Pre-Conference Field Trip | FT01 View all field trips
Iberian Pyrite Belt: VMS Geology and Mineralization
Description
This intensive, 7-day, field trip will begin in Lisboa on the evening of August 18 with a safety and logistics meeting. The following day, participants will travel by coach to Aracena, Spain, with the tour leaders taking the opportunity during travel time to describe the history, geology, metallogeny, and potential of the Iberian Pyrite Belt. The first of four mine visits will follow on Day 3, to Minas de Riotinto. This world-class VMS deposit has been worked since Phoenician and Roman times and was a cornerstone in the growth of the Rio Tinto Group. Today it is owned and operated by Atalaya Mining with production of 15 Mtpa. Significant further resources have been reported recently from the nearby San Dionisio and San Antonio deposits.
Day 4 will begin with a visit to Sandfire Resources' 4.7 Mtpa Aguas Teñidas mine to review drill core from the copper and polymetallic ores. Following an overnight stay in Castro Verde, Portugal, on Day 5 we will see drill cores from the world-class Neves-Corvo mine. This cluster of seven massive sulfide lenses exhibits strong metal zoning into copper, tin and zinc zones, as well as barren massive pyrite. The massive sulfide deposits are typically underlain by stockwork sulfide zones, which form an important part of the copper orebodies.
On Day 6 we review drill core from the Aljustrel mine, which produced a copper-silver concentrate until 2018, before the mill was changed over to treat zinc ore and produce a zinc-lead-silver concentrate. The final day will begin with a visit to the Alvalade project, where Paul Kuhn and the PorMining Lda. (Avrupa-Sandfire Portugal) geology team are exploring the Sesmarias massive sulfide prospect, before concluding that afternoon in Lisboa.
It will be HOT this time of year, so pack accordingly. You will need to bring your own geology safety gear, including hard hat, reflective vest, hard-toe boots, gloves, long-sleeve shirt, eye protection and rock hammer.
View all field trips
About the Leaders
William X. Chávez, Jr.
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
William received B.Sc. degrees in Geology (1977) and Mine Engineering (1977) from the New México School of Mines; he has M.A. (1980) and Ph.D. (1984) degrees in Geology from the University of California at Berkeley, and has been Professor of Geological Engineering and Economic Geologist at the New México School of Mines since 1985. He is an SEG Honorary Lecturer and is involved with teaching field courses and workshops for the Society, with emphasis on porphyry and epithermal systems, alteration and ore mineralogy, and environmental aspects of mining.
Erich U. Petersen
University of Utah
Erich received a B.Sc. degree in Geology (1975) from Harvard University; an M.S. degree (1979) from Dartmouth and a Ph.D. degree from University of Michigan (1984). He has been Professor of Geology and Earth Sciences and Economic Geologist at the University of Utah since 1983. Erich has been an SEG Fellow since 1986 and has co-led SEG field trips in North and South America, Europe, and is involved with co-teaching field and short courses for SEG, with emphasis on hydrothermal alteration (VNIR), metamorphism and ore mineralogy in vms, porphyry, epithermal and sediment-hosted systems.
Registration
Email Duncan Proctor at duncanproctor@segweb.org to be added to the waitlist.
Early Deadline: June 30, 2023
Regular Deadline: August 11, 2023
| |
Early |
Regular |
| SEG Professional Member |
SOLD OUT |
SOLD OUT |
| SEG Student Member |
SOLD OUT |
SOLD OUT |
| Non-member |
SOLD OUT |
SOLD OUT |
| All prices are in United States dollars (USD). SEG reserves the right to cancel this event should minimum attendance numbers not be met by June 30, 2023. All registrants will be given a full refund should SEG cancel the course. Cancellation policy, event photography, dietary restrictions, and more are detailed in the SEG Conference terms and conditions. |
SOLD OUT