2025

Mineral Resources

Name: Mineral Resources
Code: GEO02682L
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area: Geosciences

Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese

Presentation

This Curricular Unit intends to confer skills on geological processes and their role as a source of raw materials necessary for the modern civilization.

Sustainable Development Goals

Learning Goals

To transmit the knowledge on the genesis of metallic ores and their applications.
Familiarize the students with the more common methods of study applied to metallic ores.

Contents

Introduction to the geological resources: definitions; the geological context; their use;
Global economy of the geological resources;
The geology of the mineral resources in the broader context of the Earth sciences;
Mineral exploration: Geophysical methods; Geochemical methods;Geochemical anomalies;Primary halos;Secondary halos;
Energy resources: importance, types, production and consumption;
Metallic ores:Methods of study: fluid inclusions and stable isotopes.
Orthomagmatic ores;
Disseminated and stockwork deposits;
Skarns;
Vein ores;
Massive sulphides;
Sedimentary ores;
Portuguese examples;
Marine mineral resources:Abyssal plains; Continental platform.

Teaching Methods

The course is structured in lectures focused on the theoretical concepts and genetic models of the metallic mineral resources and in a practical classes devoted to the identification of the ore minerals under the microscope.
At the end of the semester two tests will be done, with theoretical and practical questions (50%) and an essay about one of the themes taught during the semester (50%).