New survey discovers Roman gold mines in Spain

Las Médulas. Photo: Wikimedia

Data from LiDAR survey finds gold-mining network created by the Romans 2,000 years ago

Las Médulas in León is considered to be the largest open-cast gold mine from the Roman Empire. The remnants of Roman gold-mining have also been discovered in neighbouring Asturias province.

Data from LiDAR survey found that under vegetation and crops in the Eria Valley, there is a gold-mining network created by the Romans 2,000 years ago, along with complex hydraulic works to divert water to the mines, ScienceDaily.com reported:

"The volume of earth exploited is much greater than previously thought and the works performed are impressive, having achieved actual river captures, which makes this valley extremely important in the context of Roman mining in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula,"

Javier Fernández Lozano, geologist at the University of Salamanca and co-author of the study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, as saying.