The Rio Tinto mining district is regarded as the largest volcanogenic massive sulphide district worldwide,
but its geologic and structural setting remains poorly disclosed. The mineralized sequence includes a
lower unit of interbedded mafic volcanics, shale and conglomerate overlain by a felsic dome-sill complex.
The massive sulphides occur within the felsic rocks, either as exhalative deposits on the top or as replacive
masses within the volcaniclastic rocks.
The present review has a special aim on structural geology bearing up a genetic model update for the ore. Regional
thin-skinned tectonic was clearly identified as the leading Variscan structural style in the district. Several stocked
units bounded by thrust-faults display normal polarity on structural and sedimentary criteria basis. Reconstruction
of the palaeogeography prior to the tectonic stacking reveals a very extensive mineralizing syste
