Mineral Resources Unit

Laboratory Menu

Introduction

The Mineral Resources Unit originates from what was the core of the current University of Huelva in the Geology Section of La Rábida. It is built upon a multidisciplinary team covering all aspects of Geology related to the genesis, spatial-temporal distribution, and utilization of Mineral Resources. Research funding has been consistently obtained through competitive projects from the relevant Ministry and the EU. At the same time, there has been intense collaboration with mining companies operating both in Spain and abroad. The location of the Research Center in one of the most important mining regions in Europe, the Iberian Pyrite Belt, has facilitated this collaboration.

The group’s history, on which the Unit is based, is marked by publications that are reference points for the genesis of massive sulfide deposits associated with volcanic terrains and the analysis of sedimentary basins in which they are generated. Some of these publications are internationally recognized for this type of deposit. The methodologies applied include mineralogical, petrographic, and geochemical analysis of deposits and host rocks using various techniques from fieldwork to microscopic and high-resolution geochemical techniques.

Collaborations

The research group maintains active collaboration with universities and research groups both nationally (e.g., UAB, UGR, UPV, UB, UCM) and internationally (e.g., U. Orleans, U. Clermont-Ferrand, U. Gotenbourg, SUERC, U. Queensland, UERJ, U. Lisboa, U. Río Cuarto, ICRAG). The active collaboration with the mining industry through LRU art. 68-83 contracts (e.g., MATSA, Grupo México, Valorización Minería, First Quantum, Cobre las Cruces, Iberian Resources Spain) is also noteworthy.