Ore Deposits in Europe

http://www.gl.rhbnc.ac.uk/geode/dbase.html

Lunar et al., 2002, Economic and Environmental Geology, in The Geology of Spain, eds., Gibbons,W., and Moreno, T.: Geol. Soc. London

Metallic deposits -Lunar et al., 2002

Industrial Minerals - Lunar et al., 2002

Madrid

Granada

Malaga

Cadiz

Huelva

Aracena

Almaden

Lunar et al., 2002

Iberian Pyrite Belt - Barrie et al., Mineralium Deposita, 2002

Iberian Pyrite belt, Portugal & Spain• 80 volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits in 70 x 250 km area

• More than 1300 Million tonnes pyrite-rich ore

• Mining for 4000 years

• Rio Tinto deposit– Largest concentration of massive sulfide on Earth - 500 Mt mass sul, plus

2000Mt low grade stockwork Cu (0.15%)

– First mining (Ag, Au) 7-6 century BC - to 3-1 century BC

– Roman period until 5thC BC - important mining center SW Europe

– 17-19thC AD - some irregular mining

– 1873 - English Rio Tinto Company - Cu, pyrite for acid

– 1970 - Cu, plus Ag, Au from gossans

Barrie et al., 2002

Rio Tinto (red river)

Lunar et al., 2002

Lunar et al., 2002

Almaden mercury

Entredicho mercury mine, Almaden

Coal resources - Lunar et al., 2002

Oil and Gas resources - Lunar et al., 2002

Gas Wells, Cadiz basin - Lunar et al., 2002