NASA has an experiment involving drilling by remote control in Minas de Riotino.
What qualifies Minas de Riotino?
Just down the road from Minas de Tirith.
More like “Las minas de Moria” since mina is spanish for “mine” (as in excavation for minerals, not “this is mine”)
(In Rioplatense Spanish “Mina” is also slang for “Woman”, and Moria Casán was a famous star of risqué theatrical shows (called “Teatro de Revista”) so “Las minas de Moria” could also mean something else :P.)
RíotinTo, red river. While the mines are still exploited, there is also a museum of mining (webpage partially in English); one of their current purposes is precisely the study of mining in different conditions, some of them quite difficult due among other things to the presence of underground water (one of the things Nasa wanted). Most mining areas have one main mineral: Riotinto contains multiple compounds and metals which have been of interest at different periods and which involve different mining techniques. It’s available, it’s owned by a government who is very happy to share research with friendly countries, and since it’s already a research area it’s a bit like going to the library for a book. And unlike nearby(ish) Almadén, it doesn’t have mercury lying about.
Thanks, Nava.