Green rocks in Pyrenees cave reveal Copper Age copper-smelting site

Archaeologists excavating a high-altitude cave in Girona, Spain (2,235 m/7,333 ft) uncovered nearly 200 malachite fragments, charcoal-rich pits, and other artifacts suggesting prehistoric people repeatedly processed green copper ore to extract copper, constituting a Copper Age copper-smelting camp active for more than 4,000 years, with intensive use between 3600–2400 BCE. The finds—human remains, animal bones, pottery, and cultural ornaments—indicate long-term occupation and resource exploitation in the Pyrenees, and researchers plan to confirm the malachite identification and continue excavations to understand the site’s purpose.