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Caveira Mine, Grândola e Santa Margarida da Serra, Grândola, Setúbal, Portugali
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Caveira Mine | Mine (Abandoned) |
| Grândola e Santa Margarida da Serra | Civil Parish |
| Grândola | Municipality |
| Setúbal | District |
| Portugal | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
38° 7' 23'' North , 8° 30' 18'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Mine (Abandoned) - last checked 2021
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Grândola | 10,737 (2014) | 8.1km |
| Santiago do Cacém | 7,797 (2018) | 20.4km |
| Santo André | 10,601 (2017) | 25.2km |
| Alcácer do Sal | 9,198 (2014) | 27.8km |
| Sines | 12,791 (2014) | 36.9km |
Name(s) in local language(s):
Mina da Caveira (Serra da Caveira), Grândola, Grândola, Distrito de Setúbal, Portugal
Inactive Cu-Zn-Pb-Fe mine of the Iberian Pyrite Belt.
Closed in the 1980s.
Registered mining concessions (up to 1962):
No. 1267 Noroeste da Caveira (Cu), registered on 14-12-1922
No. 21 Serra da Caveira (Cu), registered on 13-07-1863
The mine of Serra da Caveira, at 6 km southeast of the village of Grandola, is the most western copper mine of the Iberian Pyrite Belt, geologically identical to the mines of São Domingos and Aljustrel famous for the Roman finds. The mine is known mainly because of the immense slag heap. In 1880, due to the spontaneous combustion of the pyrites a fire broke out that lasted for three years. The mine has three deposits separated by masses of sterile material and due to this configuration in the 19th century it was decided to concentrate efforts on the underground exploitation. This fact alone suggests that in case a pre-Roman exploitation of the grounds took place it would be possible to find traces of it, unlike the mines of São Domingos and Aljustrel that were worked, from the start, on the surface prior to an underground mining (ref.: The exploitation of copper ores and the settlements of Estremadura and south of Portugal during Chalcolithic, Maria da Luz Ferreira Oliveira).
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Skull Mine "Mina da Caveira" - Mine located W of Iberian Pyrite Belt in Portugal.
The Iberian Pyrite Belt is known as a mining district of worldwide significance, due to its unusual enormous concentration of big and medium sized mineral deposits. In addition, this fact constitutes the basis of its inescapable reference in many texts concerning mining and metallogenesis. Caveira, Lousal, Aljustrel, Neves Corvo, S. Domingos, Las Herrerias, Concepción, Perrunal-La Zarza, San Telmo, Sotiel, Aznalcóllar, Tharsis, Rio Tinto mights be the most relevant of the big and famous mines belonging to the Iberian Pyrite Belt.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
9 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 Description: LNEG, Siorminp database, Serra da Caveira ID 1195CuZnPbPy. References: |
| ⓘ Copiapite Formula: Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O References: |
| ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS Description: LNEG, Siorminp database, Serra da Caveira ID 1195CuZnPbPy. References: |
| ⓘ Goethite Formula: Fe3+O(OH) References: |
| ⓘ Gypsum ? Formula: CaSO4 · 2H2O Colour: colorless Description: Very small perfect crystals occurring in large areas at surface debris References: |
| ⓘ 'Limonite' |
| ⓘ Native Sulphur Formula: S8 References: |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 Description: LNEG, Siorminp database, Serra da Caveira ID 1195CuZnPbPy References: |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS |
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Native Sulphur | 1.CC.05 | S8 |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| ⓘ | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Goethite | 4.00. | Fe3+O(OH) |
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Gypsum ? | 7.CD.40 | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| ⓘ | Copiapite | 7.DB.35 | Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Limonite' | - | |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Copiapite | Fe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O |
| H | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| H | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Copiapite | Fe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O |
| O | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Copiapite | Fe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O |
| S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| S | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| S | ⓘ Native Sulphur | S8 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Copiapite | Fe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O |
| Fe | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Zn | Zinc | |
| Zn | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
- South Portuguese ZoneOrogenic Belt
EuropeContinent
Iberian PeninsulaPeninsula
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Caveira Mine, Grândola e Santa Margarida da Serra, Grândola, Setúbal, Portugal