* Astronomy

Archaeologists Uncover Oldest Mine In The Americas

Archaeologists have discovered a 12,000-year-old iron oxide mine in Chile that marks the oldest evidence of organised mining ever found in the Americas, according to a report in the June issue of Current Anthropology.
A team of researchers led by Diego Salazar of the Universidad de Chile found the 40-meter trench near the coastal town of Taltal in northern Chile. It was dug by the Huentelauquen people - the first settlers in the region - who used iron oxide as pigment for painted stone and bone instruments, and probably also for clothing and body paint, the researchers say.
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