In the Antiquity, the Roman period was, quite possibly, the one in which the Grandolean space reached the highest rates of settlement and economic and social development. The history of European culture points to this fantastic place, initially between the 1st century BC and the 4th century AD during the occupation by the Romans; it was in these hills of the Serra da Caveira where the Romans found an attractive source of metals (silver, copper and gold).
After the formation of the National Territory, King D. João I around 1380 created the commendation in this region of the then place of 'Gramdolla', which later gave rise to the village of Grândola, which at the end of the medieval era had about 150 inhabitants. During the reign of D. João III, the Charter of Vila was attributed to Grândola in 1544. In the second half of the 19th century, two activities appeared that changed the economic and social profile of this region: the mining industry (beginning in 1863 at Canal Caveira and a later date in Lousal) and the cork industry.
The mine of 'Serra da Caveira', at 8 km southeast of the village of Grandola, is the most western copper mine of the Iberian Pyrite Belt, a mining district of worldwide significance, due to its unusual enormous concentration of big and medium sized mineral deposits. The most common components in this region of the mine are: pyrite including chalcopyrite, blend and galena, copiapite, quartz, sphalerite, goethite, limonite and polymetallic sulphides. The mine is known mainly because of the immense slag heap.
The modern exploitation of the mine of 'Caveira' began 1855 with the discovery of extensive Roman scorials and the so-called 'Iron Helmet'. Concessioned in 1863 to Ernest Delegny, the exploration of the surface part of the sulphide masses ran irregurally until 1919. In 1880, due to the spontaneous combustion of the pyrites a fire broke out that lasted for three years. The mine has three deposits separated by masses of sterile material; at the end of the 19th century, this configuration lead to the decision to concentrate efforts on the underground exploitation.
.jpg/picture-200?_=1772030bce8 "Pero Cuco Dam")
With the reactivation of the mining activity, it was necessary to build a dam, a water reserve, also a requirement for maintaining natural life, fauna and flora, in the surrounding hills. Every year, spring is welcome after the rainy season that dispersed throughout the 'Serra da Caveira' flows the 'Pêro Cuco' dam at the north end of the property, witnessing a powerful and spectacular event of beauty.
The twentieth century was, without a doubt, the period in which the most significant economic, demographic and social changes took place in this region. In terms of Agriculture, there was an increase in the production of cereals, namely wheat, fostered by the protectionist and ruralist policies of the Estado Novo, which had its peak during the so-called Campaign of the Wheat (1929-1938).
Starting in 1936, the company 'Mines et Industries SA' explored the mine for the production of sulfur and sulfuric acid.
[Jazigos de Sulfuretos Maciços da Caveira ... pdf]
Lugar Minas da Caveira was enriched with several new buildings, of which the 'Palácio da Mina' in 1890 (the owners' dwelling), the Residence of the Director of the Mine (destroyed by the big fire in 2003) and the House of the Mine Engineer around 1940, currently under the name of 'Villa Mastim', whose design is, due to the characteristics of its architecture, attributed to the famous architect Raul Lino da Silva, 1879-1974.
The mining activity was discontinued in the 1960's, when all local activities were already scarce, ending up definitively. The Caveira mines belonged to the portuguese company Sapec SA (from the Family Velge) real estate portfolio, when a great fire in 2003 destroyed most of the property. Subsequently, the property was almost completely reforested with cork oaks, eucalyptus and pine trees.
Alcaxua, Lda. Acquired the property 'Minas da Caveira' in 2013.
The objective of this new start of activity is related to aspects very different from the previous ones, now taking into account a responsible and sustainable exploitation of the natural resources.
Find more information in the individual contents of this website and at https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minas_da_Caveira.
Lugar Minas da Caveira
