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Moitinha, Mina de São Domingos
Moitinha was one of the hubs of the mining complex of Sao Domingos. The mining grinding mills were installed in this location. The mineral grinding, or the reduction of the extracted pyrite into the desired granulometry was executed with a battery of mills installed in a building of which only the walls and awnings for the reception of the mineral to be ground remain today. The grinding unit was served by an extension of the railway implemented on the left bank of the Sao Domingos River, at a higher level than the mills. The ground mineral was unloaded by using gravity, into the circulating wagons on a section of railway, thus ensuring that it could be transported to one of the possible destinations: Piling terraces for the minerals, pyrite lixiviation terraces, ovens in Achada do Gamo or the Pomarão Port. The urban zone of Moitinha was installed next to the industrial zone, a mining neighbourhood inhabited by close to 200 people during the period of active mining. From the period in which pyrite metallurgy was conducted through the dry method in the Sao Domingos Mine, or from the third quarter of the 19th century, is a sintering oven in the Moitinha industrial zone. Sintering consists of the burning of pyrite (in kilns or in ovens) that release the sulphur it contains into the atmosphere in the form of gas. In this process, a substantial portion of the mass is lost, and the metallic minerals are concentrated. The process is extremely damaging to the environment and required that indemnities be paid to locally affected farmers.
CHARACTERISTICS
LOCATION
Address: Rua de Santa Isabel nº 30/31
City: Mina de São Domingos
Postal Code: 7750 - 146
Telephone: 286647534
Email: fserraomartins@gmail.com
Website: http://fundacaoserraomartins.pt/
City: Mina de São Domingos
Postal Code: 7750 - 146
Telephone: 286647534
Email: fserraomartins@gmail.com
Website: http://fundacaoserraomartins.pt/
FUNCTIONING
Public venue, with no timetable or entrance fee.
ORGANISATION OF THE VISIT
The visit to this Point does not require prior booking and cannot be done individually.
Specific Conditions:
-
Method:
Private vehicle
Difficulty Level:
Average
Group Visits:
No
Guided Tours:
No
Observations:
Conditions and prices are established by A Fundação Serrão Martins (FSM) which provides guided tours to the mining compound. These tours must be booked in advance and are subject to the availability of FSM employees to conduct the visit. Currently two types of tours are offered (A and B). Type A Tour This guided visit includes access to the exposition housed in the Cine Teatro building, the industrial zone of the São Domingos Mine and the reconstruction of the Miner´s House located in the Documentation Centre. The visit lasts approximately an hour and a half to two hours, and costs 2.50 Euros. Children under twelve, students and senior citizens over 65 benefit from a 50% discount. In the industrial zone, Type A Tours provide for a visit to the mineral extraction and loading area, workshops and storage centres, electrical power centre, winch, water supply lagoons, drainage systems, Roman mining ruins and various other items. It is not possible to see all of the locations listed in just one tour, but it is possible to see most of them. The interested parties may select which locations are those of most interest. Type B Tour This guided tour includes the foregoing tour with the addition of the Mining Route (17 km) which includes travel down the dirt road comprising the ancient Iron Route to the Pomarão Fluvial port. The tour lasts between three and three and a half hours, and costs 4.00 Euros. Children under twelve, students and senior citizens over 65 benefit from a 50% discount. This second alternative requires the use of the participants' vehicles and accommodation in one of the vehicles for the guide. In addition to the areas referred to above, the Type B Tour provides a visit to the railway line (including the elevated and underground works, in addition to the stations), acidic water treatment lagoons, the Moitinha Gravel Chipping Plant (with a 19th century roasting oven), the Achada do Gamo Sulphur Factory and the Pomarão river port. A few clarifications • The visit to the Miner´s House is free and is available at any time during the Documentation Centre´s regular operating hours (9:00AM - 12:30PM / 2:00PM - 5:30PM). At the Miner´s House free informative pamphlets are provided about the Miner´s House, the mining compound (geology), Mértola county (map), and the pyritical strip (mines which can be visited in Alentejo and Algarve). • The São Domingos mining location is an open space with interpretative displays located in key locations which can be visited without a guide. The visitors should always take due care as the location in question has potentially dangerous features (uneven surfaces, hollows, poisonous or corrosive chemical elements, unstable structures, etc.) • Tourist vehicles can circulate in certain portions of the industrial compound, specifically to Achada do Gamo, however such travel is only recommended in the São Domingos Mines urban zone. • In order to avoid disappointment due to unrealised expectations, it is important to note that most of the metal equipment from the mining area were sold as scrap, or vandalised, or stolen during the years which followed the closure of the mine in 1966 and the current heritage recovery efforts. As such, in the majority of cases, only the facilities or locations where the equipment was located can be visited. • The minimum number of participants for a group tour is 6; in the event that an individual or smaller group wishes to participate in a tour, the price will be equivalent to that paid by a group with the minimum number of participants, without a discount. In other words € 15.00 for Tour A and € 24.00 for Tour B. • The visit to the mining locations requires walking of distances of several hundred metres between various centres: if some of the visitors have challenges for such mobility, the travel between the centres may be made within the visitor´s vehicle. • Visits may be scheduled by telephone 286 647 534 (telephone or fax), but should be confirmed in writing via the following electronic address: fserraomartins@gmail.com • In the event that a guided tour is desired, please provide the following information: date and time of the visit, type of intended visit, number of people, number of people for whom discounts are applicable, mobile phone number and name of contact person during the day scheduled for the tour, identification of the organising institution/ origin of the group, and any other information which may be considered necessary (NIF in the event that an invoice is required, etc.).
Specific Conditions:
-
Method:
Private vehicle
Difficulty Level:
Average
Group Visits:
No
Guided Tours:
No
Observations:
Conditions and prices are established by A Fundação Serrão Martins (FSM) which provides guided tours to the mining compound. These tours must be booked in advance and are subject to the availability of FSM employees to conduct the visit. Currently two types of tours are offered (A and B). Type A Tour This guided visit includes access to the exposition housed in the Cine Teatro building, the industrial zone of the São Domingos Mine and the reconstruction of the Miner´s House located in the Documentation Centre. The visit lasts approximately an hour and a half to two hours, and costs 2.50 Euros. Children under twelve, students and senior citizens over 65 benefit from a 50% discount. In the industrial zone, Type A Tours provide for a visit to the mineral extraction and loading area, workshops and storage centres, electrical power centre, winch, water supply lagoons, drainage systems, Roman mining ruins and various other items. It is not possible to see all of the locations listed in just one tour, but it is possible to see most of them. The interested parties may select which locations are those of most interest. Type B Tour This guided tour includes the foregoing tour with the addition of the Mining Route (17 km) which includes travel down the dirt road comprising the ancient Iron Route to the Pomarão Fluvial port. The tour lasts between three and three and a half hours, and costs 4.00 Euros. Children under twelve, students and senior citizens over 65 benefit from a 50% discount. This second alternative requires the use of the participants' vehicles and accommodation in one of the vehicles for the guide. In addition to the areas referred to above, the Type B Tour provides a visit to the railway line (including the elevated and underground works, in addition to the stations), acidic water treatment lagoons, the Moitinha Gravel Chipping Plant (with a 19th century roasting oven), the Achada do Gamo Sulphur Factory and the Pomarão river port. A few clarifications • The visit to the Miner´s House is free and is available at any time during the Documentation Centre´s regular operating hours (9:00AM - 12:30PM / 2:00PM - 5:30PM). At the Miner´s House free informative pamphlets are provided about the Miner´s House, the mining compound (geology), Mértola county (map), and the pyritical strip (mines which can be visited in Alentejo and Algarve). • The São Domingos mining location is an open space with interpretative displays located in key locations which can be visited without a guide. The visitors should always take due care as the location in question has potentially dangerous features (uneven surfaces, hollows, poisonous or corrosive chemical elements, unstable structures, etc.) • Tourist vehicles can circulate in certain portions of the industrial compound, specifically to Achada do Gamo, however such travel is only recommended in the São Domingos Mines urban zone. • In order to avoid disappointment due to unrealised expectations, it is important to note that most of the metal equipment from the mining area were sold as scrap, or vandalised, or stolen during the years which followed the closure of the mine in 1966 and the current heritage recovery efforts. As such, in the majority of cases, only the facilities or locations where the equipment was located can be visited. • The minimum number of participants for a group tour is 6; in the event that an individual or smaller group wishes to participate in a tour, the price will be equivalent to that paid by a group with the minimum number of participants, without a discount. In other words € 15.00 for Tour A and € 24.00 for Tour B. • The visit to the mining locations requires walking of distances of several hundred metres between various centres: if some of the visitors have challenges for such mobility, the travel between the centres may be made within the visitor´s vehicle. • Visits may be scheduled by telephone 286 647 534 (telephone or fax), but should be confirmed in writing via the following electronic address: fserraomartins@gmail.com • In the event that a guided tour is desired, please provide the following information: date and time of the visit, type of intended visit, number of people, number of people for whom discounts are applicable, mobile phone number and name of contact person during the day scheduled for the tour, identification of the organising institution/ origin of the group, and any other information which may be considered necessary (NIF in the event that an invoice is required, etc.).
EXISTING EQUIPMENT
Exterior mining facilities
EXTERNAL SUPPORT
TRANSPORT
Type of Transport:
Táxi
Agency Name:
Geral Táxis
Telephone Number:
286611117
Parking for private vehicles:
Yes
Táxi
Agency Name:
Geral Táxis
Telephone Number:
286611117
Parking for private vehicles:
Yes
SITES OF TOURISTIC INTEREST
ASSOCIATED ROUTES
Iberian Pyrite Belt Route
The Pyrite Route is a thematic route of mining and geological tourism dedicated to the Iberian Pyrite Belt, considered one of the main mining regions of Europe, with more than 90 known massive sulphide deposits, distributed throughout the regions of Alentejo and Andalusia. In addition to the pyrite mines occur in the province hundreds of manganese deposits and veins of copper, lead, barium and antimony.
The Pyrite Route is a thematic route of mining and geological tourism dedicated to the Iberian Pyrite Belt, considered one of the main mining regions of Europe, with more than 90 known massive sulphide deposits, distributed throughout the regions of Alentejo and Andalusia. In addition to the pyrite mines occur in the province hundreds of manganese deposits and veins of copper, lead, barium and antimony.
SUGGESTIONS OF THE ROUTE- OTHER NEARBY PLACES TO VISIT