Told Stories Preserved Memories the Tungsten at Arouca Geopark
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Told Stories, Preserved Memories: the tungsten in the Arouca
Geopark (Portugal)
A. PINTO – aninhaspinto@gmail.com (AGA – Arouca Geopark Association)
C. OLIVEIRA – claudiarouca@gmail.com
G. BRANDÃO – goreti@adrimag.com.pt (CLDS AroucaInclui, ADRIMAG – Associação de
Desenvolvimento Rural Integrado das Serras de Montemuro, Arada e Gralheira)
I. RODRIGUES – museu@cm-arouca.pt (Arouca Municipal Museum / Arouca Council)
V. MAGALHÃES – vmagalhaes@geoparquearouca.com (AGA – Arouca Geopark Association)
ABSTRACT: The “Told Stories, Preserved Memories: the tungsten in the Arouca Geopark (Portugal])” project is focused on the collection of testimonies of several and different experiences related to the tungsten in the Arouca municipality during the first half of the 20th century. This project, concerned to the revitalization of the Arouca Geopark’s mining villages, shall be considered as an advantage for the Geotourism.
KEYWORDS: Arouca Geopark, Patrimony, Preservation, Memories, Tungsten.
1. INTRODUCTION
Located in northern of Aveiro district and included in the Porto Metropolitan Area, the
Arouca council is composed by 20 parishes. In geographical terms, its actual composition was established in 1917 (Vilar, 1998) at the time of the annexation of Covêlo de Paivó parish, belonging to S. Pedro do Sul council until then.
Being a council located in the interior region of Portugal and a valley surrounded by mountains, the poor accessibilities not always enabled the local development. However, there was a time when, even through difficult and sinuous paths, Arouca was the destination not only for many Portuguese but also for two European rivals – England and Germany – due to the discovery of tungsten inside the mountains of Arouca (the precious ore, essential to produce armament for the 20th wars). During that time, English and German people cohabited while exploring the tungsten mines in the
Told Stories, Preserved Memories: the tungsten in the Arouca
Geopark (Portugal)
A. PINTO – aninhaspinto@gmail.com (AGA – Arouca Geopark Association)
C. OLIVEIRA – claudiarouca@gmail.com
G. BRANDÃO – goreti@adrimag.com.pt (CLDS AroucaInclui, ADRIMAG – Associação de
Desenvolvimento Rural Integrado das Serras de Montemuro, Arada e Gralheira)
I. RODRIGUES – museu@cm-arouca.pt (Arouca Municipal Museum / Arouca Council)
V. MAGALHÃES – vmagalhaes@geoparquearouca.com (AGA – Arouca Geopark Association)
ABSTRACT: The “Told Stories, Preserved Memories: the tungsten in the Arouca Geopark (Portugal])” project is focused on the collection of testimonies of several and different experiences related to the tungsten in the Arouca municipality during the first half of the 20th century. This project, concerned to the revitalization of the Arouca Geopark’s mining villages, shall be considered as an advantage for the Geotourism.
KEYWORDS: Arouca Geopark, Patrimony, Preservation, Memories, Tungsten.
1. INTRODUCTION
Located in northern of Aveiro district and included in the Porto Metropolitan Area, the
Arouca council is composed by 20 parishes. In geographical terms, its actual composition was established in 1917 (Vilar, 1998) at the time of the annexation of Covêlo de Paivó parish, belonging to S. Pedro do Sul council until then.
Being a council located in the interior region of Portugal and a valley surrounded by mountains, the poor accessibilities not always enabled the local development. However, there was a time when, even through difficult and sinuous paths, Arouca was the destination not only for many Portuguese but also for two European rivals – England and Germany – due to the discovery of tungsten inside the mountains of Arouca (the precious ore, essential to produce armament for the 20th wars). During that time, English and German people cohabited while exploring the tungsten mines in the
References: Historical Archive of Arouca, K section: Control of the Economic Activities, Mining Register – Books 415 to 424, 1853-1918. Quivy, R., Campenhoudt, L.V. (2008) – Manual de Investigação em Ciências Sociais, Gravida Publicações (ed.), pp Silva, J.M.L. (2009) – A corrida à riqueza no “Rush” Mineiro: O caso de Arouca na segunda Guerra Mundial. Vilar,A. (1998) – O volfrâmio de Arouca, no contexto da II Guerra Mundial (1939 -1945), Câmara Municipal de Arouca, pp