Cadernos Lab. Xeolóxico de Laxe Coruña. 2009. Vol. 34, pp. 89 - 120 ISSN: 0213-4497 Depósitos de caulino associados à faixa metamórfica de Espinho–Albergaria-a-Velha (NW de Portugal): quadro geológico estrutural e morfotectónico Kaolin deposits along the Espinho–Albergaria- a-Velha metamorphic belt (NW Portugal): structural geology and morphotectonics framework COELHO, A.1, CHAMINÉ, H. I.2,1, GOMES, A.3, FONSECA, P. E.4 and ROCHA, F. T. 1 (1) Centro GeoBioTec (Grupo de Georrecursos, Geotecnia e Geomateriais), Departamento de Geociências, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal (
[email protected]) (2) Laboratório de Cartografia e Geologia Aplicada (Labcarga), Departamento de Engenharia Geotécnica, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP), Portugal (
[email protected]) (3) Departamento de Geografia, Universidade do Porto, Portugal (
[email protected]) (4) Departamento de Geologia e Centro de Geologia da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal (gpetfons@ fc.ul.pt) Recibido: 16/9/2008 Revisado: 8/11/2008 Aceptado: 15/12/2008 Abstract This work synthesizes the present knowledge of the main occurrences of the kaolin deposits located near the NW of Portugal and Galicia Atlantic shoreline, namely throughout the Espinho-Albergaria- a-Velha metamorphic belt. A geodynamic insight of the geotectonic and morphostructural control of the several outcropping kaolin deposits is presented in order to establish possible exploration guidelines of the georesources. The observation of a geological resources map of the Iberian Peninsula testifies that kaolin deposits exist all over the territory. Nevertheless, one may conclude that along the NW Iberia this geological resource is well located, being fitted with major tectonic lineaments. The genesis of these deposits is dependent on several constraints, namely lithology, tectonics and Cadernos Lab.