In Campos de Nijar, Juan Goytisolo travels by bus and foot from Almeria into the Cabo de Gata. As he is walking along the road in the blistering sun, a truck driver stops and offers him a lift to Rodalquilar - much to Juan's relief. He comments that it is difficult to get a lift any longer because the Civil Guard fines drivers  25 to 50 pesetas if they are caught giving a lift to hitchhikers. The truck driver, Sanlucar, makes Juan get down and hide on the floor of the truck as they pass the Civil Guard on the road.
He tells Juan that there are two roads to Rodalquilar, one belonging to the mining company (by far the best), the other is a local road used by the buses that go to the town. The company road is guarded to stop locals using it but Sanlucar says he thinks a friend of his may be the guard on duty, so he's going to risk taking the better road. They are in luck and when they reach the barrier blocking the road the guard lets them through.
Sanlucar asks after his friend's brother-in-law, who was clearly injured working in the mine. He asks if he got any compensation but the guard says he is still waiting.
The road takes them along the edge of a ravine, looking down over the company's panning-sites and the 'town' (as it was then) of Rodalquilar. Juan comments that the waste from the mine has invaded the valley of Rodalquilar, creating a sea of dry yellow mud.
Even today, waste spoils from the mine can be seen around Rodalquilar although many of them are now grassed over. Here is a photo of the old mine pans, used for sifting and washing the gold, and a photo looking down on the mine from higher up the old mining company road, with the village of Rodalquilar in the background.