A carregar...
Projeto de investigação
A Sustainable Ecosystem for the Innovative Resource Recovery and Complex Ore Extraction
Financiador
Autores
Publicações
Characterization and recovery of critical raw materials using innovative techniques – case study of the XTRACT project: São Domingos Mine, Portugal [Resumo]
Publication . Morais, Igor; Solá, A. Rita; Albardeiro, Luís; Silva, Teresa; Hedrich, Sabrina; Vargas, Sergio Alejandro Camargo; Sáez Blázquez, Cristina; Almeida, Bruno; Kuusiniemi, Pasi; Arancibia, Mario
ABSTRACT: The Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB) is one of the world’s most significant provinces of Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide (VMS) deposits, hosting both world class orebodies and medium sized systems such as the São Domingos Mine. This deposit consists of a steeply dipping, E–W elongated mass of cupriferous pyrite with associated zinc and lead sulfides, emplaced within a tectonically complex volcanic sequence overlain by thick turbidites and the allochthonous Phyllite Quartzite Group. Historical exploitation from the mid 19th to the 20th century, involving incineration, smelting, heap leaching and cementation, generated extensive waste dumps, slags and leaching piles. These materials remain enriched in potentially toxic elements (Zn, Pb, Sb, Cu, As, Hg, Cd), and ongoing sulfide oxidation and Fe hydrolysis promote acid mine drainage, enhancing metal mobility and creating persistent environmental contamination hotspots. Modern assessment of these legacy wastes requires advanced analytical and monitoring technologies. High resolution geochemical mapping, supported by drone based remote sensing, enables precise delineation of critical raw material enrichment zones and accurate estimation of waste volumes and tonnage. Emerging geophysical tools, including the Airborne Geophysical
Electromagnetic System and integrated ground and air borne remote sensing platforms for tailings content assessment, provide detailed subsurface information on conductivity, internal heterogeneity and structural controls. Muon tomography offers unique density imaging capabilities for detecting cavities, collapse zones and remnant sulfide bodies in inaccessible areas. For sustainable metal recovery, bioleaching technologies represent an eco-efficient approach capable of mobilizing Cu, Zn, Co and other strategic elements from low grade materials. The integration of these state-of-the-art methodologies positions São Domingos as an exemplary natural laboratory for developing innovative strategies in mine waste valorization and environmental risk mitigation, directly supporting the overarching objective of the XTRACT project: establishing a sustainable ecosystem for innovative resource recovery and complex ore extraction within a low impact, circular economy mining paradigm.
Geochemistry of historical smelting slags from S. Domingos (Iberian Pyrite Belt) and implications for metal recovery [Resumo]
Publication . Silva, Teresa; Morais, Igor; Albardeiro, Luís; Solá, A. Rita; de Oliveira, Daniel Pipa Soares
ABSTRACT: The historical mining area of S. Domingos, located in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB), southwestern Portugal,
hosts significant accumulations of mining wastes including, smelting slags, iron oxides, milled blocks of pyrite and other residues resulting from centuries of processing Cu-rich massive sulfide ores. Polymetallic sulfide exploitation in this region dates to pre-Roman times and continued until 1966. These slags represent an important record of historical metallurgical practices and a potential secondary resource for critical and strategic raw materials (CRM/SRM) and other valuable metals. This study investigates the geochemical composition and mineralogical characteristics of historical smelting slags, to access not only their potential to metal recovery, but also their associated environmental risks. The slags are heterogeneous and chemically unstable waste products, typically Fe-rich, and dominated by fayalite, Fe2+2SiO4 (the iron-rich member of the olivine mineral group) together with glassy matrices. Fayalite is the result of the reaction of iron oxide with silica at high temperatures and host a range of metals including As, Ba, Co, Cu, Sn, Pb, Sr and Zn. Weathering processes promote metal mobilization of these elements, contributing to local contamination and to the development of acid mine drainage (AMD) products in the surrounding areas. Geochemical assessment indicates that significant quantities of valuable metals remain trapped within these historical slags due to inefficient recovery during earlier
smelting technologies. Studies across the IPB suggest that mining wastes may contain significant valuable reserves of metals such as Fe, Zn, Cu and Pb, as well as CRM and other important trace metals. Consequently, these residues represent potentially promising targets for reprocessing using advanced metallurgical or hydrometallurgical technologies. Detailed geochemical characterization provides insights supporting the development of sustainable recovery strategies within a circular economy framework for historic mining districts of the Iberian Pyrite Belt. The results underscore the dual importance of recovering the S. Domingos slags as potential secondary mineral resources, while also mitigating the
environmental impact associated with AMD.
Unidades organizacionais
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Contribuidores
Financiadores
Entidade financiadora
European Commission
Programa de financiamento
HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Número da atribuição
101138432