Iron ore

When I look out of my window at the Pic de Pena I see a forest of trees. I understand that a hundred years ago the mountainside was bare and today's blip shows why. There is a lot of iron ore in the surrounding mountains, sufficient to have caused plane crashes in the early days of flying due to compass error.  The iron ore was mined extensively including other minerals up to the middle years of the 20th century when it became uneconomic. Nature has taken over but there are still many mining vestiges to be see when out walking.
The morning was given over to bread making and chores but then we joined friends for a very convivial long lunch. They say another lockdown is inevitable as the British Covid variant spreads through France. I want to make the most of social opportunities while they are both safe and allowed.