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Aljustrel Mines

Plant in Beja, Portugal with commodities Copper, Gold, Lead, Silver, Sulfur, Zinc
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mining district
  11. Mineral rights holdings
  12. Land status
  13. Ownership information
  14. Production statistics
  15. Reserves and resources
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10230842
MAS/MILS ID 4710100001
Record type Site
Current site name Aljustrel Mines
Alternate or previous names Deposit Names:, Moinho; Current Mining 1955:, Feitais; Current Mining 1970:, Gaviao; Future Mining:, Azor; Future Mining:, Aljustrel, Algares; Exhausted:, Estacao; Future Mining:, Sao Joao; Shut Down:

Comments on the site names

  • ALTERNATE NAMES INCLUDE THE NAMES OF SEVEN (7) DEPOSITS THAT MAKE UP THE ALJUSTREL MINES COMPLEX. THE NEVES-CORVO DEPOSIT IS LEFT OUT SINCE IT IS A COPPER A OPERATION.

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -8.15821, 37.85935 (WGS84)
Location accuracy 1000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Beja(province)

Portugal(country)

Europe(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Portugal Beja

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Gold Secondary
Lead Primary
Silver Secondary
Sulfur Secondary
Zinc Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bornite Unknown
Calcite Unknown
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Fluorite Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Sphalerite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -8.15821, 37.85935
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 STRATIFORM
    Shape of Orebody #1 LENTICULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 SEDIMENTARY
    Type of Orebody #3 MASS SULFIDE
    Primary mode of Origin MAGMATIC DIFFER
    Secondary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Primary Ore Control BEDDING
    Secondary Ore Control FAULTING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. SLIGHT
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 PYRITIZATION
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #2 SERICITIC
    Date of Last Modification 910419

Comments on the geologic information

  • FOR MORE DETAIL MINERALOGY SEE THE BIBLIOGRAPHY.
  • THE FORMATION NAME CONTAINING THE MINERALIZATION IS UNKNOWN. THESE MASSIVE PYRITE OREBODIES ARE LOCATED NEAR THE TOP OF AN ACCUMULATION OF FELSIC VOLCANICS IN THE VOLCANIC SILICEOUS COMPLEX (VS). SEE THE BIBLIOGRAPHY.
  • LIMITED DATA AVAILABLE ON THE GEOLOGY, LITHOLOGY AND MINERALOGY OF THESE DEPOSITS. SEE THE BIBLIOGRAPHY.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Plant
Commodity type Both
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1898
Mining method Combined Methods
Year of first production 1925
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Dry
Milling method Flotation

Comments on exploration

  • DETAIL ON THE EXPLORATION OF OREBODIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALJUSTREL MINES WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mining district

District name Aljustrel

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Minerals Only

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Piritas Alentejanas S. A. R. L.
    Home office Portugal
    Year 1989
  • Type Owner
    Owner Empresa Mineira E Metalurgica Do Alenteja (Emma)
    Interest 100
    Home office Portugal
    Year 1985

Production statistics

  • Year 1980
    Description Pyrite Concentrate 331000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Conc. Pyrite Pyrite 331000mt
  • Year 1981
    Description Pyrite Concentrate 234000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Conc. Pyrite Pyrite 234000mt
  • Year 1982
    Description Pyrite Concentrate 217000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Conc. Pyrite Pyrite 217000mt
  • Year 1983
    Description Pyrite Ore Mined; From 1986 Update Etd 300000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 300000mt
  • Year 1985
    Period 1984-1985
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Pyrite Ore; 1986 Updated Etd; 1984-85 1200000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 1200000mt
  • Year 2030
    Period 1986-2030
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Pyrite Ore; 1986 Update Etd; 1986-2030 2000000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Ore Pyrite Pyrite 2000000mt

Comments on the production information

  • ONLY THE SULFUR CONTENT OF THE PYRITE WAS ESTIMATED FOR THIS FIELD. PRODUCTS E & F REFLECT THE TOTAL RECOVERY OF SILVER AND GOLD IN THE COPPER, LEAD, AND ZINC CONCENTRATES. MOST CONTAINED SILVER AND GOLD IS IN THE COPPER CONCENTRATE.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1985
    Measured 50000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 50000000mt ore
    Total resources 50000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Sulfur S 47.1 wt-pct Sulfur Minor 1985
    Zinc Zn 3.19 wt-pct Zinc Major 1985
    Gold Au 0.7 g/mt Gold Minor 1985
    Lead Pb 1.28 wt-pct Lead Major 1985
    Silver Ag 34 g/mt Silver Minor 1985
    Copper Cu 1.15 wt-pct Copper Major 1985
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1985
    Measured 75000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 75000000mt ore
    Total resources 75000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Sulfur S 45 wt-pct Sulfur Minor 1985
    Zinc Zn 2.95 wt-pct Zinc Major 1985
    Gold Au 0.5 g/mt Gold Minor 1985
    Lead Pb 1.27 wt-pct Lead Major 1985
    Silver Ag 31 g/mt Silver Minor 1985
    Copper Cu 0.53 wt-pct Copper Major 1985
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1985
    Measured 22500000mt ore
    Demonstrated 22500000mt ore
    Total resources 22500000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Sulfur S 44.5 wt-pct Sulfur Minor 1985
    Zinc Zn 3.57 wt-pct Zinc Major 1985
    Gold Au 0.3 g/mt Gold Minor 1985
    Lead Pb 1.09 wt-pct Lead Major 1985
    Silver Ag 37 g/mt Silver Minor 1985
    Copper Cu 0.29 wt-pct Copper Major 1985
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1985
    Measured 22500000mt ore
    Demonstrated 22500000mt ore
    Total resources 22500000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Sulfur S 47.5 wt-pct Sulfur Minor 1985
    Zinc Zn 2.98 wt-pct Zinc Major 1985
    Gold Au 0.8 g/mt Gold Minor 1985
    Lead Pb 1 wt-pct Lead Major 1985
    Silver Ag 35 g/mt Silver Minor 1985
    Copper Cu 1.51 wt-pct Copper Major 1985

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • THIS PUBLISHED RESERVE DATA WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE 1985- 1986 PROPERTY EVALUATION UPDATE. SEE THE BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR MORE DETAILS.
  • THIS FILE FOR PYRITE--CU/PB/ZN ON 4710100003A. COMPANY NAME CHANGE 02-19-88.
  • Q-MATRIX 1, COLUMN 1; ESTIMATE OF THE JAN 1984 INSITU ORE RESOURCES USED IN THE 1985, 86 ALJUSTREL PROPERTY EVALUATION FOR SULFUR (PYRITE), SEE THE ETD AND FOOTNOTES. ORE GRADE DATA IS BASED ON FEED GRADE DATA PROVIDED BY JACOBS ENGINEERING GROUP INC., IN THEIR ALJUSTREL MINES DEPOSIT REPORTS. THE ESTIMATED TONNAGE IS THE TOTAL TONNAGE OF FOUR ALJUSTREL MINES DEPOSITS. SEE THE DEPOSIT REPORTS PREPARED BY JACOBS ENGINEERING GROUP INC. FOR MORE DETAILS. PUBLISHED DATA FROM THE RESOURCE DATA TABLE WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE PROPERTY EVALUATION.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method COMBINED METHODS
    Percent Recovery 70
    Hardness of Rock UNKNOWN
    Rock Characteristics UNKNOWN
    Rock Support Chars. UNKNOWN
    Mine Support Chars. UNKNOWN
    Capacity 7700
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Operating Days per Year 260
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1989

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    E&MJ INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF MINING, 1991

  • Reserve-Resource

    RESOURCES", THIRD EDITION, 1985, PP. 81-85.

  • Deposit

    INDUSTRIAL MINERALS, "PORTUGUESE PYRITES", SEPTEMBER, 1980,

  • Deposit

    PP. 47-49.

  • Deposit

    MINING JOURNAL, "MINING ANNUAL REVIEW", "WESTERN EUROPE",

  • Deposit

    1981.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER, 1981, PAGE 345.

  • Deposit

    INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL STATISTICS, AUGUST, 1981.

  • Deposit

    WORLD BANK, "WORLD TABLES", SECOND EDITION, 1980.

  • Deposit

    BRITISH SULPHUR CORP. LTD., "WORLD SURVEY OF SULPHUR

  • Deposit

    RESOURCES", SECOND EDITION, 1974, PP??.

  • Deposit

    BRITISH SULPHUR CORP. LTD., "SULPHUR NO. 143", "EXPANSION

  • Deposit

    PLANS AT ALJUSTREL", MAY/JUNE, 1980, PP???.

  • Deposit

    "PYRITES BASED INDUSTRY IN PROTUGAL: DEVELOPMENT OF AN

  • Deposit

    INTERGRATED PROJECT". PAPER PRESENTED AT, CANADA/EC

  • Deposit

    SEMINAR TREATMENT OF COMPLEX MINERALS, OTTAWA, CANADA,

  • Deposit

    OCTOBER 12-14, 1982.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE ALJUSTREL MINES ARE MADE UP OF A COMPLEX OF UP TO SEVEN MASSIVE PYRITE OREBODIES. MINING OCCURS IN ONLY TWO OF THESE OREBODIES, MOINHO AND FEITAIS.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 14-SEP-92 Difrancesco, Carl A. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

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