Peruvian iron mine, GeoEye-1 satellite image. The red, blue, white and grey colours indicate mineral content in the rocks mined here. Stepped levels,

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Peruvian iron mine, GeoEye-1 satellite image. The red, blue, white and grey colours indicate mineral content in the rocks mined here. Stepped levels, roads, and mining trucks, show how open-pit mining removes the surface material for processing. This is the Marcona Mine, in Peru's Ica department, one of the largest iron mines in South America. Mining of some 1400 million tons of iron ore started here in 1953. Image data obtained on 23 August 2009. The US-operated GeoEye-1 satellite was launched in September 2008, and orbits at a height of 680 kilometres. It is the world's highest resolution commercial Earth-imaging satellite.

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Size: 3000px × 3000px
Photo credit: © GEOEYE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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