The Antamina Tour group overlooking the open pit. From left: Song Zhang (Rio Tinto Minerals Exploration, China); Suziany Rocha de Souza (Rio Tinto Exploration, USA); Gulnara Ordaya Núñez (BHP Mineral Exploration, Peru); and Atsuhiro Kuroda (Sumitomo, Japan).       Image provided by Song Zhang.
   Following their return to Lima from Toromocho, the group took an early flight to Anta in central Peru next morning, Thursday 14 June, and then the 30 minute drive to Huaraz where they spent the remainder of the day. No one over the age of 65 are allowed up to the Antamina Mine, our target for next day. As a consequence some members of the original group, including the tour leader, could not make the visit nor take any images.
   Those that were to visit Antamina left their Huaraz hotel pre-dawn at 5:30 am on Friday 15 June, to catch the Minera Antamina bus that took more than 4 hours to cross the Cordillera Blanca to Antamina.    On site at Antamina the group was given a thorough presentation on the deposit and its setting, followed by a geological overview of the mine and then the opportunity to study representative drill core through the deposit. The small group was given a very personalised tour that gave them an excellent insight into the deposit and its geology for which they were very grateful.
   At the end of the day they returned to Huaraz on the official Minera Antamina bus. Next morning, on Saturday 16 June, they took the flight from Anta, back to Lima once again.