Name of the Mine
Aljustrel mine.

Location  
The Iberian pyritous range – between the south of the lower Alentejo, in Portugal, and Andalusia, in Spain – one of the richest areas of metallic ores worldwide.

Mine Owner/s  
Private company Almina – Minas do Alentejo.

Brief Description  
The Aljustrel mine area hosts six massive sulphide deposits: Feitais, Moinho, Algares, São João, Estacão and Gavião; they contribute to the mine’s substantial zinc, lead and copper reserves.

Brief History  
Almina – Minas do Alentejo’s origins trace back to 1973 when it was established under the name Pirites Alentejanas. 

In the 1980s, Pirites initiated studies of the valorisation of its ores to promote the production of the nonferrous base metals contained therein, adding greater value to the company’s production. 

With the concentrated production project in 1991, the capacity to produce copper and zinc concentrates, as well as floated pyrite, was added to the industrial processing plant.

Work was suspended in 1993, owing to technical and economic reasons. 

From 2000 to 2006, several projects were developed and in mid-2006, the mine resumed its activity in Aljustrel with the redefinition of the mining lease area with the Portuguese State.

However, owing to the global financial crisis, activities were suspended again in November 2008. Subsequently, the Portuguese Group I’M Mining acquired the company, resulting in its rebranding as Almina – Minas do Alentejo.

Canadian multinational precious metals streaming company Wheaton Precious Metals has a streaming agreement with Almina.

Primary Metals/Minerals  
Copper, zinc and lead.

Secondary Metals/Minerals  
Silver.

Geology/Mineralisation  
The Aljustrel mine is situated in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, which encompasses a Devonian-Carboniferous volcano-sedimentary sequence that forms an arcuate belt that extends westward from Seville, Spain, to west-north-west, in southern Portugal. 

The belt is host to some of the world’s biggest volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits. The area is interpreted to represent a Late Devonian rifted basin, which appears to have controlled the distribution of massive sulphide and stockwork mineralisation, as well as associated volcanic units. Base metals within these deposits are commonly zoned from zinc-rich zones near the top, to copper-rich zones at the base of the massive sulphide. 

Reserves  
Specific figures regarding the current mineral resources and reserves have not been disclosed by Almina. 

Resources  
Specific figures regarding the current mineral resources and reserves have not been disclosed by Almina. 

Type of Mine
Underground.

Mining Method  
Room-and-pillar and cut-and-fill.

Major Infrastructure/Equipment  
The mine's infrastructure includes advanced underground mining equipment, ore-processing facilities, and concentrators for zinc and copper. In 2023, Almina partnered with Metso to upgrade its copper and zinc concentrator, enhancing the efficiency of mineral processing at the site.

Prospects  
On September 12, 2023, it was announced that, as a result of low zinc prices, the production of zinc and lead concentrates at the Aljustrel mine would be halted from September 24, 2023, until the second quarter of 2025.

Contact Details 
Almina – Minas do Alentejo 
Tel +351 284 249 400
Email geral@almina.pt 
Website https://www.almina.pt/