1. CONSULTING AND DESIGN FOR EXPLORATION AND EXPLOITATION IN PORTUGAL
Mário Bastos
(GENERAL MANAGER)

2. Portugal has many and varied geological occurrences, allowing for the development of large mining operations for many different types of ores, minerals and dimension stone. 
Currently, mineral exploitation is expanding in Portugal with Companies searching for more and more diverse minerals, looking for amongst other minerals, gold, silver, copper, tungsten, tin, iron and feldspar. 
There’s a lot of geological investigation to be done in Portugal. In our opinion there are large areas with little information or that have had no consistent exploration work that could host significant mineral deposits.
At the same time, there are favourable political conditions to assist new mining projects, in a country with a lot to be done.
Portugal has a skilled workforce relative to the mining industry, both at the management and worker level.
In addition to its own mining potential, Portugal is seen as a platform for investment in Europe, Africa and Brazil, where the historical, cultural and language affinities have considerable relevance.

3. VISA – Consultores de Geologia Aplicada e Engenharia do Ambiente, S. A
VISA – Consultores de Geologia Aplicada e Engenharia do Ambiente, S.A. (Consultants in Applied Geology and Environmental Management) is an independent Portuguese consulting company. It specialises in the fields of Geology, Mining and Environmental Management.
Established in 1992, VISA Consultores has offices in Lisbon and Oporto.
VISA Consultores, has a culture of “problem solving”, aiming to accommodate environmental issues with the needs of industrial and economic development.
Since its foundation, VISA Consultores is focused on addressing the challenges faced by the mining and quarrying industries.
It has 18 permanent employees and a staff average age of 37, the company has 17 graduates, 3 MSc and 6 post-graduates.
VISA Consultores had already be successful in more than 200 licence applications in Portugal, and several studies in other countries.

4. Licensing of quarries and mines Environmental Impact Assessment
VISA Consultores collaborates with universities and research institutes in specific projects and has a very close relation with these entities.
VISA Consultores provides a range of services to fully support the mining companies in projects, studies and consulting in the areas of:
Geology
Exploration
Modelling
Exploitation
Hydrogeology
Geothermal
Licensing of quarries and mines
Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental monitoring
General consulting in mining industry

5. To obtain a Exploration Licence, there are several steps to be done:
Portugal has had an active and strong mining industry for many centuries. During the Roman period, major mining activities took place, from north to south of the country with gold, silver, iron, etc. being mined in significant quantities.
Today there are two large underground mines (tungsten and copper), several open pit mines producing feldspar, lithium, etc., and an thriving quarrying industry extracting ornamental stones (marble, limestone and granite), marl and limestone for cement. The extraction of clays for ceramics and other industrial use forms a large part of the industry.
The legislation relative to the Mining Industry has had several upgrades, and is now well adapted to accommodate the development of mining industry.
To obtain a Exploration Licence, there are several steps to be done:
land use authorization;
proof of property ownership;
The application must include: The Identification of the applicant, definition of the substances to be sought, the intended exploration area location and definition of the boundaries relative to the area under application
The exploration work programme, including studies and work to be undertaken must be outlined;
Detailed plans and sections of the site work and the post operational clean up and site remediation measures must be submitted.

6. An exploitation concession or Production permit can be requested for an area already under a research and exploration contract, or for an available area under no contract or for a different mineral deposit in an area under a contract for research and exploration.
The licensing application for mineral deposit exploitation must include some major documents, such as:
Location of the area;
Detailed report of the mineral deposit;
Mining plan;
Prefeasibility study of the exploitation.
If the project requires an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the exploitation license will only be granted after the issuing of a favourable Environmental Impact Statement.

7. All quarry and mine projects (exploitation), which exceed specific dimensions, or are located in Sensitive Areas, must have an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), as an essential formality for licensing.
All quarries and mines, which exceed 5 ha, must have an EIA, as well as projects, with the following characteristics:
This procedure is based on an Environmental Impact Study and includes several phases, some of which have strict deadlines for their completion. Any change or extension of the above-mentioned projects, that meet the thresholds established, are equally bound by the EIA procedure.
TYPE OF PROJECT
GENERAL CASE
SENSITIVE AREAS
a) Quarries, open pit mines and peat exploitation in isolated or continuous areas
Quarries, mines ≥ 5ha or ≥ t/year or, if this values are exceeded in a 1km radius, by junction with other similar units.
All
b) Underground exploitation
≥5ha or ≥ t/year.

8. VISA Consultores is able to provide services to its clients ranging from the initial selection of an area with potential, all the way through to a post mine closure survey.  The services can include exploration, deposit modelling, mine design, environmental impact assessment, landscape rehabilitation planning, and environmental monitoring (air quality, noise, vibrations, water quality, etc.). 
At the present time, VISA Consultores are involved in two underground mining projects (gold) in Portugal, with the responsibility of producing mining plans, environmental impact assessments and other necessary studies.
Due to the recent rise in the metal prices, Portugal has again become a very prospective country for exploitation and exploration of many different types of minerals and deposits.
VISA Consultores has 19 years of experience in supporting the mining industry in Portugal.
With a well diversified staff of geologists, mining engineers, landscape architects, environmental engineers, etc., and a wide range of permanent consultants, VISA Consultores is able to fully support any mining company wishing to conduct business in Portugal.

9. Due to the company’s experience in projects and studies in Angola, Brazil, Mozambique, Ghana, Tunisia, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Namibia, Syria, Libya and Poland, VISA Consultores is familiar with different clients needs and varying cultures.
We have the experience and we are able to support the mining companies and those involved in exploration in Portugal and in other countries.

10. Thank you Mário Bastos (Eng.) mbastos@visaconsultores.com
VISA Consultores has 3 technicians in PDAC that can provide further information
Thank you
Mário Bastos (Eng.)