PALPALA

At 14 km from San Salvador de Jujuy, travellers will find a myth filled town called Palpalá, where they will find the first steel mill ever in Argentina, called Aceros Zapla, where the first cast iron was poured in 1945, and using ore from their own mines.

Palpalá has about 10,000 hectares with planted eucalyptus to use as charcoal, which was to be used in the mill. Two iron ore mines called 9 de Octubre and Puesto Viejo, were part of the complex together with a lime stone quarry.

Today, the town situated at 1125 m.a.s.l. has a population close to 47,000 people. The traveller can also visit the now closed by original mine gallery where the iron ore was first found and gave rise to the steel mill.

Access is down the Nº 66 National Route, and the Nº 1, Nº 49 and Nº 56 Provincial Routes.