GEOAVALIA Project: A contribution to the Azorean mineral resources prospecting and evaluation

摘要

"GEOAVALIA Project" main goal is to gather and join all relevant information related with the exploitation zones (e.g. quarries) in the Azores Islands, promoting an inventory of these sites all over the Archipelago. That inventory, includes a database supported on a GIS System, where a detailed characterization of these sites was done, focusing on the evaluation of several geomorphologic, geologic and environmental parameters, gathered during field work, mapping and aerial photos interpretation. It is also a purpose of this study to determine the type of mineral resources, to evaluate the environmental status of the exploitation zones and to evaluate its potential uses and environment impact mitigation measures. About 660 exploitation zones/quarries were already identified in the Azores Islands, either under exploitation either abandoned, recently or for a long time ago, the latest ones often not recovered in environmental terms. Preliminary data reveal that most of them are located in Sao Miguel, Pico and Terceira islands, being the majority of the exploitation zones on scoria cones/deposits (about 57%), and basaltic lava flows (20%).