ASTRA - IO3_EN

Spain
Río Tinto Mines, Minas de Riotinto, Huelva, Andalusia, Spain
In 1873, Spain sold the mining
territories to Río Tinto Company
Limited (a British company),
which massively exploited its
resources such as sulphurs,
copper, iron and others until
1954. When the mining
profitability decreased in 1954,
the mine ownershipreturned to
Spain.
The red colour of Rio Tinto earth
and river are a consequence of
copper and iron concentration.
Only microorganisms can survive
under such conditions. NASA
scientists have studied the
ecosystem and concluded that Riotinto and Mars have similar environments.
With the support of the Erasmus+ program of the European Union. This document and its
contents reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible
for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.