The mining-forested area of the Cerro del Toro is made up of mining remains from the 19th and 20th centuries, located inside a small forested area which surrounds the strip mining. It contains nearly thirty hectares (74.13 acres) of phyllites, limestones and dolomites with some insertions of subvolcanic tholeitte rocks.
The exploited ore has mostly been zinc (sphalerite), and to a lesser extent, galenite and fluorite. A minority compounds found are pyrite, tetrahedrite, bornite, chalcopyrite, smithsonite and cerussite.
Archaeological remains from the Chalcolithic Age and pottery, which prove the people who lived at that time among the 8th and 13th centuries, have been found in the surroundings of the exploitations. In the same way, this mining deposit has been clearly recognized in documentary sources from the 11th century, specifically in the text of Al-Idrisi. Nevertheless, there is no evidence of mining labours due to the intensive exploitation carried out during the second half of the 20th century when 250,000 tonnes of mineral were extracted.
The patrimonial and cultural interest of the area, its environmental and landscape values as well as its proximity to the town of Motril, surrounded by building land, have contemplated its recovery as leisure, natural area with didactic, touristic and sports uses.
How to get there
Driving along the old 323 national road towards Granada, you will find a small car park around 3 kilometres (1.86 miles) to the north of Motril.
36°46'32.24"N
3°30'29.39"O