APG – Portuguese Association of Geologists organizes, between the 8th and 11th November, the 10th APG Conference Days, in Évora.

Under the theme “Water: strategic and vital resource”, APG intends to address the multiple aspects of water and its role as a unique and essential resource for human life, including its importance in all industrial sectors.

At the same time, the event wants again to reflect the objective of enhancing geoscientists relevance in society, particularly with regard to scientific literacy and explanation and learning discussions, supported by scientific knowledge.

Having the “water resources” in the background, the presence of students, academics and industry professionals at the event is expected, whom may be interested in learning about the best practices in a context of sustainability of an extremely fragile resource.

With registration open until November 3rd, through the link shared HERE.

More information at: X Jornadas APG 2023

The 10th APG Days are supported by EDM – Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro, S.A.

ASSIMAGRA kicks off the Roadmap for the Decarbonization of the Natural Stone Sector.

The meeting will be held on October 27th, starting at 9:00 am, at the Hotel Montebelo – Mosteiro de Alcobaça.

The aim of this project is to draw up a strategic plan to reduce carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency and encouraging best practices in the sector over the next few years, within the scope of the Roadmap to Decarbonization.

Some of the topics under discussion include the analysis of the Product Life Cycle, its Environmental Footprint and Environmental Product Declarations, as well as the impact of Artificial Intelligence, as a facilitating element for companies, within an extremely complete event schedule.

Link to registration and agenda HERE

The 14th Partners Annual Meeting of the Route of Mines and Points of Mining and Geological Interest in Portugal, took place in Manteigas, on the 12th and 13^th, October 2023.

This years’ theme was “Geological Heritage and the 2030 Agenda”

As founding entity of the Route of Mines and Points of Mining and Geological Interest in Portugal, EDM’s representation was marked by the presence of its Chairman of the Board of Directors, Gonçalo Rocha, who praised the work developed over the last 15 years. Gonçalo Rocha also welcomed the representatives of the 44 partners, reinforcing the importance of increasing scientific literacy in the use of resources, by using the best technologies and good practices for networking in the territory.

The presentations and following debate between the partners were essentially dedicated to the main theme, making possible to recognize the work done, which supports the dynamization in different territories of the partners’ Route of Mines. These geological and mining interest regions, not only highlight the potential of Geotouristic resources, but also the urgency of creating a greater response to the challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (UN).

As per invitation of the organizing partner, Estrela Geopark Mundial – UNESCO, partners also had the opportunity to visit the “burel” factory, Ecolã, and Passadiços do Mondego in the municipality of Guarda.

Between the walks through nature and the observation of the region’s geology, manifested in the imposing granites, the Route of Mines and Points of Mining and Geological Interest in Portugal, aspires that the national geological heritage may reach a greater recognition, allowing its better preservation, but that also can ensure that this resource can become of greater value to local communities.

More information:

Website of the Route of Mines and Points of Mining and Geological Interest in Portugal HERE

Educational Services Guide 2023-2024 from the Partners of the Mines Route and Points of Mining and Geological Interest in Portugal HERE

Critical Raw Materials for a rapid climate transition.

The Conference “Critical Raw Materials in the Climate Transition Era” will take place on October 25th in Aljustrel.

The main objective of this meeting is to create an informed debate regarding the supply processes of critical raw materials.

Therefore, the main goal is to increase awareness of the strategic importance of these essential raw materials, starting in the processing onto the recycling of products and materials, including the analysis of their life cycle and reintroducing them into the value chain.

In this way, the continuous maintenance of a necessary circular and sustainable economy is guaranteed, as well as, a safer, fairer and more achievable energy and digital transition.

It is believed that through incisive communication, greater awareness and useful information can be created from and towards society, in a fundamental balance for the decarbonization process of the various sectors of the industry.

At the same time, the fundamental role of critical raw materials (and beyond) is being debated in an era of clear climate transition, in order to achieve the desired environmental goals, set out by the European Union and Portugal.

The Conference, a co-organization between EDM, ADENE, LNEG and DGEG, will start at 9:30 am, at the Reception and Welcome Center of the Aljustrel Mining Park. A guided tour of the mine gallery and the remaining recovered Industrial Heritage is also scheduled.

This event will also have the support of CM Aljustrel and Almina.

The registration link is now available HERE, until October 23rd.

The importance of preserving the mining identity in Portugal and Spain, will be under debate at the 1st “Heritage and Cultural Mining Landscape” Conference, to be held at São Domingos mine, on October 7th.

The Portuguese Association for Industrial Heritage, National Representative of TICCIH – The International Committee for the Conservation of Industrial Heritage, in joint coordination of its President José M. Lopes Cordeiro and Architect Rui Carvalho and in partnership with the Municipal Council of Mértola , the Serrão Martins Foundation and the Parish Councils of Corte do Pinto and Santana de Cambas, will organize the 1st International Conference “Heritage and Cultural Mining Landscape”, at Mina de São Domingos on October 7th, 2023.

The conference, in which EDM – Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro, SA. will be represented by the presence of Edgar Carvalho, intends to leverage the importance of the historical memory of the old mines of the Iberian Pyrite Belt.

The share of experiences, life stories, and ideas that enable the valorisation and recovery of these territories, also makes it possible to raise awareness of the Mining Industrial Heritage, which, besides being forgotten by a large part of the population, is degraded and abandoned, regardless the various recovery projects already carried out or others that are still under development.

Also, the importance of the Mining legacy is not only a national matter. In addition to encircling classified sites by UNESCO, these regions, within the scope of this first conference, recognise the need for a cross-border commitment, since geological resources are common to both Portugal and Spain.

Thus, the valorisation, recovery and development of affected areas becomes an essential object of work, which must be characterized and improved, for the future and collective memory of resilient communities.

More information can be found at the official website: Minescapes – International Conference on Heritage and Cultural Landscape of Mining

Official program HERE

The new edition of the Partners’ guide to the ROUTE OF MINES AND POINTS OF MINING AND GEOLOGICAL INTEREST IN PORTUGAL 2023-2024 is now available.

This guide’s edition aims a continuous response to schools needs, from organizing field visits to other training experiences. The guide presents the Partners offer within the “ROUTE OF MINES AND POINTS OF MINING AND GEOLOGICAL INTEREST IN PORTUGAL” among a set of other resources, suggesting interesting pedagogical activities – face-to-face and non-face-to-face – that can be developed in the different contexts in which the educational practices take place.

THE ROUTE integrates a large number of entities with diverse backgrounds, resources, methods and institutional frameworks, which undoubtedly enriches the offer and makes it more interesting. The activities now presented, naturally reflect this diversity, always providing different and unique experiences to those who participate in them.

The information regarding the activities is under the responsibility of the participating entities, so it is recommended that each should be consulted in case of missing data.

To all teachers, students and other educational agents – we wish you a wonderful school year, and exciting geological and mining experiences.

Access the guide HERE.

A different summer, within the ROUTE OF MINES AND POINTS OF MINING AND GEOLOGICAL INTEREST IN PORTUGAL, this time, in Lisbon city for those who have already been, or still are on vacation.

A total of 20 analogue photographs were donated to the Museum of the University of Lisbon from Isabel Carvalho.

Taken in the year 2000 at the Panasqueira Mines, during a photographic project, Isabel was able to portray the life of the miners, in a space where work and light conditions, essential for photo shooting, but more importantly, for survival itself, are austere.

The characterization of the workers, as a fraternity, and the importance of the mine, both on a social, cultural and historical level, impressed in the people and places memories, is the added value of this work, which can be associated with the rest of the collection dedicated to these important Portuguese mines.

A still-living portrait of the deep-earth wound, to be seen at the National Museum of Natural History, University of Lisbon, 23 years later.

More information:

Minas da Panasqueira, por Isabel Carvalho

Registrations are now open for the Technical Guide Course on “Interpretation and Management of Geological and Mining Heritage”, to be held by the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) between September 8th and December 2nd, 2023.

Registration is formalized by completing the online form and by sending a digitalized proof of payment.

EDM – Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro, SA., will award to the best students. Sign up now!

More info here.

Organized by the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Coimbra, in collaboration with the Geological Society of Portugal, the National Congress will bring together more than 300 specialists in the field of Geosciences until the 20th July.

There will be 200 oral presentations, 20 scientific sessions and 150 posters during the XI National Congress of Geology.

An opportunity for all those interested in Geosciences to share and learn about the best current practices and the latest work and innovations in the area.

In an era of Energy Transition, there are also increasingly resonant themes, encompassed in the Sustainable Development Goals. Thus, “geodiversity and geoconservation”, “urban security and sustainability”, “decarbonization and energy sources” will certainly be addressed and debated. Not to mention the fundamental importance of critical raw materials, which are part of the new environmental objectives of the European Union.
The ideal event to combat misinformation and harmful ideas to the development of societies.

More information here: XI National Congress of Geology

With the 2023 motto “Water is life – don’t waste it“, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Action, the Águas de Portugal Group and the Portuguese Environment Agency, together with the Regulatory Entity of Water and Waste Services, are starting a new water scarcity awareness and prevention campaign.

As usual EDM – Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro, SA., is associated with this active communication.

Portugal continues to suffer a long period of aggravated drought, and not even the extreme weather conditions of the last few weeks seems to make any difference. Dry and maximum exploited soils and lands, are unable to absorb precipitation.

At the same time, we start to feel water shortages, particularly in the south of the country, but while we wait for effective solutions, it is our duty to change some habits.

As we get closer to summer (which starts tomorrow, the 21st of June), it becomes essential to act in such a way as to make more resilient those vulnerable communities. This way, they will also learn how to use the precious natural resource, whose utilization and consumption tends to duplicate at this time of year.

There are several small gestures to change the current paradigm and face the effects of climate change. Learn more about what to do at https://portaldaagua.pt/ (Portal da Água)

EDM has accepted an invitation to join as stakeholder the European RadoNorm Project “Towards effective radiation protection based on improved scientific evidence and social considerations – focus on Radon and NORM “. The project, funded by the European Union under EURATOM Horizon 2020 programme, aims to provide legal, executive and operational support to Member States and Associated Countries in the implementation of the Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation from Radon and NORM. The project includes 57 participants and organisations from 22 countries, where Portugal is represented by University of Porto, University of Aveiro and Instituto Superior Técnico.

EDM’s participation focuses on the collaboration within the tasks foreseen in WP2, which aims to obtain knowledge, methodologies and procedures, improving the characterization of the exposure of members of the public, workers and living beings to radon and NORM. To this end EDM will provide access to uranium mining legacy sites, in order to collect environmental samples, as well as information and data from these areas. Bilateral collaboration agreements between EDM and partners are being drafted.

This project has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2019-2020 under grant agreement No. 900009.

With the presence of Zélia Estevão and Edgar Carvalho EDM has participated in an Institutional Cooperation Mission to Mozambique, which took place between the 13th and 18th of April. The visit was under the Mineral Resources scope.

The mission took place under the scope of the Cooperation Protocol for Mineral Resources, signed between the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG) and INAMI – National Institute of Mines of Mozambique. The visit was led by João Bernardo, General-Director of DGEG, and counted with the presence of the respective leaders of the Services Directorate for the Strategy and Promotion of Geological Resources (DSEFRG), Services Directorate for Mines and Quarries (DSMP) and Directorate of Institutional Relations and Market (DSRIM). The main objective of this mission was to enhance strategic cooperation in the area of geological resources between Portugal and Mozambique, through the sharing of experience, knowledge and information. These exchanges took place not only during the fields visit, but also during the meetings which were held with the National Institute of Mines, along administrators and district delegates from the provinces of Gaza and Maputo.

The mission also made it possible to obtain a better understanding of the reality in Mozambique, through technical visits to different geological resources explorations, namely the Chibuto Heavy Sand mine, the Rhyolite and Bentonite extraction areas of Namaacha and also from the sand extraction areas of Boane.

As part of the visit programme, there was also a meeting with members of the Portuguese Embassy and also with the Director of the AICEP delegation in Maputo.