The Red River

The river begins its course in the Sierra Morena Mountains of Andalusia and flows south to reach the Gulf of Cádiz at Huelva.

Rio Tinto is regarded by many as the origin of the Copper and the Bronze Age. The mining in this area began in 3000 BC, and the minerals were extracted by the Greeks, Romans, Phoenicians, Visigoths and Moors. Afterwards, the mine was abandoned for hundreds of years until it was rediscovered in 1724 by the Spanish government.

 

Rio Tinto is especially noted for its acidic content and also for its deep reddish shade which is the result of iron present in the water. Due to its heavy metal concentration, the river has posed a severe environmental problem and is extremely dangerous for the people around it. Rio Tinto Company, a multi-national organisation was established to manage the mine, and by the 20th century, it became one of the world’s largest companies. However, now they no longer control the river.

Astrobiological Effects

In the present times, this river has become a hot spot for scientific studies because of the presence of extremophile anaerobic bacteria in the water. The surface of the river bed contains iron and sulfide minerals on which the bacteria feed and flourish. Scientists from NASA have also compared the chemistry of Rio Tinto to that of the rocks found on the plains of Mars.

Visit Malaga and explore this scientific miracle to your heart’s content.