Santa Bárbara de Padrões
Encyclopedia
Santa Bárbara de Padrões is a Portuguese town/parish within the boundaries of the municipality of Castro Verde, with 66.3 square kilometers of area and 1271 inhabitants (2009). Density: 19.2 inhabitants / km ².
The landscape of the parish provides a more rugged terrain than the rest of the county being an area of transition between the plains of the Sierra and the White Field of the Caldeirão.
The economic life of the parish is closely linked to the subsoil wealth mined at the Neves-Corvo mine
that is part of the largest Pyrite
belt of Europe, the Iberian Pyrite Belt
.
Mine activity in this region goes back as far as 1700 B.C, with remains of mining structures dating back to Roman times when the area played a significant role in the expansion of Roman metallurgy
. This southern area of Lusitania
, being a Roman province for several centuries, was an abundant source of mineral ore which included Gold, Silver, Copper, Tin, Lead and Iron.
The landscape of the parish provides a more rugged terrain than the rest of the county being an area of transition between the plains of the Sierra and the White Field of the Caldeirão.
The economic life of the parish is closely linked to the subsoil wealth mined at the Neves-Corvo mine
Neves-Corvo mine
Neves-Corvo mine is a zinc-copper mine in Castro Verde Municipality, Portugal. The deposit was discovered in 1977 and the mine opened in 1988.- References:**]...
that is part of the largest Pyrite
Pyrite
The mineral pyrite, or iron pyrite, is an iron sulfide with the formula FeS2. This mineral's metallic luster and pale-to-normal, brass-yellow hue have earned it the nickname fool's gold because of its resemblance to gold...
belt of Europe, the Iberian Pyrite Belt
Iberian Pyrite Belt
The Iberian Pyrite Belt is a vast geographical area with particular geological features that stretches along much of the south of the Iberian Peninsula, from Portugal to Spain. It is about 250 km long and 30–50 km wide, running northwest to southeast from Alcácer do Sal to Sevilla...
.
Mine activity in this region goes back as far as 1700 B.C, with remains of mining structures dating back to Roman times when the area played a significant role in the expansion of Roman metallurgy
Roman metallurgy
Metals and metal working had been known to the people of modern Italy since the Bronze Age. By 86 BC, Rome had already expanded to control an immense expanse of the Mediterranean...
. This southern area of Lusitania
Lusitania
Lusitania or Hispania Lusitania was an ancient Roman province including approximately all of modern Portugal south of the Douro river and part of modern Spain . It was named after the Lusitani or Lusitanian people...
, being a Roman province for several centuries, was an abundant source of mineral ore which included Gold, Silver, Copper, Tin, Lead and Iron.
External links
- Town Hall official website- (Portuguese: Use Google Translate to convert to other languages)