November 2013
Len Buchanan
Ray McDougall had the awesome experience of visiting the vast underground mining complex at Quiruvilca, one of Peru's best-known localities for fine minerals, in early 2013.
Peru has been one of the world's pre-eminent sources of mineral specimens for over 30 years, producing world-class specimens of many well-crystallized minerals. Most collectors have marvelled over specimens from this great country. Famous for the great silver and polymetallic mines in the Andes Mountains, Peru has also produced beautiful specimens from other different kinds of localities.
Ray brought along some Peruvian mineral specimens and shared photos of the treacherous roads they traversed and the underground mining environment. The main adits were propped up by wood timbers that need to be completely redone every two years. He gave us a sense of the everyday living, the company compound and high safety priorities, and the thin atmosphere of the altitude.
He also described a typical route of a mineral specimen from the mines to Lima, and then on to Munich and Tucson, and imparted that you won't find better pricing in Lima, Peru than what you would find at Munich or Tucson.