Pete Monkhouse
4 years ago
In Italy for the next few years- based near Modena. Anyone aware of Italian mines and / or exploration groups? Missing being underground in unwise places!
Cheers, Pete
Monty Stubble
4 years ago
There are some copper mines near Montecreto. Closed in the late 40's. However I've never been so don't know much about them. Had them on hold from a visit to the area which never happened.


https://la-linea-gotica.com/en/luogo/the-lastranera-copper-mines/ 
The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau
Monty Stubble
4 years ago
I should also add, there are some 'nice' mines a couple of hours north near Lake Garda. Flourspar, Iron and Uranium and quite a lot of surface remains. Lots of underground potential too. If you want details, let me know.

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau
Pete Monkhouse
4 years ago
Thank you Monty! Hopefully (at least) partially out of lockdown this coming weekend, if so I'll head up to Montecreto. I'd love any detail you have of the lake Garda stuff too.
Many thanks, Pete
Third Username
4 years ago
Not strictly mines, but if you're into man-made tunnels and you're in the Riva area, then there's lots of extensive wartime (WWI) tunnels in the hills about there and south of Rovereto.
staffordshirechina
4 years ago
Slightly further away, if you nip over the border to Idrija in Slovenia there is a very good tourist uranium mine. They also do canoe tours and mountain bike tours underground.
Third Username
4 years ago
Did a mine tour and kayak in a Slovenian mine. It was enormous, but fairly sure it was a lead mine we did. They had mountain bike course through there too. Did an unbelievable buffet underground for us!
staffordshirechina
4 years ago
You are correct, I am getting my mines mixed up.
Idrija is a mercury mine, no bikes and canoes. It is the other one whose name escapes me that did bikes and canoes. I have several photos of it but no name!
Both are worth seeing plus the coal mining museum at Velenje.
john_cribbin
4 years ago
Mezica is the one in Slovenia, great fun.

https://www.podzemljepece.com/?lang=en 
Monty Stubble
4 years ago
These were on a list I had in mind for a motorcycle tour last summer so I can’t vouch for any of them. I’d be pleased to know what was there though if you make it to any of them.

I do have a load of others but I don't know how far you want to travel.

I’d imagine the nature of the terrain for some of these places will make them inaccessible this time of year as they’re in fairly high mountains. These remote valleys saw a lot of action in WW2 as they were on or near the Gothic Line so there are some interesting structures around this too.

Miniera San Aloisio-Tassara
https://www.erih.net/i-want-to-go-there/site/mineral-park-of-the-valle-trompia 
Siderite Mine, closed in 1985
This is a show mine which offers 2.5km of underground “experience”, via ferrata’s, etc. They also offer “speleotherapy” (I get lots of that here but I don’t think its the same thing).

Torgola Mine 45° 48' 11' North , 10° 18' 17' East
Fluorite Mine, closed in the 1990’s. There looks to be a lot of buildings there. It was on my list for this summer. It’s in a steep valley, heavily wooded but on the roadside.

Duadello Mine 45° 47' 30' North , 10° 10' 14' East
Old Iron Mine. Well covered by literature but I think the co-ordinates are vague
Difficult wooded terrain.

Vigna Soliva mine 45° 59' 34' North , 9° 59' 15' East
Old iron mine, closed in the 40’s I think. In a remote valley and not much sign of it.

Vacareggio Mine 45° 53' 29' North , 9° 42' 34' East
Calamine/Zinc. Worked by Vielle Montagne Zinc until around 1930. Lots of open stopes and a few levels.

Sagron Mines 46° 11' 52' North , 11° 57' 42' East
Old Uranium (Cinnabar) Mine In 1850 a long level, known as Tarabugio or Terrabujo adit, was excavated. Other mining works in this area are from around 1902 and a couple of years after the end of World War I. Seem to be a few levels open.

Vallata Mines 46° 11' 53' North , 11° 57' 44' East
On the other side of the valley from the Sagron. Looks to be some open adits, the longest, the intriguingly named “O’Connor Adit” is reputed to be over 750m long. There was a mining village nearby called “Calfoirnia”
but it’s now derelict having been destroyed in a flood about 60 years ago.

Valle Imperina Mine 46.25206,12.03757
Copper and Pyrites Mine. Was a source of copper from medieval times for the rich houses of Venice. Has a mining museum on site.
http://www.dolomitipark.it/en/architetture-dettaglio.php?id=2065 

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau
Monty Stubble
4 years ago
here's a list of Italian show mines.

https://www.showcaves.com/english/it/mines/index.html 


and caves ...

https://www.showcaves.com/english/it/showcaves/index.html 


The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau
Pete Monkhouse
4 years ago
Fabulous, thank you all! Annoyingly we're allowed out during the week (but have to work) and confined to where you live at weekends, but as soon as this improves I will be heading out to look for some of these. Thanks again, Pete

Disclaimer: Mine exploring can be quite dangerous, but then again it can be alright, it all depends on the weather. Please read the proper disclaimer.
© 2005 to 2023 AditNow.co.uk

Dedicated to the memory of Freda Lowe, who believed this was worth saving...