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A trip to Almaden
  
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Joaquin Montoro




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PostPosted: Oct 12, 2011 13:23    Post subject: A trip to Almaden  

Last summer I had the chance to visit the world famous locality of Almaden and its mercury mines.
This was not my first time there, I had been in Almaden at least four times before, but it was the first since mines were closed in 2003.
Now, all the works have been transformed in an interesting mining park, with a turistic purpose.
So, everybody can visit a legendary mine, the oldest in the world, learning its great History and knowing about the mercury mining, smelting and transport to the silver mines of New Spain in America during most of 300 years.
I don't want to expose here the complete History of these famous mines, quite large, but only a little report of my self experience, with the hope you all like it and perhaps, some of our friends from the other side of the ocean, will try the unforgetable visit at one of our most important mining sites, who contributed to built the modern world History.

We started our trip in a hot August day from Murcia, and after a long travel crossing the Ciudad Real province, we finally arrived to Almaden, 500 Km. later...



PICT4917.JPG
 Description:
First stop at the Ruidera Lakes. We are in Ciudad Real province,300 Km. far from Murcia. As you can see, people enjoy the bath in a pretty environment in a hot, hot day of Spanish summer.
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PICT4928.JPG
 Description:
Evening in Almaden. In front of the bulls square (plaza de toros). This was built by the miners in 1755 and is the only hexagonal bulls square in the world. Also is the second oldest.
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 Description:
The Almaden Bulls Square. Today it has been transformed in a nice hotel, but still they celebrate bull fightings there.
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 Description:
Me alongside the shield of Almaden, symbol of the town.
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 Description:
Monument dedicated to all the miners who worked in Almaden.
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 Description:
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 Description:
A nice mining car loaded with cinnabar. It poses like a remember of the past in other side of the town.
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 Description:
The night has arrived to Almaden. Between shadows you can appreciate the silhouette of the San Teodoro headframe.
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 Description:
Early in the morning, the large headframe of San Teodoro shaft, before entry to the mining park.
 Viewed:  23438 Time(s)

PICT4939.JPG



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Joaquin Montoro




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PostPosted: Oct 12, 2011 14:20    Post subject: Re: A trip to Almaden  

Now it starts the visit to the mines, where the main shaft and inside the mine are shown to the visitors.
Hope you enjoy with us...



PICT4942.JPG
 Description:
An approximation to the mining park. Here you can see the old installations near the San Teodoro shaft and the San Aquilino headframe.
 Viewed:  23393 Time(s)

PICT4942.JPG



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Joaquin Montoro




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PostPosted: Oct 12, 2011 14:37    Post subject: Re: A trip to Almaden  

Previous to get down to the mine, we were visiting the visitors reception center, the outside of the park entrance and the old compressors building, now a mining models museum.


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 Description:
The San Aquilino headframe. It gave service to a 550 m. deep shaft.
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PICT4949.JPG
 Description:
Mining model (wood made) of the San Carlos winch, who was built in the close town of Almadenejos.
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 Description:
Ready to get down to the mine, close the elevator of the San Teodoro shaft. The moment is exciting.
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 Description:
Inside the mine in its first floor. Old works in a XVIII century gallery.
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 Description:
Wood shoring to prevent detachments. First floor of the Almaden mine.
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PICT4961.JPG
 Description:
An old wood made mining car filled with cinnabar. This ancient car had a weight of 140 Kg. when empty, so think about its weight loaded and pushing by a miner.
 Viewed:  23376 Time(s)

PICT4961.JPG



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Montanpark




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PostPosted: Oct 12, 2011 14:50    Post subject: Re: A trip to Almaden  

Hi Joaquin,
thanks a lot for sharing this! My last visit at Almaden was in 1989 and i wondered how it would look now as a touristic destination - just had a quick look at their website as i added some location pictures to mindat recently.

I suppose THIS is not there anymore ;-):
https://www.mindat.org/photo-414839.html

cheers
Roger

P.S. please more pictures!
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GneissWare




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PostPosted: Oct 12, 2011 15:01    Post subject: Re: A trip to Almaden  

Roger: What a GREAT photo!

Joaquin: Thanks for sharing the photos and I look forward to seeing more.

Bob
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Joaquin Montoro




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PostPosted: Oct 12, 2011 15:16    Post subject: Re: A trip to Almaden  

Hi Roger, I had the chance to float over mercury during my first visit to the Almaden mines in 1982, but no photos unfortunately.
And you are right...an exciting experience!

I continue posting more pics of this last trip...



PICT4963.JPG
 Description:
The San Andrés winch, a unique wood made model like the original at 1:1 scale. This is the only one inside a mine (50m. deep) in the world.
 Viewed:  23369 Time(s)

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PICT4965.JPG
 Description:
The San Andrés shaft (200m deep). We were told that some photo cameras rest at the background because some neglected visitors left them after falling along the shaft while they tried to take a photo.
 Viewed:  23337 Time(s)

PICT4965.JPG



PICT4966.JPG
 Description:
Protection around San Andrés shaft.
 Viewed:  23373 Time(s)

PICT4966.JPG



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Joaquin Montoro




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PostPosted: Oct 13, 2011 08:48    Post subject: Re: A trip to Almaden  

We continue the visit...


PICT4967.JPG
 Description:
A gallery close the San Andrés winch, with masonry shoring.
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PICT4968.JPG
 Description:
The cinnabar "in situ", top of a gallery in the first floor of the Almaden mine.
 Viewed:  23326 Time(s)

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PICT4972.JPG
 Description:
The Virgin of the Mine, an image reproduced like the original, lost during the Spanish Civil War. Miners feel protected during their work, having this image near them.
 Viewed:  23276 Time(s)

PICT4972.JPG



PICT4974 (2).jpg
 Description:
Posing with a mining car in one gallery. In this site, we could note the high humidity and good ventilation, a thing we appreciated in a day where the external temperature rounded 40ºC.
 Viewed:  23268 Time(s)

PICT4974 (2).jpg



PICT4976.JPG
 Description:
Close the San Aquilino shaft. This was closed after a terrible accident in 1955 where some miners died.
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PICT4977.JPG
 Description:
The little mining train where visitors get out of the mine. We took this nice vehicle at 16m. deep close the San Teodoro shaft.
 Viewed:  23272 Time(s)

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PICT4979.JPG
 Description:
The little train outside.
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PICT4981.JPG
 Description:
Posing with the train driver. It is moved by electric batteries and now used to take off the visitors from the mine after a 700m. underground travel.
 Viewed:  23273 Time(s)

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PICT4982.JPG
 Description:
The smelting plant.
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PICT4984.JPG
 Description:
The large headframe of the San Joaquin shaft, near the smelting plant. This was the last and deepest in service at Almaden mines. Closed in 2001, it was 700m. deep with 19 floors.
 Viewed:  23289 Time(s)

PICT4984.JPG



PICT4985.JPG
 Description:
Perspective of the San Joaquin headframe and the metallurgic instalations.
 Viewed:  23293 Time(s)

PICT4985.JPG



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John S. White
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PostPosted: Oct 13, 2011 13:18    Post subject: Re: A trip to Almaden  

So why is the young lady who appears in so many photos not identified?
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Joaquin Montoro




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PostPosted: Oct 13, 2011 13:51    Post subject: Re: A trip to Almaden  

John,
That young lady is my wife Rosa.
I'm sure you will see her in next pics ;)



PICT4986.JPG
 Description:
Now we are in the old mercury store, today transformed in an interesting mining museum. Here Rosa poses alongside a model of the metallurgic instalations.
 Viewed:  23188 Time(s)

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PICT4987.JPG
 Description:
Masonry mining craft of the old Xabecas oven, where they got the mercury before XVII century.
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PICT4988.JPG
 Description:
A scale model of the Bustamante oven, also called aludeles oven, introduced in Almaden by Juan Alonso de Bustamante in 1646.
 Viewed:  23189 Time(s)

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PICT4989.JPG
 Description:
The Bustamante oven showing its inside parts. These ovens were invented in Huancavelica (Peru) some years before, and adopted in Almaden due its superior effectiveness.
 Viewed:  23214 Time(s)

PICT4989.JPG



PICT4990.JPG
 Description:
In this pic, Rosa holds a "frasco" of mercury. This is the international measure for mercury trade worldwide. The equivalent of one frasco is 34'5 Kg.
You can also see others containers for mercury from several producer countries.
 Viewed:  23169 Time(s)

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PICT4991.JPG
 Description:
Pack of "frascos" filled with mercury ready to ship, in the mercury store.
 Viewed:  23209 Time(s)

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PICT4994.JPG
 Description:
Reproduction of the bottom inside a Spanish galleon what carried the mercury from Spain to the Americas. The mercury was packed in those little wood barrels and they were introduced three in a box.
 Viewed:  23233 Time(s)

PICT4994.JPG



PICT4998.JPG
 Description:
Nice reproduction of a galleon from the Indian Fleet. In these ships, the mercury was shipped to the mines of New Spain (Mexico) twice in a year.
Perhaps tons of mercury rest in the bottom of the Caribbean sea from those ships that were sunken by hurricanes in front of Florida coast.
 Viewed:  23232 Time(s)

PICT4998.JPG



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Joaquin Montoro




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PostPosted: Oct 14, 2011 09:10    Post subject: Re: A trip to Almaden  

Now, at outside, more pics of the mining park...


PICT4995.JPG
 Description:
The "cerco de San Teodoro" and its typical headframe.
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PICT5002.JPG
 Description:
The metallic headframe of the San Aquilino shaft.
 Viewed:  23143 Time(s)

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PICT5004.JPG
 Description:
San Aquilino headframe and its machines house. At the back, the San Sebastian church.
 Viewed:  23138 Time(s)

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PICT5005.JPG
 Description:
Engineers house, where the offices of the mine were time ago.
 Viewed:  23130 Time(s)

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PICT5006.JPG
 Description:
Gate of Carlos IV. This door built in XVIII century was the main entrance to the smelting zone, called "Cerco de Buitrones".
 Viewed:  23129 Time(s)

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PICT5124.JPG
 Description:
And finally the protagonist of all this story...the mercury.
 Viewed:  23135 Time(s)

PICT5124.JPG



PICT2344.JPG
 Description:
And the father of the mercury...the cinnabar. In this case a sample obtained in 1982 with some crystals to 9 mm.
 Viewed:  23144 Time(s)

PICT2344.JPG



PICT2345.JPG
 Description:
Cinnabar, Almaden, Ciudad Real (Spain) a gift from the chief engineer of the mines in 1982.
 Viewed:  23169 Time(s)

PICT2345.JPG



PICT2093.JPG
 Description:
Pure cinnabar in a high density piece, probably mined in early XX century. Measures 8x6x4 cm. and weighs 934 grams.
 Viewed:  23171 Time(s)

PICT2093.JPG



PICT5219.JPG
 Description:
The funny T-shirt I bought in a little shop as a souvenir.
 Viewed:  23115 Time(s)

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PICT5220.JPG
 Description:
The legend of the T-shirt. Don Quijote and Sancho Panza pushing a mining car. Don't forget Almaden is located in La Mancha.
Hope you have enjoyed this report.
 Viewed:  23130 Time(s)

PICT5220.JPG



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