Jaimina Mine, Carrales, Obdulia vein, Caravia mining area, Asturias, Spaini

Regional Level Types
Jaimina Mine	Mine
Carrales	- not defined -
Obdulia vein	Vein
Caravia mining area	Mining Area
Asturias	Autonomous Community
Spain	Country

This mine is part of the Jaimina concession that was granted with number 24.224, demarcated on September 10, 1941. The pithead is located on the spot known as “La Coria” and for that reason the locals know the mine by that name.

The Jaimina mine was closed in 2015 and is closed and recultivated; the site is extinct.


The mineralization follows the direction common in this mining area, which is to say, NE-SE, although the deposit itself is structurally quite complex due to the large network of small faults that affect it.

The company which began mining the area was Minero Metalúrgica Asturiana (Metastur S.A.). This company was already operated a six cell flotation and washing plant in 1942, located at the mouth of the mine, which was a pioneer in the fluor spar treatment in the area. This plant was the first in Spain to produce an acidic concentrate. After a while this company was adcquired by Fluoritas Asturianas S.A. (FASA) who renamed the vein on wich the mining was being developed as “FASA Norte” (North FASA) or “Filón Uno” (Vein One). The southest part of this operation belonged to the ‘Maria del Carmen’ concession (nº 24.339), where mining were carried out via an open cast quarry, was known as the “El Vallín open pit” as well as the “La Coria Quarry”.

The paragenesis of this mining area is formed of fluorite, calcite, baryte, quartz, chalcopyrite, pyrite, marcasite, sphalerite, azurite, malachite and tetrahedrite.

The crystalline habits of the fluorite that can be found in this deposit are: tetrahexahedron, cube and rhombododecahedron combinations, cube, octahedron and rhombododecahedron combinations, cube and tetrahexahedron and other even more complex associations. This diversity of habits, so uncommon in other fluorite deposits, is one of the hallmarks of this mine and in general of the rest of the Caravia mining district. The fluorite colors vary from colorless to deep blue/nearly black through a range of violet blue shades. It is very common to find the fluorite associated with calcite or baryte besides showing, as in Emilio Mine, a great number of inclusions formed by organic compounds as well as tiny pyrite, chalcopyrite and cinnabar crystals.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References