Located in the Iberian pyrite belt, the Neves–Corvo mine is a world-class massive sulfide deposit and the largest operating mine in Portugal with underground mining down to 1000 m depth focused on massive and stockwork Cu, Zn, Pb rich ores. Gravimetric data have had a leading role in the discovery of the seven known deposits, together with time-domain electromagnetic (TEM) ground data. In this work, we present the results of a 3D constrained gravity inversion carried out with legacy ground gravity data. The 3D gravity inversions were carried out using an updated density database containing approximately 142,000 measurements. A recently constructed 3D geological model based on reprocessed 2D seismic reflection, 3D seismic, TEM and updated geology from detailed surface mapping and drill-hole data, was used to constrain the inversions. The results show multiple high-density anomalies that may indicate the presence of mineralization at depth. These anomalies were therefore cross-checked with holes previously drilled. Approximately 97% of more than 1000 available surface drill-holes located on or at a distance of less than 200 m from the high-density anomalies intersected mineralization. However, gravity anomalies have been drilled in the past and particularly dense black shales or rhyolitic/gabbroic rocks have been intersected. To increase the success of future drilling, gravimetric anomalies have been correlated spatially with high-conductivity TEM zones and strong-amplitude seismic reflections, because igneous rocks usually present weak-to-moderate conductivity and a massive column of black shales presents a seismic signature quite different from that of mineralization. We concluded that some of these locations represent high-quality targets to consider following up with drilling and further exploration.

Neves-Corvo 矿位于伊比利亚黄铁矿带，是世界级的块状硫化物矿床，也是葡萄牙最大的运营矿山，地下开采深度可达 1000 米，主要开采块状和网状富铜、锌、铅的矿石。重力数据与时域电磁 (TEM) 地面数据一起在七个已知矿床的发现中发挥了主导作用。在这项工作中，我们展示了使用传统地面重力数据进行的 3D 约束重力反演的结果。使用包含大约 142,000 个测量值的更新的密度数据库进行 3D 重力反演。最近构建的 3D 地质模型基于重新处理的 2D 地震反射、3D 地震、TEM 和来自详细的地表测绘和钻孔数据的更新地质学，用于约束反演。结果显示了多个高密度异常，这些异常可能表明在深处存在矿化。因此，这些异常情况与先前钻出的孔进行了交叉检查。在 1000 多个可用的地表钻孔中，大约 97% 位于高密度异常上或距离高密度异常不到 200 m 的地方与矿化相交。然而，过去曾钻探过重力异常，特别致密的黑色页岩或流纹岩/辉长岩已经相交。为了增加未来钻探的成功率，重力异常与高电导率 TEM 区和强振幅地震反射在空间上相关联，因为火成岩通常呈现弱到中等的电导率，并且大量黑色页岩柱呈现出相当大的地震特征不同于矿化。