Jayone Mine (Mina la Jayona)

This old iron mine is placed on the mountain range of the Jayone, in the municipality of Fuente del Arco, in Badajoz province. Its recovering reveals a relevant beautiful habitat that show pasture landscapes.

The Jayone mine exemplifies how an abandonned mine is restored, and it provides an almost magic important geological-ecological habitat of interest.

The Jayone is unique, there is no other natural area like this in Extremadura. Light conditions, humidity, and vegetable life over rock gorges create a Mediterranean ecosystem where native animals and plants of Extremadura grow up.

From the begining of the the 20th Century to the 20's, shafts, holes, and galleries were taking shape and changing into the space we know nowadays.

The territory occupies twelve hectares of industrial dilapidated constructions, they reveal plain fluted faults, metamorphic rocks, and other structured rock deformities.

The geologic interest of the Jayone is increased by limestone erosion, this mixes with other minerals and the results are arbitrary forms iluminated by the rays of light that penetrate hollows and holes.

Unlike the rest of Extremadura, and due to the minning industry holm oaks were destroyed, however, the ground has changed into pastures and the soils are used for cultivations or livestock.

Above all olive tree cultivation stands out in the shady side of the mountain range.

Nevertheles, the most striking place of this area is inside the mine, enviromental conditions provide a shadier fresher atmosphere than outside the mine.

Water is present in the central hole, for that reason river vegetation grow up on the walls, sometimes it turns into rock vegetable life.

Inisde the mine conditions are suitable for the grownth of biotopes, of the six kinds of biotopes the Cavernicola one stands out, it shows the enviromental circumstances inside the cave.

The rest of biotopes belong to Mediterranean forest, riverbank, rocky place, and abandonned constructions, where a great amount of species live.

[ Locate in Google Maps ]

Visitors need to contact previously with the Fuente del Arco city council, as they coordinate the visits to the mine.

Ayuntamiento de Fuente del Arco
Plaza de España, 11 - 06810 Fuente del Arco (Badajoz)
Phone: (+34) 924 87 80 01

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