VMS Deposits of Portugal

The Iberian Pyrite Belt is host to several world-class massive sulfide deposits, or clusters of deposits, including the producing Neves Corvo mine and the Aljustrel deposit, which includes the Fetais and Moinho mines. The 5 deposits at Aljustrel lie within an area of 3 x 2 km and are hosted by a sequence of rhyolitic rocks, whereas those at Neves Corvo, some 40 km to the south of Aljustrel, are hosted by a series of intercalated shales and rhyolites. The host rocks of all deposits are of Upper Devonian to lower Carboniferous age, and accumulated in subsiding rift basins on a submarine continental margin. The Aljustrel deposits contain over 150 Mt of massive sulfides in total, of which the Feitais deposit contains at least 55 Mt (it is still open in some directions). Some of the ore lenses at Neves Corvo have unusually high Cu grades, with high grades of tin locally.

Reports

Barrett, T.J., Dawson, G.L. and MacLean, W.H., 2008.

Volcanic stratigraphy, alteration, and sea-floor setting of the Paleozoic Feitais massive sulfide deposit, Aljustrel, Portugal. Economic Geology, v. 103, p. 215-239.

Barrett, T.J., 2008a.

Chemostratigraphy, Petrography and Alteration of Volcanic Rocks at the Feitais Deposit and in Two Regional Holes, Aljustrel Area, Portugal. Unpublished Report for Lundin Mining Corp., Castro Verde, Portugal. 33 pp + 2 tables.

Barrett, T.J., 2008b.

Chemostratigraphy and Petrography of Volcanic Rocks at the Neves Corvo Deposit, Portugal. Unpublished Report for Lundin Mining Corp., Castro Verde, Portugal. 40 pp + 2 tables + 1 appendix.

Barrett, T.J., MacLean, W.H. and Dawson, G.D., 2003.

Chemostratigraphy and alteration of felsic volcanic rocks hosting massive sulphide deposits at Aljustrel, Portugal. In: Mineral Exploration and Sustainable Development (edited by D. Eliopoulos, et al.). Proceedings of the Seventh Biennial SGA Meeting, Athens, Greece, 2003. Millpress Science Publishers, Rotterdam, p. 111-114.

Barrett, T.J., 2005.

Chemostratigraphy, Petrography and Alteration of Volcanic Rocks at the Lagoa Salgada Deposit, Portugal. Unpublished Report for Redcorp Ventures Ltd., Vancouver, Canada. 18 pp + 2 tables + 2 appendices.

Barrett, T.J. and MacLean, W.H., 1999.

Geological Relations at the Feitais VMS Deposit and in Some Outcrop Areas, Aljustrel, Portugal. Unpublished Report for EuroZinc Mining Corporation, Vancouver, Canada. 65 pp + 5 tables + 2 appendices.

Dawson, G.L., Barrett, T.J., Caessa, P. and Alverca, R., 2001.

Dawson, G.L, Barrett, T.J., Alverca, R., Azinhaga, V., Caessa, P., Carmichael, B., Cuttle, J., Soares, S. and Sousa, J., 2000.

Barrett, T.J. and MacLean, W.H., 1999.

Barrett, T.J., 1999.

Barrett, T.J. and MacLean, W.H., 1999b.

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