The Mineral Potential in Centro Region of Portugal: Geology, Industry and Challenges José A. Almeida José C. Kullberg Frederico Martins Vanda Lopes Alexandra Ribeiro 8th Peer Review, Fundão, Portugal, Dec. 11th, 2018 Critical Raw Materials (EU) 2017 Risk in: Sn (Tin) Li (Lithium) Mn (Manganese) Mo (Molybdenum) Supply Risk Supply Legend : Critical raw materials Non-critical raw materials (The highlighted raw materials are known to occur in the Centro region of Portugal) Economic Importance Source: European Commission, 2017 2 Critical Raw Materials Industries Source: Criticalrawmaterials, 2018 3 Portugal Centro region Wolframite and cassiterite , Panasqueira Mineral Resources Abundance: • Metallic (Tungsten, Lithium, Tin) • Energetic (Uranium) • Non-Metallic (Quartz, Feldspar, Kaolin) • Ornamental Rocks (Granite, Limestone) Uraninite , Urgeiriça Lepidolite , Guarda 4 Mineral occurrences and deposits Mineral occurrence= knowledge of a mineral´s trace or evidence that might be economically interesting Mineral deposit = body with significant dimensions and whose substances within, show interesting economic values; confirmed by mineral resources and reserves calculations Chalcopyrite (Copper) TOP 5 Nº Anthracite Phosphor Substance Occurrences Arsenium Lead /Deposits Gold Petroleum U 409 Barium Quartz Sn 153 Beryllium Salt rock W 116 Bitumen Antimony Si 78 Kaolin Silicium Au 51 Copper Tin Iron Tellurium Wolframite Fluorine (Tungsten) Graphite Turf Coal Uranium Lithium Tungsten Lignite Zinc Manganese Cassiterite Gold (Tin) 5 Source: LNEG, 2018 Metallic and non-metallic minerals Occurrences/deposits Direct relation with Geology Metallic minerals Granitic rocks Metasedimentary rocks Structural controlled zones Non-Metallic minerals Sedimentary rocks Metallic (Tungsten, Lithium, Tin,..) Non-Metallic (Silicon, Salt rock, Kaolin …) Portugal Geological Map, scale 1:1.000.000 (LNEG, 2010) 6 Source: LNEG, 2018; LNEG, 2010 Critical Raw Materials (CRM) in Centro Region Over 250 W (and Sn) small to medium occurrences/deposits About 20 (Sb+Mn+Ba+Be) small occurrences/deposits Panasqueira Mine Legend: (Barium) (Beryllium) (Manganese) (Antimony) (Tin) (Tungsten) Potential CRM 7 Source: LNEG, 2018 Tungsten (W) and Tin (Sn) Paiva Douro Scheelitic Belt Tungsten Area Trancoso-Fig. Castelo Rodrigo Belt W,Sn Arouca-S. Pedro Sul W Legend: (deposits) Sn Góis-Panasqueira-Argemela-Segura Belt W, Sn Potential Areas 8 Sources: Martins, 2012; LNEG, 2010 Tungsten (W) and Tin (Sn) WWI & WWII (major periods of tungsten production in Portugal) Tungsten main deposits (centro region) Mineral Deposit Main Historical Dimension Potential Substances Production Resouces Panasqueira Tungsten Production of Large Proven and more than Probable (30) 50.000 t of W, Reserves + Between years (over 100 years) Indicated 1836 – 1930 Resources= 5,13 Mt with 0,26 % Of a total 1793 WO 3 (total of mines - 530 (30%) 13.338 t WO 3) exploited Bejanca-Bodiosa Tungsten and Production of Medium 5 mt with 2350 t tungsten Tin 178 t of W0 3 and of WO 3 and (Portugal) (25) 184 t of SnO 2 3070 t of Sn (1985 Assessment). Sources: LNEG, 2010; Watson, 2014 9 Other Critical Raw Materials Sátão-Mangualde Beryllium (Be) Tin (Sn) Exploited in pegmatites/aplito-pegmatites Potential (as by-product), sources of quartz, CRM feldspar and mica. Viseu district b Strong relation with tungsten. Panasqueira mine by-product a Niobium (Nb) + Tantalum (Ta) By-product of tin production (ex. Almendra). Potential in Li bearing aplitopegmatites in Guarda Gonçalo-Vela-Benespera-Belmonte-Sabugal (a) and Sátão-Mangualde-Viseu (b) areas region, Alvarrões 10 Sources: LNEG, 2010; Leal Gomes, 2018 Lithium (Li) Critical metal in the green business Designation Area Short description (km 2) Spodumene and Petalite Almendra - 343 0,42-0,52 % Li 2O Barca de (Barca d’Alva)+ 0,05 Alva % Sn 0,5 % Li 2O (Feli mine) + 0,05 % Sn 0,16 % Li 2O (Pombal) + 0,05 % Sn Argemela 15 Inferred Resources Lepidolite of 20,1 Mt, 0,4 % Li 2O Legend: Guarda - 1725 Measured Mangualde Resources of 1,4 Mt, Potential Li Areas 0,42 % Li 2O Massueime 258 Deposit with: < 150 t Li 2O < 1500 t Sn Segura 34 Mineralization in lepidolite and REE Aplitopegmatites can also be Resources >22 Mt source of Tin, Niobium, Tantalum and REE Average grade> 0.4 % Li 2O Only in 2016 arrived at DGEG (Directorate General for Energy and Geology), 30 requests for research and exploration areas. (Investment of 3,8 M €) Source: Despacho n.º 15040/2016 11 Uranium (U) Great mining legacy in the Centro region Mineral Historical Dimension Potential Environmental Deposit Production Resources Remediation Ázere 556 t U 3O8 Small Yes (1) Cunha 600 t U 3O8 Small Yes • Production Baixa (1979-1985) ended in 4 (2) 2001 5 Freixiosa 145 t U 3O8 Small Yes 6 3 (3) (1978-1984) • 3rd biggest 2 Pinhal do 8 t U 3O8 Medium Ton ‘ in situ ’ reserves in Souto (1981-1985) of 770 t Europe (4) U3O8 1 Quinta do 600 t U 3O8 Small Yes • The major Bispo (1979-1985) remediation (5) works in the Urgeiriça 1000 t U3O8 Small _ Yes region are (6) (1913-1992) (in course) for Legend: radioactive Examples of old old mining U main occurrences Uranium mines areas U (small/medium) occurrences Uranium potential areas: E – Beira Douro Silurian Belt J – Beira Uraniferous Province K – Castelo Branco-Penamacor Granitic Area L – Nisa Uraniferous Area Resource Potential in Portugal (2010, LNEG) = 7.558 t U 3O8 12 Sources: Martins, 2012; LNEG, 2010 Circular economy Turn mine waste into resource Tailings Storage Plant Mine waste = extraction, beneficiation and mineral processing Causes: Pollution of water, soils and air Has: Large potential as a (secondary) 800m resource Requires: Characterization (chemistry, physics, mineralogy), volume, grade,.. Concepts: Recycling, reuse, beneficiation Resource maximization and environmental hazard mitigation Panasqueira mine tailings and dam Potential areas for beneficiation on tailings in Centro Region: Góis (Tungsten, Tin), Bejanca (Tin, Tungsten), Talhadas (Copper, Lead, Silver) e Braçal (Lead), with volume of tailings between 50.000 - 100.000 m³ Sources: Lèbre and Corder, 2015; Carvalho et al., 2016 13 Circular economy Turn mine waste into resource Case studie: Panasqueira mine > 8.000.000 m 3 tailings (coarse, crushed and milled waste-rock) About 100-200 tons of tailings per day (presently) Use in road construction (coarse material), bituminous products (coarse and fine material), artificial aggregrates (mud), road furniture, polymer-based composite materials (conservation, restoration of buildings, monuments, etc); ( Universities of Beira Interior, Granada and Bologna) Polymer-based mortar Road construction Road furniture • Tailings studies examples (Collaboration of Universities and Companies) PT-W – Biotools for a sustainable supply of tungsten from biodetection to bioleaching and biorecovery (University of Coimbra )- Detect and extract tungsten from tailings ENVIREE - Environmentally friendly and efficient methods for extraction of rare earth elements (REE) from secondary sources IST ID (Instituto Superior Técnico for Research and Development), EDM (Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro), and other european partners 14 Sources: Castro-Gomes et al., 2012; 2016 And more….. 15 Non-metallic resources in the Centro region Mainly: Ornamental stone Industrial minerals Construction minerals 16 Sources: LNEG, 2018; 2010 Non-metallic resources Production of Centro region 20.000.000 18.000.000 16.000.000 14.000.000 12.000.000 Production (t) 10.000.000 Ornamental Rocks Tons 8.000.000 6.000.000 Industrial Minerals 4.000.000 Construction Minerals 2.000.000 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Year 80.000.000 € 70.000.000 € 60.000.000 € 50.000.000 € Production (€) 40.000.000 € Ornamental Rocks 30.000.000 € Industrial Minerals 20.000.000 € Construction Minerals 10.000.000 € 0 € Year 17 Source: DGEG, 2017a Centro region mining activity (2017) 3 license situations: Granted In Publicitation Requested Legend: Mining Concessions Experimental Exploitation Exploration and Research Areas Nº of Metallic Non-Metallic TOTAL Mining Concessions 12 128 140 Experimental Exploitation* 1 0 1 Exploration and Research 30 21 51 Areas* Nº of companies The majority of licenses Mining Concessions 6 27 33 (mining concessions) are related to non-metallic Experimental Exploitation 1 0 1 Exploration and Research resources 17 13 30 Areas 18 Source: DGEG, 2018a *Maximum 5 years period Portugal strategies for mineral resources ESTRATÉGIA NACIONAL PARA OS RECURSOS GEOLÓGICOS I NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR GEOLOGICAL RESOURCES • Promotion : sustainability, dynamics, national and regional growth, supply of raw materials • Development of knowledge and national potential on resources, national propaganda and promotion, economical, social, environmental and territorial sustainability (2012) CLUSTER MINERAL RESOURCES CLUSTER • Promote knowledge, sustainable economic value of mineral resources. • Exporting, R&D, Investment, Increase technical, technological and management capacities (2016) 59 partners (companies, universities, associations, institutes) GRUPO DE TRABALHO “LÍTIO” I LITHIUM GROUP WORK • Increase the Li market in Portugal • Identification and characterization of Li deposits • Increase economic value • Create processing plants (2016) 19 Sources: Resolução do Conselho de Ministros n.º 78/2012, clustermineralresources, 2018; Despacho n.º 15040/2016 Active mines in Centro region Mines/Companies 45 40 35 30 25 20 Nº Companies 15 (Substances) 10 Tungsten, Industrial 5 Tin and Lithium Minerals 0 2004 2005 2006