Mina del Lápiz (Graphite mine)
During the late 18th century, these graphite mines were one of the few known ones in Europe. Graphite ore was of high commercial value and was mined here from 1749 to 1853 by Manuel Agustín Heredia (and others), leading to the creation of his fortune.
The purest graphite ore was extracted from a number of mines in Sierra Bermeja including the Nicio mine—also known as Niscio mine. However, the Minas del Lápiz in Benahavís proved to be the most substantial source of graphite in Sierra Bermeja, as it supplied 150,000 tonnes of high-quality graphite between 1749 and 1854.
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