The Iron Syncline of Torre de Moncorvo

Cristiana Fevereiro

This research project is a reflection focused on the interpretation of the landscape of Moncorvo’s Iron Mines, through observing and questioning of their transformations. The approach starts from the fundamental consideration of its innermost constituent, the iron ore, assuming the banded iron density and mineral wealth of the deposits, as the bedrock of the presence of Moncorvo’s Iron Syncline, geological structure of topographically contrasting affirmation in relation to its surroundings. Considering the dissimulation of the marks of the past mining activity and the confrontation with the natural imposingness of the Syncline in this territory, the interpretation is managed by the understanding of the territorial transformation processes, elapsed until the present, taking into account their manifestation time. So, methodologically, a temporal deconstruction is set up, based on two different times, intrinsically connected: Continuous Time and Intermittent Time. The Continuous Time, characterized by a natural and constant evolution of the territory, gave the specific topographic and compositional bases, the basis on which human activity can be induced and implemented. The Intermittent Time, during which have been executed by the human hand soil manipulations in order to carry out the iron ore exploration, elapsed while pointing out various periods of activity: Golden Periods, interspersed by moments of pause of this activity, although mineral resources are present in abundance: Latent Statuses. After analysing the territory under this interpretative perspective, a new look and positioning is made towards the landscape, focused on the defined research theme, i.e., assuming the iron ore as the catalyst of Intermittent Time, this time with a sense of foreseeing the future. Thus, it faces the possibility of occurrence of both cases of human action towards the iron ore, i.e. the practice or not of future iron ore exploration. Based on these presuppositions, a representation proposal is developed, corresponding to a new reading of the territory, supported by past studies and an interpretation of what may result in a hypothetical future, using the tools that representation provides for communication, whether occurring a reversal of the current trend, deploying a new Golden Period or a permanence of the current manifestation of lethargy of the Moncorvo’s iron ore in continuity with the present Latent Status. Thus, by presenting a new reading of this territory, it is intended to stimulate the development of new research approaches to the Moncorvo’s iron Syncline, seeking to expand the knowledge in a multidisciplinary way, in order to cover its complexity.