Pulacayo Project Feasibility Study - Apogee Silver

Pulacayo 1 000 t/d Phase I Feasibility Study - NI 43-101 Technical Report
090644-3-0000-20-IFI-100
The Figure 5.1 presents major highway and rail routes of Bolivia relative to the Pulacayo
project’s location.
5.2 Climate and Physiography
Two Andean mountain chains run through western Bolivia, with many peaks rising to
elevations greater than 6,000 m. The western Cordillera Occidental Real forms Bolivia’s
western boundary with Peru and Chile, extending south east from Lake Titicaca and then
south across central Bolivia to join with the Cordillera Central along the country’s southern
border with Argentina.
Between these two mountain chains is the Altiplano, a high flat plain system at elevations
between 3,500 m and 4,000 m above sea level. East of the Cordillera Central a lower
altitude region of rolling hills and fertile basins having a tropical climate occurs between
elevations of 300 m and 400 m above sea level. To the north, the Andes adjoin tropical
lowlands of Brazil’s Amazon Basin (Figure 5.1).
Climate within Bolivia is altitude related. The rainy period lasts from November to March and
corresponds with the southern hemisphere’s summer season. Of the major cities, only
Potosí receives regular snowfalls, with these typically occurring between February and April
at the end of the rainy season. La Paz and Oruro occasionally receive light snow. On the
Altiplano and in higher altitude areas, sub-zero temperatures are frequent at night
throughout the year. Snow-capped peaks are present year round at elevations greater than
approximately 5,200 m.
The Pulacayo project area is located immediately south west of the Cosuño Caldera and
local topographic relief is gentle to moderate, with elevations ranging between 4,000 m and
4,500 m above sea level. The Paca and Pulacayo Domes are volcanic structures that exist
as prominent topographic highs in this area. Pulacayo has a semi-arid climate, with annual
rainfall of approximately 100 mm and a mean summer temperature of 12°C between
October and March.
During winter, minimum temperatures reach the -20 to -25 degree C range and summer
maximums in the 18 to 20°C range occur between June and July. The yearly mean
temperature is 5.5°C.
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