Pedra de Lume

Pedra de Lume (Capeverdean Crioulo, ALUPEC or ALUPEK: Pedra di Lumi, also in the Sal Crioulo) is a village in the eastern part of the island of Sal. The village is about 5 km east of Espargos and is linked with a road linking to the island capital as well as other villages on the island. Pedra de Lume has been famous for its salt mines which began around the 18th century and is the most ancient, and the home of the first salt workers. Today it is only a small village with very few inhabitants.

Nearest places

• Feijoal, southwest

Geography

There is little vegetation within the village and around it, with the surrounding area featuring a few green spots in sporadic areas. Fruits and vegetables and meat are mainly imported from other parts of Cape Verde that have better climate. The area has no farmlands. There is a small beach, and the rest of the coastline are jagged.

The Pedra de Lume crater is around 500 m in radius and is an extinct volcano. The area features salt evaporation ponds built over a natural salt lake that formed through infiltration of water from the sea, since the base of the crater is below the sea level. There is a cable car which used to carry the salt to the factory which is located by the shoreline where it had been shipping to other parts of the world, mainly Africa. The salt extraction is currently inactive.

Some older houses are built with mud-brick and stone, the rest are concrete or sand with stone. Currently, more houses are built with brick and steel reinforced concrete. The population used to be a large percentage of miners, but currently is almost entirely made of fishermen, manufacturers and people working in the local tourism facilities. Part of the needed materials come from the island capital, the county capital and the diaspora. But other needs, electricity, communications and appliances are partially available in the area as well as phone lines since the mid to late-20th century.

Panorama

The panorama can see Monte Grande to the north and is the island's tallest mountain, the eastern portion of the island can be seen.