Boliden Somincor

One of the largest zinc and copper mines in Europe

Located in the Alentejo region of southern Portugal, Somincor is an underground mine producing mainly copper, zinc, lead and silver. The processing plant consists of two separate concentrators, one for copper and one for zinc.  

Somincor is part of the Iberian Pyrite Belt that extends through southern Spain into Portugal and the Somincor deposit of massive sulphide ores was discovered in 1977. Mining began in 1988 and copper production started the following year. Today, the plant is highly automated and uses several mining methods.

Somincor has good transportation links, with connections to the national road network and its own link to the Portuguese rail network and the port of Setúbal.