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that had been active off and on for thousands of years. While it is still undetermined if the unique water chemistry of the Rio Tinto developed as a result of thousands of years of mining or by natural causes, it is possible that the river's chemical makeup is due to the combination of both natural
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The discovery of multiple oxide terraces mediated by microorganisms at up to 60 metres above the current water level, and as far away as 20 kilometres from the current river's path, may suggest that the unusual ecosystem is a natural phenomenon since before human mining activities started in this
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Increased copper prices in the 2010s led to efforts by EMED Mining to reopen the mine, but difficulties in acquiring all necessary property rights, environmental concerns, and obtaining regulatory approval delayed reopening. The mine, which employed as many as 20,000 in the past, would employ 350
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The river maintains its colour for an approximate length of 50 kilometres. After the 50 kilometre mark, the chemistry that makes the Rio Tinto river so unique appears to slowly decline, as does the odd colouring. The location where the chemistry of the river is altered is near the town of
564:. The river drains an area with huge deposits of sulphides which was formed more than 350 million years ago. When sulphides are exposed to air, water, and microorganisms, drainage from acidic rocks flows into surface and ground water. Mining, however, greatly increases exposed areas.
1016:
Fernández-Remolar, David C.; Morris, Richard V.; Gruener, John E.; Amils, Ricardo; Knoll, Andrew H. (2005). "The Río Tinto Basin, Spain: Mineralogy, sedimentary geobiology, and implications for interpretation of outcrop rocks at
Meridiani Planum, Mars".
855:
Fernández-Remolar, David C.; Morris, Richard V.; Gruener, John E.; Amils, Ricardo; Knoll, Andrew H. (2005). "The Río Tinto Basin, Spain: Mineralogy, sedimentary geobiology, and implications for interpretation of outcrop rocks at
Meridiani Planum, Mars".
787:
Fernández-Remolar, David C.; Morris, Richard V.; Gruener, John E.; Amils, Ricardo; Knoll, Andrew H. (2005). "The Río Tinto Basin, Spain: Mineralogy, sedimentary geobiology, and implications for interpretation of outcrop rocks at
Meridiani Planum, Mars".
746:
Fernández-Remolar, David C.; Morris, Richard V.; Gruener, John E.; Amils, Ricardo; Knoll, Andrew H. (2005). "The Río Tinto Basin, Spain: Mineralogy, sedimentary geobiology, and implications for interpretation of outcrop rocks at
Meridiani Planum, Mars".
1114:
Fernández
Remolar, D. C.; Morris, R. V.; Gruener, J. E.; Amils, R.; Knoll, A. H. (2005). "The Rio Tinto basin, Spain: Mineralogy, sedimentary geobiology, and implications for interpretation of outcrop rocks at Meridiani Planum, Mars".
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between 2 and 2.5 in most areas. Even in the extremely acidic water, both red and green algae have been observed to thrive in relatively high concentrations. Despite algae levels in the Rio Tinto accounting for over half of the total
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into the water. It is not clear how much acid drainage has come from natural processes and how much has come from mining. There are severe environmental concerns over the pollution in the river.
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After a period of abandonment and disuse, the mines were rediscovered in 1556 and the
Spanish government began operating them once again in 1724. In the 19th century, companies from the
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people during its startup phase. Environmental concerns are centred on long disused water reservoirs which might not be able to withstand the stress of renewed waste inputs.
1104:. Andrew Forbes. 11 October 2013. Quote: "there’s natural contamination from the iron in the earth as well as heavy metal contamination from the disused mines."
295:. The river's chemistry begins to significantly change following the town of Niebla as the Rio Tinto blends itself with other streams that are connected to the
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333:, and other minerals, extracted as far as 20 kilometres from the river shores. As a possible result of the mining, the Río Tinto is notable for being very
957:
Sanz, José L.; Rodríguez, Nuria; Díaz, Emiliano E.; Amils, Ricardo (2011-08-01). "Methanogenesis in the sediments of Rio Tinto, an extreme acidic river".
932:
891:
Davis, R. A. Jr.; Welty, A. T.; Borrego, J.; Morales, J. A.; Pendon, J. G.; Ryan, J. G. (2000). "Rio Tinto estuary (Spain): 5000 years of pollution".
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was formed to operate the mines. Production declined after the peak of production in 1930, and it ended in 1986 for copper mining and in 1996 for
279:. The Rio Tinto river has a unique red and orange colour derived from its chemical makeup that is extremely acidic and with very high levels of
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The continuation of this process for an extended period of time is thought by some scientists to be responsible for keeping the river's
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1308:, the fairly new mining museum of the area, containing a permanent exhibition on the history of mining, and geological information.
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region. On the other hand, it is known that toxic water emanates from these vast underground and open pit mines and chemical
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microorganisms, with the sulphides acting as a food source. The product of metal sulphide metabolism through oxidization is
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Due to the extreme conditions of the river, there is very little in the way of life, with the exception of small amounts of
1195:"Microbial diversity in anaerobic sediments at Rio Tinto, a naturally acidic environment with a high heavy metal content"
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Amaral
Zettler, Linda A.; Messerli, Mark A.; Laatsch, Abby D.; Smith, Peter J. S.; Sogin, Mitchell L. (2003-04-01).
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on which the bacteria feed. The extreme conditions in the river may be analogous to other locations in the
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in the river, algae is understood to have minimal effects on the characteristics of the complex ecosystem.
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contains an acidic ocean of water underneath its ice surface, thus the Rio Tinto river is of interest to
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and other minerals. This long standing mining activity has vastly modified the topography of the region.
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Rio Tinto and the Mines: The long-dormant site of Spain's first environmental protest in 1888, revisited
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Sarah
Bordenstein, Marine Biological Laboratory. Microbial Life Educational Resources. 21 June 2013.
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1154:"Geological record of an acidic environment driven by iron hydrochemistry: The Tinto River system"
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531:. The waters from the Rio Tinto, high in metal sulphides, provide an ideal environment for
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Rio Tinto: the River, the Mine and the
Corporation Still Polluting After All These Years
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in the sediments is thought to contribute somewhat to the river's famously low
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do thrive in these conditions. Such life forms include certain species of
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This river has gained recent scientific interest due to the presence of
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1254:"News | NASA Rover Helps Reveal Possible Secrets of Martian Life"
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Fernández
Remolar, D. C.; Rodríguez, N.; Gómez, F.; Amils, R. (2003).
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The Rio Tinto area has been the site of approximately 5,000 years of
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Rio Tinto river, the Martian-like environment in southwest Andalucia
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were deposited in the past with the Río Tinto. Likewise, the moon
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933:"In Struggling Spanish Town, Hopes of Reopening Mine Are Delayed"
674:"From Genes to Genomes: Beyond Biodiversity in Spain's Rio Tinto"
527:(acidity), that in turn increases the concentration of dissolved
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Although the river represents a harsh environment for life, some
1193:
Sánchez Andrea, I; Rodríguez, N; Amalis, R; Sans, J. L. (2011).
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30:"Tinto River" redirects here. For the river in Honduras, see
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started large-scale mining operations. In 1873, the
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271:. It flows generally south-southwest, reaching the
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1286:Mars Analog Research and Technology Experiment FAQ
424:starting mining in 3000 BC, followed by the
353:problems because the acidity (low pH) dissolves
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582:that dwell in the acidic water. The subsurface
621:studying the environmental limits of life and
605:. Scientists have also directly compared the
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412:activities on the sea floor. The history of
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601:thought to contain liquid water, such as
416:in the Rio Tinto area traces back to the
1306:The Ernest Lluch mining Museum, RioTinto
1159:Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
609:of the water in which the Mars rocks of
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1200:Applied and Environmental Microbiology
341:2) and its deep reddish hue is due to
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1280:BBC short documentary on Río Tinto
1118:Earth and Planetary Science Letters
1088:. Adam Lederer and Vicky Azcoitia.
1019:Earth and Planetary Science Letters
858:Earth and Planetary Science Letters
790:Earth and Planetary Science Letters
749:Earth and Planetary Science Letters
931:Minder, Raphael (April 12, 2012).
491:mining. All mining ended in 2001.
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834:Science Education Resource Center
539:and secretion of acidic liquid.
303:. This area has large amounts of
979:10.1111/j.1462-2920.2011.02504.x
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640:Environmental effects of mining
349:from the mines leads to severe
1332:Environmental impact of mining
400:body was deposited during the
156: • coordinates
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1337:Environmental issues in Spain
1294:Protected Landscape Río Tinto
98:Physical characteristics
215: • location
144: • location
118: • location
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1252:Guy Webster (2005-11-29).
1139:10.1016/j.epsl.2005.09.043
1039:10.1016/j.epsl.2005.09.043
959:Environmental Microbiology
878:10.1016/j.epsl.2005.09.043
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1302:Mining Park of Rio Tinto
1090:Natural History Magazine
345:dissolved in the water.
197:100 km (62 mi)
1131:2005E&PSL.240..149F
1031:2005E&PSL.240..149F
870:2005E&PSL.240..149F
802:2005E&PSL.240..149F
761:2005E&PSL.240..149F
678:The Biological Bulletin
645:List of rivers of Spain
67:Course of the Rio Tinto
623:planetary habitability
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237:Spanish pronunciation:
1054:. Gary G. Kohls, MD,
907:10.1007/s002549900096
894:Environmental Geology
533:chemolithoautotrophic
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392:The Rio Tinto in 2006
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241:[ˈri.oˈtinto]
32:Tinto River (Guayape)
1221:10.1128/AEM.00654-11
1180:10.1029/2002JE001918
828:Bordenstein, Sarah.
650:Tourist Mining Train
255:) is a highly toxic
1327:Rivers of Andalusia
1213:2011ApEnM..77.6085S
1172:2003JGRE..108.5080F
971:2011EnvMi..13.2336S
603:groundwater on Mars
450:chemical refinement
301:Iberian Pyrite Belt
174: /
937:The New York Times
836:. Carleton College
830:"Rio Tinto, Spain"
635:Acid mine drainage
562:acid mine drainage
521:anaerobic bacteria
519:. The presence of
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499:Origin and ecology
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347:Acid mine drainage
263:that rises in the
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1071:Rio Tinto, Spain.
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590:contain iron and
481:Rio Tinto Company
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1261:. Retrieved
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321:, including
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43:Tinto Rivers
1092:. May 2017.
987:10261/57674
560:causes and
537:ferric iron
426:Phoenicians
253:Tinto River
181: /
1316:Categories
1263:2017-01-16
656:References
418:Tartessans
311:deposits.
166:37°12′36″N
995:1462-2920
942:April 13,
915:130535502
698:0006-3185
607:chemistry
588:river bed
577:anaerobic
470:manganese
438:Visigoths
269:Andalusia
233:Río Tinto
206:Discharge
169:6°56′17″W
123:Andalusia
92:Andalusia
55:Rio Tinto
40:Río Tinto
18:Río Tinto
1239:21724883
1003:21605308
840:March 3,
722:25932347
714:12700155
629:See also
595:minerals
592:sulphide
580:bacteria
422:Iberians
420:and the
370:bacteria
309:sulphide
73:Location
1230:3165421
1209:Bibcode
1168:Bibcode
1127:Bibcode
1027:Bibcode
967:Bibcode
866:Bibcode
798:Bibcode
757:Bibcode
706:1543560
586:on the
549:biomass
384:History
78:Country
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615:Europa
485:silver
458:silver
454:copper
440:, and
434:Romans
430:Greeks
414:mining
335:acidic
327:silver
323:copper
319:mining
293:Niebla
277:Huelva
220:Huelva
209:
194:Length
138:
107:Source
88:Region
911:S2CID
718:S2CID
702:JSTOR
584:rocks
517:algae
442:Moors
408:) by
374:algae
261:Spain
257:river
249:river
134:Mouth
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1235:PMID
999:PMID
991:ISSN
944:2012
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694:ISSN
489:gold
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1176:doi
1164:108
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874:doi
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