Riotinto: the decline of a mining myth (1954-2003)

Abstract

This article is focused on the history of Riotinto mines since its acquisition by Spanish capital in 1954 until its closure in 2003. Half a century in which the mine met various national and foreign owners who faced technical, financial and labor problems in order to market pyrites, copper, gold and silver in a process of accelerated extraction, resource depletion and falling prices, in the framework of a Spanish and global economy increasingly globalised. This article referred to the problems above to leave hanging the question about the fate of the mining districts who have not had the opportunity to diversify their economies, leaving a picture of strong environmental impact and productive and human desertification.