A geochemical study of the Rio Pantanos area, Department of Antioquia, Colombia preliminary report

Geochemical sampling in the Western Cordillera has delineated an 18 km 2 area anomalous in copper, molybdenum, and silver. Highly anomalous metal contents are found in stream sediment, soil, and outcrop samples collected within this area. The area is underlain by intrusive granodiorite to quartz diorite that has porphyritic and granitoid phases. Most of the outcrop samples contain disseminated pyrite, chalcopyrite, and bornite.

A geochemical reconnaissance sampling program in the Western Cordillera, formulated by Andros Jimeno V., Director, Instituto National de Investigaciones Geologico-Mineras (INGEOMINAS), and Earl M. Irving, U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) Chief of Party in Colombia, was carried out from 1969 to 1971 by geologists of the INGEOMINAS office in Medellin. This work was part of a cooperative program of INGEOMINAS and the USGS sponsored by the Government of Colombia and the Agency for International Development, U. S. Department of State.

Seventeen generally east-trending traverses were completed across the Western Cordillera. These traverses, generally paralleling major drainages, cross the range at intervals of 10 to 30 km.