A journey into the underground world of La Unión’s historic mines revealed the tough reality miners once faced, cramped tunnels, dangerous work, and a landscape shaped by centuries of extraction. A fascinating glimpse into Murcia’s industrial past.
My ancestors in Wales were miners, and I’ve always been fascinated by what their lives must have been like underground. The conditions in Wales would have been different, of course, but visiting a local mine in La Unión, Murcia, seemed like a good way to get at least a glimpse of what they endured.
The mountain range around La Unión has been mined since Carthaginian and Roman times. Lead and zinc were the main minerals extracted, and the area experienced major mining booms in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Mining finally stopped in 1991, leaving behind a dramatic landscape of abandoned shafts, open pits, and industrial ruins. Today, around 50,000 square metres of this former mining zone form the La Unión Mining Park, a museum and historical site that explains everything from extraction to washing, concentration, and smelting.
My Visit to La Unión Mines.
I had tried to visit before, only to discover that you must book in advance, and that English‑language tours only run on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I booked for a Tuesday, unaware that Tuesday is also market day in La Unión. Navigating the town was a challenge, and I’d strongly recommend going on a Thursday or simply taking the train, which conveniently stops right outside the park.
Before the tour begins, visitors watch a short English‑language film explaining the history of the mines. After that, I boarded a miniature train that carried us up the mountainside to the mine entrance. There, we were all handed a very fashionable hairnet and a mining helmet, safety first, glamour second.
Inside the mine, the tour became truly fascinating. The cramped tunnels made it clear how tough the conditions were. I banged my head on the ceiling almost immediately, which gave me a new appreciation for the miners’ daily reality. They didn’t clock in or out; instead, they had to fill a set number of mine carts each day. Their only light came from the lamps they brought with them.
The temperature underground felt pleasantly cool compared to the heat outside, but the photos on the walls told a different story, miners stripped to the waist, sweating in the dark, working 12 to 14 hours a day. Safety equipment was nonexistent. Many worked in sandals or barefoot.
We were shown the tools used to drill holes and place explosive charges, the most dangerous job in the mine. Many miners died doing it. Even drilling itself was deadly, as the dust destroyed their lungs. The average miner lived only into his forties. Children as young as twelve worked underground too, carrying water, moving small rocks, or passing tools to the adults.
The guide showed us several levels of the mine. The fifth level is now flooded, a thick, mineral‑rich pool covered in dust that looks like solid mud. When the guide threw a stone onto it, the surface broke and the stone vanished instantly, leaving a hole like cracked ice.
Outside the mine, we saw the remains of the washing plant and the distant chimneys of the old roasting furnaces. A short walk up the hill took us to the former gunpowder store, now a tiny chapel. Further up, we could see the entrance to another mine that isn’t yet open to the public. When it eventually opens, the plan is to run a train through it, Indiana Jones style.
One moment of confusion came when the guide explained that the mine we were in was used to extract pirita. For a moment, I thought he said “pirates,” and wondered why swashbucklers were hiding underground waiting to be mined. In reality, pyrite, also known as fool’s gold, is an iron sulfide with a metallic shine that resembles gold. No pirates were harmed in the making of this tour.
Summary.
The introductory video and the tour itself were genuinely fascinating. I noticed a few children on the tour looking utterly bored, and I couldn’t help wondering why their parents had dragged them away from the beach to visit a mine. Perhaps they were hoping to sell them into service underground.
For adults, though, the La Unión Mining Park is well worth a visit, educational, atmospheric, and a powerful reminder of the harsh lives miners once lived.
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