Los Papagayos brings together the Capilla Virgen de Luján in the town and a history of ore mining in the surrounding area. The chapel represents the town’s religious heritage; nearby mines and ore processing point to the mining district associated with Papagayos.

The Capilla Virgen de Luján in the Department of Caucete

The Capilla Virgen de Luján is located in the town of Los Papagayos in the Department of Caucete, in the province of San Juan. It is one of twelve chapels under the jurisdiction of Parroquia Cristo Rey, whose area of responsibility encompasses 27 communities. This also places the chapel in the context of a larger ecclesiastical area. Parroquia Cristo Rey was founded in 1878 and was the centre of religious life in Caucete. It is also the venue for celebrations in honour of Cristo Rey and the Virgen del Valle.

Mining history in the surrounding area

The mining history of Papagayos includes a cyanidation plant where gold ore was processed. It was located six kilometres from the mines and had a capacity of 50 tonnes per day. Its equipment included flotation cells for recovering zinc. These details illustrate different aspects of processing: treating gold ore at the plant and recovering zinc using flotation.

In the area around Los Papagayos, the Albión mine is described as a western continuation of the Caledonia mine. Together, they form the same mineralised ore body. Caledonia is described as the most important mine in the nearby Cerro Blanco district. The veins at the Caledonia and Albión mines were worked from 1945 to 1958. Around 1,505 kilograms of gold were produced in the mining district associated with Papagayos; mining ceased in 1958.

L. M. Piccardo y Cía. was responsible for developing, extracting and processing the mineral in the mining district associated with the plant. The history therefore encompasses more than the plant itself: it also includes the nearby mines and the work carried out in the associated district. The geographical distinction is useful here: the chapel is in Los Papagayos, while the mines mentioned and the production history belong to the surrounding area or the associated mining district.

Other cultural and landscape highlights in the Department of Caucete

In the Department of Caucete, Baño del Indio is a sacred Huarpe site and part of the province’s natural and cultural heritage. It can only be reached on foot, by way of colourful hills and a rocky gorge. The pilgrimage site of Difunta Correa is in Vallecito, between the Sierra de Pie de Palo and the Médanos Grandes. Both places offer further insight into the department’s religious and natural landscape, without being conflated with the history of Los Papagayos itself.

Bermejo is also part of the cultural heritage of the Department of Caucete: the local tradition of San Expedito began after the saint’s image arrived there in the mid-1950s. Another distinctive feature of the region is the work of the Mujeres Algarroberas de Bermejo. They process carob pods into flour, which is used mostly to make Patay; the flour is sold to traders under the Productores Bermejo brand. The region’s heritage thus encompasses religious traditions, landscapes and a specific local food production.

For a broader travel overview: Department of Caucete.