Day 3 of the 88th European Federation of Geologists Spring Council Meeting in Milos was dedicated to the second field trip, “Mining Operations & Geological Formations”, combining visits to active mining sites with the exploration of the island’s remarkable geological landscape.
📍 Aggeria – Exploration of the Upper Neogene bentonite deposits and the tectonic contact between kaolin/silica formations and bentonite in the Voudia–Aggeria area. Discussions focused on the importance of Milos bentonite production, its industrial applications and quarry rehabilitation practices.
📍 Voudia – Visit to the Imerys Milos Hub headquarters and mineral processing facilities, including drying, activation and raw-material treatment installations linked to bentonite processing operations.
📍 Trachilas – Visit to the Plio-Pleistocene perlite quarries of Imerys Greece, highlighting extraction methods, processing stages and the global significance of Greek perlite production.
📍 Sarakiniko – Observation of remarkable volcanic and sedimentary formations, including Plio-Pleistocene ash and pumice tuffs, diatomite layers and visible seismicite structures shaped by the geological evolution of Milos.
The day concluded with a visit to the Milos Mining Museum and the traditional EFG wine contest, where Turkey, Greece and Italy reached the final round, with Turkey taking this year’s win! 🎉🎉
AGG would also like to warmly thank Professor Emeritus Michael Stamatakis for once again guiding the field trip and sharing his exceptional scientific knowledge and long-standing expertise on the geology and mineral wealth of Milos.
We would further like to thank Imerys Greece for its hospitality and the valuable technical insights provided during the field visits, which greatly contributed to the success of the programme.
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