might seem strange that the local government should choose to announce that it wants mining companies to tender bids to rework Los Frailes. However, a brief examination of the state of the local economy provides an explanation. The crash of Spain’s banks in 2008 hit the region catastrophically and unemployment in some parts of Andalucía is now more than 30%. Reopening the mine would provide more than 1,000 precious jobs. “There are riches here, riches that are badly needed by local inhabitants,” said Vicente Fernández Guerrero, secretary-general of Innovation, Industry and Energy for Andalucía. “We think mining is a good way to make it possible to allow local people to continue to live in the area. This is a mining area. People have been digging metals and ores here since Roman times, after all.” More to the point, added Fernández, the mine licence would stipulate that only modern mining techniques, which avoid the creation of poisonous wet waste, would be allowed. (It has also stipulated that the Canadian company that ran Los Frailes cannot bid for the contract. Sixteen years after the accident, the two sides remained locked over compensation claims.) “The best technology in the world will be used here,” Fernández insisted. “Liquid will not be used. We are going to insist on that. Our tender makes that clear.” The proposal has some support in the