ABSTRACT
Environmental and social factors were ignored in favour of the ease of urban development and water supply, the low price of the land and the ability to push the waste into the courses of the Rivers Tinto and Ochel, on the grounds that these rivers were already contaminated by the residues from existing mines in the centre and north of the province (Andalucia, 1990). The other main factor was the construction of a large power station since these industrial processes are large consumers of energy. Moreover, the importing facilities were improved, with jetties for the companies.
