For decades, Galicia was much more than a green corner on the map, it was a strategic node in the global war economy. Tungsten, a discreet but essential mineral, turned its mountains into scenes of espionage, smuggling, and mining exploitation. Today, this legacy resurfaces amid debates about sustainability, historical memory, and industrial opportunities. And at the heart of this silent history lies Barbantes Station, keep reading to discover it.
The metal that reinforced the war
Tungsten, also known as wolfram, is one of the hardest and most heat-resistant metals. During World War II, its use was key in manufacturing armor-piercing projectiles, armor plating, and military machinery. Germany, without direct access to deposits, turned to Spain and Portugal for supply, and Galicia became one of the Reich's main suppliers.
The tungsten fever sparked a real covert trade war. Spies, diplomats, and smugglers moved between Galician mines and ports. The price of the mineral skyrocketed and thousands of workers joined an activity that transformed the landscape and local economy. The port of Valarés, in Ponteceso, for example, became the main loading point for tungsten in Europe while the United States pressured Spain to halt exports to the Nazi regime.
Mining revival or environmental risk?
In recent years, tungsten has regained interest for its use in advanced technologies, defense, and electronics. Galicia, with its still latent reserves, has been the target of new mining projects. Companies like Eurobattery Minerals have acquired rights over deposits in A Gudiña (Ourense) with exploitation plans linked to the European military industry.
However, reactivating these mines is not without controversy. In San Finx, for example, reopening has been blocked due to toxic discharges and legal conflicts. The Xunta has greenlit some projects, but opposition from environmentalists and local communities calls their viability into question. The future of Galician mining is debated between economic opportunity and environmental protection.
Mines, memory, and resistance
Deposits like Monte Neme (Carballo), Varilongo (Santa Comba), San Finx (Lousame), Casaio (Valdeorras), and Vilanova (Ourense) became strategic sites. In some cases, like Casaio, the mines were managed directly by German companies and hundreds of Republican prisoners worked in extreme conditions.
Highlight: Don't miss our post about the tourist walks through Galician tungsten mines.
The tungsten mining left its mark on the geography, collective memory, and international intelligence archives. Barbantes Station, although less known, was part of this network. Its railway station, inaugurated in 1881, was key for mineral transport. Although documentation about its mine is scarce, it is mentioned in local hiking routes and oral stories as part of the region's mining legacy.
Barbantes Station: a mine with history to discover
Between Laias and Barbantes lies an old tungsten mine that, although forgotten by the headlines, is part of Galician industrial heritage. Its entrance remains abandoned, surrounded by vegetation, and it is visited by hikers following routes like the Fonte Romana de Lagarellos or the church of Santa María de Razamonde.
During World War II, it is believed this mine was active and linked to the strategic tungsten trade, although it did not reach the notoriety of other operations. Its railway station was key for mineral transport and still today it retains a ghostly air that invites exploration and reflection.
Barbantes Station is a symbol of that crossroads between history and future. Recovering its legacy does not necessarily mean reopening its galleries, but it does mean understanding its role in Galician identity and deciding, with knowledge and sensitivity, what to do with what lies underground.
Visiting Barbantes Station is not just a rural getaway, it is an immersion in Galicia's silent history. Amid trees, rails, and ruins, lies the echo of an era when tungsten moved the world. Today, that past can become a cultural tourism experience, purposeful hiking, or heritage reflection.
From HDOSO we encourage you to discover places like this, where wellbeing joins memory and the landscape tells stories worth hearing. Because taking care of the body is also connecting with the environment, and every step in nature can be a way to better understand who we were... and where we are going.
