Geology of the Fe-Pb-Ag "Mina Rica" deposit, Pulpí (Almería, Spain)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21701/bolgeomin.131.4.001Keywords:
Betic mountain ranges, Geode of Pulpí, Lead-silver ore, Iron ore, GypsumAbstract
The “Mina Rica” (the Rich Mine), located in the district of Pilar de Jaravía, in the municipality of Pulpi (Almería province, Spain), has become internationally renowned for the great geode of selenite gypsum discovered in its interior. The ore deposit is located in a NE-SW dextral shear band, affected by a system of NNE-SSW sinistral faults. The deposit is composed of two hectometric blocks of weakly deformed rocks with a pod shape, which are constituted by a folded and faulted alternation of limestone and dolomites, and to a lesser amount, gypsum and phyllites, all with a general NNESSW orientation and strong dipping to the W. In the time sequence of the mineral phases present in the “Mina Rica” we can distinguish a first stratabound, mineralization of iron carbonates that fossilizes the Serravallian age deformation. Baryte mineralization is associated with the Tortonian movements and celestine mineralization with the Messinian ones. Gypsum, which crystallized at a temperature of below 25ºC, was the last major sulphated mineral phase to be formed, and this took place after the Pliocene vertical replays. Moreover, this study – the cartographic underpinning of which has served as the basis for the recovery and musealization of the mine – has enabled us to discover the enormous potential that the “Mina Rica” has as a centre for geological and geo-mining practical teaching, beyond the indisputable lure of its Great Geode. We foresee that the results presented in this study will be the basis for the use of the “Mina Rica” as an educational tool to help train future generations of geologists and mining engineers.
Downloads
References
Aguirre, J. 1998. El Plioceno del SE de la Península Ibérica (provincia de Almería). Síntesis estratigráfica, sedimentaria, bioestratigráfica y paleogeográfica. Revista de Sociedad Geológica de España, 11 (3), 297-315.
Álvarez, F. 1987, La Tectónica de la Zona Bética en la región de Águilas. Tesis Doctotal, Universidad de Salamanca, 371 págs.
Álvarez, F. and Aldaya, F. 1985. Las unidades de la Zona Bética en la región de Águilas-Mazarrón (Prov. de Murcia). Estudios geológicos, 41 (3-4), 139-146. https://doi.org/10.3989/egeol.85413-4698
Álvarez, F., Aldaya, F. and Navarro-Vilá, F. 1989. Miocene extensional deformations in the región of Águilas-Mazarrón (Eastern Betic Cordilleras). Estudios geológicos, 45 (5-6), 369-374. https://doi.org/10.3989/egeol.89455-6508
Arribas, A. and Tosdal, R.M. 1994. Isotopic Composition of Pb in Ore Deposits of the Betic Cordillera, Spain: Origin and Relationship to Other European Deposits. Economic Geology, 89, 1074-1093. https://doi.org/10.2113/gsecongeo.89.5.1074
Banda, E. and Ansorge, J. 1980. Crustal structure under the central and eastern part of the Betic Cordillera. Geophysical Journal International, 63 (2), 515-532. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.1980.tb02635.x
Bellido Mulas, F y Brändle Matesanz, J.L. 2008. Vulcanismo Ultrapotásico Neogeno. En Contextos Geológicos Espa ñoles, García-Cortes, A. ed. Instituto Geológico y Minero de España. Madrid. 139-145.
Boccaletti, M., Gelati, R., López Garrido, A.C., Papani, G., Rodríguez Femández, J. and Sanz de Galdeano, C. 1987. Neogene-Quaternary sedimentary-tectonic evolution of the Betic Cordillera. Acta-Naturalia de "L'Ateneo Parmense" , 23 (4), 179-205.
Canals, A., Van Driessche, A.E.S., Palero, F. and García-Ruiz J.M. (2019). The origin of large gypsum crystals in the Geode of Pulpí (Almería, Spain). Geology, 47 (12), 1161-1165. https://doi.org/10.1130/G46734.1
Coppier, G., Griveaud, P., de Larouziere, F.D., Montenat, C. and Ott d'Estevou, P. 1989. Example of Neogene tectonic indentation in the Eastern Betic Cordilleras: The Arc of Aguilas (Southeastern Spain). Geodinamica Acta, 3 (1), 37-51. https://doi.org/10.1080/09853111.1989.11105173
Dyja, V., Hibsch, C., Tarantola, A., Cathelineau, M., Boiron, M. C., Marignac, C., Bartier, D., Carrillo-Rosúa, J., Morales- Ruano, S. and Boulvais, P. 2015. From deep to shallow fluid reservoirs: evolution of fluid sources during exhumation of the Sierra Almagrera, Betic Cordillera, Spain. Geofluids, 16 (1), 103-128. https://doi.org/10.1111/gfl.12139
Espinosa Godoy, J.S., Martín Vivaldi, J.R., Martín Alafont, J.M. and Pereda, M. 1974. Mapa Geológico de España E.1:50.000, 2ª serie. Hoja nº 997 (Águilas). Instituto Geológico y Minero de España. Madrid.
Fernández-Leyva, C., Ruiz-Montes, M. y Molina, A.L. 2011. Descripción de las mineralizaciones de las Zonas Internas Béticas. En Cartografía de recursos minerales de Andalucía (A.García-Cortés, Ed. Ppal.). IGME-Consejería de Economía, Innovación y Ciencia de la Junta de Andalucía. Madrid. 190-212.
García-Guinea, J., Morales, S., Delgado, A., Recio, C. and Calaforra, J.M. 2002. Formation of gigantic gypsum crystals. Journal of the Geological Society, 159 (4), 347-350. https://doi.org/10.1144/0016-764902-001
Garcia-Ruiz, J.M., Villasuso, R., Ayora, C., Canals, A., and Otarola, F. 2007. Formation of natural gypsum megacrystals in Naica. Geology, 35 (4), 327-330. https://doi.org/10.1130/G23393A.1
García-Ruiz, J.M. (2006). Corazón de cristal. Bajo el desierto mexicano de Chihuahua. National Geographic España, (Noviembre 2006), 64-83.
García-Ruiz, J.M. Canals, A. and Ayora, C. (2008). Gypsum Megacrystals. Mcgraw-Hill Yearbook of Science and Technology, 154-156.
Giménez, J., Suriñach, E. and Goula, X. 2000. Quantification of vertical movements in the Eastern Betics (Spain) by comparing levellin data. Tectonophysics, 317 (3-4), 237-258. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1951(99)00318-2
Harding, T.P. 1974. Petroleum traps associated with wrench faults. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 58 (7), 1290-1304. https://doi.org/10.1306/83D91669-16C7-11D7-8645000102C1865D
Huibregtse, P. van Alebeek, H. Zaal, M. and Biermann, C. 1998. Palaeostress analysis of the northern Nijar and southern Vera basins: constraints for the Neogene displacement history of major strike-slip faults in the Betic Cordilleras, SE Spain. Tectonophysics, 300 (1-4), 79-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1951(98)00235-2
Logan, J.M. Friedman, M. Higgs, N. Dengo, C. and Shimamoto, T. 1979. Experimental studies of simulated gouge and their application to studies of natural fault zones. In: Proceedings of Conference VIII-analysis of actual fault zones in bedrock. 305-343.
Lustrino, M., Duggen, S. and Rosenberg, C.L. 2011. The central- western Mediterranean: anomalous igneous activity in an anomalous collisional setting. Earth-Sciences Review, 104 (1-3), 1-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2010.08.002
Manteca Martínez, J.I., Pérez de Perceval, M. A. López-Morell, M.A. 2005. La Industria Minera en Murcia durante la época contemporánea. Bocamina. Patrimonio Minero de la Región de Murcia. Edit. Ayuntamiento de Murcia. Museo de la Ciencia y el Agua. Murcia. 119-129.
Martín, J. M. Braga, J. C. and Betzler, C. 2003. Late Neogene- Recent uplift of the Cabo de Gata volcanic province, Almería, SE Spain. Geomorphology, 50 (1), 27-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00206-4
Martin-Rojas, I., Somma, R., Estévez, A., Delgado, F., and Zamparelli, V., 2014, La plataforma Triásica Alpujárride (Zonas internas de la cordillera Bética, España). Revista de la Sociedad Geológica de España, 27, 63-78.
Martínez Frías, J. 1993. The Fe-Mn-Ag deposist of Las Herrerias. Proceedings Second Biennial SGA Meeting, Granada, Field Trip guide, 45-48.
Molina-Molina, A. y Ruiz-Montes, M. 1993. Las mineralizaciones filonianas del Complejo Nevado-Filábride (Cordilleras Béticas, España). Boletín Geológico y Minero, 104-(6), 621-639. https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-9062(94)90024-8
Montenat, C. Ott d'Estevou, P. and Masse, P. 1987. Tectonic- sedimentary characters of the Betic Neogene basins evolving in a crustal transcurrent shear zone (SE Spain). Bulletin des centres de recherches exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine, 11 (1), 1-22.
Morales Ruano, S., Both, R. A. and Fenoll Hach-Ali, P. 1993. Paragenesis and regional zoning of the polymetallic ore deposits in the Aguilas and Sierra Almagrera-Herrerias areas, Southeastern Spain. Proceedings Second Biennial SGA Meeting, Granada, 171-174.
Morales Ruano, S., Both, R. A. and Fenoll Hach-Ali, P. 1995. Fluid evolution and mineral deposition in the Aguilas-Sierra Almagrera base metal ores, southeastern Spain. Third Biennial SGA Meeting: Mineral Deposits: from Their Origin to Their Environmental Impacts, Prague, 365-368.
Otalora, F. and Garcia-Ruiz J.M. 2014. Nucleation and growth of the Naica giant gypsum crystals. Chemical Society Reviews, 43 (7), 2013-2026. https://doi.org/10.1039/C3CS60320B
Palero, F.J. Gómez, F. and Cuesta, J.M. 2000. Pilar de Jaravía. La Geoda Gigante de la Mina Rica. Bocamina, 6, 54-67.
Sánchez Valverde, J., Feixas, C., García-Cortés, A. y Boixereu, E. 2011. Descripción de las mineralizaciones de las Zonas Externas Béticas y de las Cuencas Neógenas. En Cartografía de recursos minerales de Andalucía (A.García- Cortés, Ed. Ppal.). IGME-Consejería de Economía, Innovación y Ciencia de la Junta de Andalucía. Madrid. 212-235.
Sanz de Galdeano, C. 1983. Los accidentes y fracturas principales de las Cordilleras Béticas. Estudios Geológicos, 39 (3-4), 157-165.
Sanz de Galdeano, C. 1987. Strike-slip faults in the southern border of the Vera basin (Almería, Betic Cordilleras). Estudios Geológicos, 43 (5-6), 434-443. https://doi.org/10.3989/egeol.87435-6613
Sanz de Galdeano, C. 1990. Geologic evolution of the Betic Cordilleras in the Western Mediterranean, Miocene to the present. Tectonophysics, 172 (1-2), 107-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(90)90062-D
Silva, P.G. Goy, J.L. Somoza, L. Zazo, C. and Bardají, T. 1993. Landscape response to strike-slip faulting linked to collisional settings: Quaternary tectonics and basin formation in the Eastern Betics, southeastern Spain. Tectonophysics, 224 (4), 289-303. https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(93)90034-H
Torres Roldán, R.L. 1979. The tectonic subdivision of the Betic Zone (Southern Spain): Its significance and one possible geotectonic scenario for the Westernmost Alpine Belt. American Journal Science 279 (1) 19-51. https://doi.org/10.2475/ajs.279.1.19
Torres Ruiz, J. 2006. Geochemical Constraints on the Genesis of the Marquesado Iron Ore Deposits, Betic Cordillera, Spain: REE, C, O, and Sr Isotope Data. Economic Geology, 101, 667-677. https://doi.org/10.2113/gsecongeo.101.3.667
Van Driessche, A.E., García-Ruiz, J.M., Tsukamoto, K., Patiño, L.D., and Satoh, H. 2011. Ultra slow growth rates of giant gypsum crystals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 108, 15723-15728. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1105233108
Whitney, D. L. and Evans, B. W. 2010. Abbreviations for names of rock-forming minerals. American mineralogist, 95 (1), 185-187. https://doi.org/10.2138/am.2010.3371
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
© CSIC. Manuscripts published in both the print and online versions of this journal are the property of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, and quoting this source is a requirement for any partial or full reproduction.
All contents of this electronic edition, except where otherwise noted, are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. You may read the basic information and the legal text of the licence. The indication of the CC BY 4.0 licence must be expressly stated in this way when necessary.
Self-archiving in repositories, personal webpages or similar, of any version other than the final version of the work produced by the publisher, is not allowed.
