FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Pete Modreski]

Dear Forum colleagues,

Some friends of mine are going to be visiting Spain and Portugal next month, and are looking for advice about sites to visit in those countries. I told them that I would post their letter to the Forum, and see if anyone has any special suggestions for them. I will forward to them anything posted in reply to my message here, or, you may reply directly by email to Ellie Rosenberg, emr80918@yahoo.com .

Thank you, Pete Modreski


"Frank and I will be traveling in Spain and Portugal for 2 weeks and are trying to find sites that would be open to us for collecting. I came across this website [the FMF] and to my surprise found that you are associated with it.

Can you help us? We are taking a cruise from Fort Lauderdale that ends up in Barcelona on May 15. We are then renting a car and touring for 2 weeks. We are going up to Andorra. I found some prehistoric caves in France about 60 miles from Andorra. We are also planning to visit some caves in Cantabria located near Torrelavega. We were planning to Drive along the coast ending up in Lisbon. We are flying back on May 29. Our plans could easily be changed to take advatage of collecting opportunities, interesting mines, geologic sites or museums to visit. This is not the typical tourist interest so I have not found anything in the tour books.

Any information you might have would be greatly appreciated."

Ellie Rosenberg, emr80918@yahoo.com

[Jordi Fabre]

About field trips and collecting localities in northern Spain is nothing organized. The single Spanish localities where you have this possibilities are the two main Pyrite quarries: Navajún and Ambasaguas, both in the north of Spain and more or less in your route.

I can suggest to you two very useful contacts José Ramón García (JRG -> https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?t=1076 ) for the North of Spain and Jorge Santos (jorge santos garcia -> https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?p=30480#30480 ) for Portugal. Both are members of FMF, so I believe they will contact with you directly.

Have a very mineralogical trip!

[Pete Modreski]

Thank you for the reply and contacts for them, Jordi!

One of these years, I do hope to visit Spain, myself.

Best regards, Pete

[Peter Perkins]

Pete,
My first suggestion is to google Geoparks. In N. Portugal there is one in and around Arouca - biotite nodules and giant trilobites as well as other geological features. There is a second one in Portugal which I haven't visited. In Catalonia volcanoes around Olot and dinosaur footprints in La Rioja.
Websites will give details of features, walk routes, accommodation, etc.
Peter

[Pete Modreski]

Thanks, Peter, sounds like a good idea, and I'll pass it on,

Pete

[jorge santos garcia]

Hello Pete

I e-mailed your friends directly as you suggested.

Cheers

Jorge

[Jordi Fabre]