Tharsis-La Zarza mining basin
Spanish mining area located in Huelva / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tharsis-La Zarza mining basin, colloquially known as the Tharsis mines,[1] is a Spanish mining area located in the province of Huelva. Its main centers are in the municipalities of Alosno, Calañas, Cerro de Andévalo and La Zarza-Perrunal. The basin is part of the Iberian Pyrite Belt.[2]
Historically, this area has been exploited for mining purposes, and an important mining-industrial complex has been developed. There is material and archaeological evidence of mining activities throughout various periods of antiquity. However, the peak of exploitation was reached in the course of the 19th and 20th centuries under the management of the British Tharsis Sulphur and Copper Company Limited, which introduced modern methods of extraction and began the exploitation of surface mining deposits through the "cortas" system. During this period, important industrial facilities, railway lines, mining towns, etc. were also built. The Tharsis mines have been considered the second most important in the province of Huelva after Riotinto.[3]
As a result of the activities that have been developed during the late modern period, there is an extensive historical and industrial heritage, especially that which is linked to the British exploitation period. Due to this, in the last decades several initiatives have been launched for its preservation and use for tourism purposes. In 2014, the Tharsis-La Zarza mining basin was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest with the category of heritage area.[4]