Four miners have now been locked inside an abandoned mine for five days as part of their industrial action demand the immediate reopening of the facility.
The miners are at a depth of 200 metres where the humidity is 80% and they can already apparently feel the impact of conditions on their bodies. There is no water in the gallery but the miners say they are mentally prepared to continue their action.
The miners are demanding that the Junta de Andalucia grant the mining rights to the old Rio Tinto mine to the multinational company Emed Tartessus and reopen it immediately, something they say will result in the creation of 1,000 jobs.
The reopening of the mine has been on the agenda since 2007 but there are apparently still a few legal requirements to fulfill before the company can resume the mining of copper.