Waste Impoundment At Copper Mine

Rio Tinto Mine, Huelva Province, Spain

Rio Tinto, literally red river, is one of the oldest and most productive mines in the world, having produced a wealth of different metals over the centuries, having been mined by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, and Moors.

After lying idle for some time, it was rediscovered by the Spanish and reopened in 1724, but operated inefficiently. In 1873, Spain sold the mine at a significant discount to a consortium that included British Investors and Deutsche Bank. From 1877 to 1891, the Rio Tinto Mine was the world's leading producer of copper.

It is rumored to have been “King Solomon’s mine”, and the reason the Moors invaded Spain.