 43-46.
López Casas, Jaime, 1958, Informe preliminar sobre la irrigación con agua subterránea del Municipio de Codazzi, Departamento Magdalena: Servicio Geol. Nal. (Colombia). Bol., Geol. Vol. IX, No. 1-3, p. 47-78, 1960.
López, Jaime y Barrientos, Javier, 1958, Perforaciones iniciales de ensayo en Codazzi, Departamento Magdalena: Servicio Geol. Nal. (Colombia) Informe 1311, 30 p.
Mutis, Vicente, 1945, Yacimientos de hierro del Espíritu Santo en Sevilla, Departamento del Magdalena, en Compilación de Estudios Geológicos Oficiales en Colombia: Servicio Geol. Nal.,, v. 6, p. 415-432.
Pagnacco, P. F., 1962, Cupriferous mineralizations in the Serranía de Perijá between Codazzi and Molino: Geol. Colombiana, No. 2, p. 5-15.
Radelli, Luigi, 1962, Acerca de la geología de la Serranía de Perijá entre Codazzi y Villanueva: Geología Colombiana, No. 1, p. 23-41.
Restrepo, Vicente, 1937, Estudio sobre las minas de oro y plata de Colombia: Escuela Nacional de Minas, 297 p., una reimpresión del Anal. Inst. Pub. EE. UU. Colombia, 1884, v. 7, No. 39, p. 161-312.
Reymond, Edouard, 1942, Informe sobre una misión geológica en los Departamentos del Magdalena y Atlántico, en Compilación de los Estudios Geológicos Oficiales en Colombia: Servicio Geol. Nal., v. 5, p. 417-447.
Reymond, Edouard, 1945, Comisión geológica en los Departamentos del Magdalena y del Atlántico, regiones de Ciénaga y Piojo, en Compilación de los Estudios Geológicos Oficiales en Colombia: Servicio Geol. Nal., v. 6, p. 397-414.
Ronderos, Alberto, 1957, Yacimientos calcáreos de El Cerrejón: Servicio Geol. Nal. (Colombia), Bol. Geol., v. 5, No. 3, p. 85-100.
Wokittel, Roberto, 1957, La formación cuprífera de la Serranía de Perijá (Intendencia de la Guajira y Departamento del Magdalena), Servicio Geol. Nal., Bol. Geol., v. 5, No.3, p. 59-67.
Wokittel, Roberto, 1958, Calizas en Ciénaga, Departamento Magdalena: Servicio Geol. Nal. (Colombia), Informe 1286, 24p.
Wokittel, Roberto, 1960, Recursos minerales de Colombia: Compilación de los Estudios Oficiales en Colombia: Servicio Geol. Nal., v. 10, 393 p.
