During the last two decades the Iberian Pyrite Belt has been the aim of detailed studies, both in Spain and Portugal. Most of these studies are related to lithostratigraphy, petrology/geochemistry, geochronology, structural geology and ore genesis. Varied geophysical techniques were used mainly by private companies in VMS exploration programmes. More recently new fields of research were opened, namely palynostratigraphy and physical volcanology.
Palynostratigraphy has proved to be an important tool to precise the age of the lithostratigraphic units, as demonstrated in recent studies of the tectonically imbricated succession of the Neves Corvo mine region (Oliveira et al., 1997; Oliveira et al., 2004; Pereira et al., 2004). The interpretation of the physical characteristics of the volcanism started earlier in Spain (Boulter, 1993; Soriano and Marti, 1999) and is now a field of intense research in Portugal (Rosa C. et al., 2004 a, b).
Research on the geochemical signature of the volcanic rocks led to distinct geodynamic interpretations, either related to back arc crustal extension (Munhá, 1983), to pull-apart crustal extension caused by oblique collision (Mitjavilla et. al., 1997; Rosa D., et. al. 2004), to partial melting of deep seated accretionary prism (Thiéblemont et al., 1994) or to a northward dipping subduction zone below the Pyrite Belt (Onézime et al., 2003).
This work concentrates on the most recent advances achieved in the Portuguese sector of the Iberian Pyrite Belt in the fields of palynostratigraphy, physical volcanology and igneous geochemistry. The results presented here derive from research currently in progress in five main antiforms, i.e. Albernoa, Serra Branca and Mina de São Domingos located in the so-called north branch and Neves Corvo and Pomarão in the south branch. Although the results are still preliminary, they open room to new geological interpretations of this important crustal segment of the Variscan Chain of Iberia.