Saloro, founded in 2004 in Spain, is a Company focused in wolfram production and commercialization. Wolfram is a metal recognized as “Basic Raw Material” according to the European Union.
The first production unit is the Barruecopardo Mine, located in Salamanca. After Saloro’s €100 million investment, it is increasing its production to reach the capability to generate 15% of the global production of tungsten, making the Barruecopardo Mine a natural resource globally.
Saloro’s focus in its operations in Barruecopardo is to keep a sustainable and high quality production, suitable with environmental protection. Saloro is a 100% committed with the most severe international rules in security, safety and environment, having achieved the highest certifications about it.
Barruecopardo project
The Barruecopardo project, located in Salamanca (Spain), has more than 100 years of mining history. Although the original mine shut down in 1982, SALORO decided to reopen and update it to the present necessities, as it was one of the most important wolfram mines.
Wolfram has been declared strategic by the European Union, so the Barruecopardo mine is really important for Europe, as it is one of the most relevant wolfram concentrate producers in Europe. Its yearly production pace is of 260 tons of wolfram trioxid. It is the seventh biggest Tungsten mine in the world.
The production started in 2019, after finishing the works, that started in 2014, when all the work permits were in order. The Barruecopardo Mine is an open pit.
The mine process has been modernized to make it work efficiently, responsibly and sustainably, while a wolfram concentrate is produced with the wolfram trioxid law over 65% and a small content in penalizing elements.
The mine updating started over the old excavation and its surroundings. By doing it this way, we can benefit from the zones affected by previous activities. In addition, the rest of the mine resources has been profited, validating Saloro’s commitment with environmental protection. As an example, acid water -the one left in the old open pit- has been cleaned for its reuse, without spending other water resources for this project.
The Barruecopardo mine
year
ACTIVITY BEGINS IN THE OLD BARRUECOPARDO MINE
years
HIGH POINT OF PRODUCTION
year
NEW OPENCAST DEVELOPMENT IN THE SOUTHERN ZONE
year
MINE CLOSURE
year
MINE REOPENING
Additional data
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– First non-mechanised operations (1930–1960): 200 m long and 5-30 m wide –
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– Second cut (mechanised): 800 m long, 100 m wide and 80 m deep –
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– Approximate production (1960–1982) of 10.2 million tons of tungsten (4,000 tons of marketable concentrate) –
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– Positive effect on neighbouring towns, contributing to job and wealth creation in the area –
