Old Copper Mine In Uruguay Turns Into A Tourist Spot

An old copper mine in Uruguay creates public attention when it becomes a tourist spot. Uruguayan province Maldonado harbors this long-abandoned mine.

Maldonado is a southeastern province of Uruguay. It has recently hit the news world after the mining park Mina La Oriental here allows the tourists to visit the tunnel of an old copper mine. The visitors now could see and cherish the surprising rock formation in the mine.

Founder of the mining park Mina La Oriental, Lilian Ascorreta, has been trying from 2009 to restore the mine tunnel. She has even tried to increase the old copper mine's potential. The aim of it is to explore its attraction.

From late nineteenth century, the family of Ascorreta is keenly associated with this huge 15-hectares property. It was 1754 when the Spanish colonists discovered copper here, and history of the said old copper mine started from then. According to the Alianza News. the area is currently located at the boundaries where the Lavalleja and Maldonado provinces meet.

When the Spanish production era was over, then an Argentine businessman launched his new venture associated with the mine in the nineteenth century. He named the old copper mine as La Oriental. Later father of Lilian Ascorreta restored the entrance of the mine partially. He even rediscovered the existing stalactites in the mine tunnels.

In 2006 the Ascorreta family finally reclaimed the property's ownership after a court case. Now, after receiving requests from the visitors, Ascorreta investigated what was actually done with the abandoned mines in Europe. After this, she decided to create a park in the said area. In a word, the old copper mine is now an attractive place for the tourists.

The important thing is the mining park Mina La Oriental that explores the heritage of the old copper mine has two different projects. According to Invertalia, one project horizontally crosses the underground, and the other one acquires a vertical descent. Notably, both the projects aim for the walk that can help the visitors to appreciate its natural aspect.

Notably, Ascorreta reveals that the rock formation in the old copper mine tunnel dates back around 1.5 billion years. University students mainly belong to the biology and geology stream started visiting the La Oriental since 2013. The key part of their studies occupies the said rock formation.