The Rio Tinto originates in the Sierra Morena mountains of Andalusia. The train we visited covers 12 km (7.5 miles) on the mine's old commercial line in a refurbished mine train that runs along the Rio Tinto. The site has been mined since 3000 BC by the Iberians, Tartessians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, and Moors. Starting in 1724 the mine was operated by the Spanish government. In 1873, the mines were operated by the British Rio Tinto Mining Company. Then in 1954 the mine passed back to Spanish management. This line lost its usefulness in 1964 with the new chemical development area built in Huelva and the ore was no longer transported to England. Mining ended in 1986 for copper mining and in 1996 for silver and gold mining. As a result of the mining over the past 5,000 years, the surrounding environment has developed severe environmental problems. The Río Tinto is very acidic (pH 2) and its deep reddish hue is due to iron dissolved in the water making ideal conditions for extremophile aerobic bacteria. NASA has studied the Rio Tinto because the chemistry of the water is similar to subterranean Mars and Jupiter's moon Europa. Presently the mines are owned by the EMED Mining Company with their primary goal being to restart mining copper.
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