Miniera di Naracauli

Useful Information

Location:	Follow SS126 from Arbuis to Portixeddu. Take turnoff to Ingurtosu SP66. The mining site is behind the town Ingurtosu.
Open:	no restrictions. [2020]
Fee:	free. [2020]
Classification:	Zinc Mine
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	n/a
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Miniera di Naracauli (Laveria Brassey), Contrada Pireddu, 09031 Arbus SU, Tel: +39-070-734-0654.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1855	mine opened.
1871	railway to the dunes of Piscinas built where the ore was loaded on ships.
17-OCT-1900	Laveria Brassey inaugurated, named after the owner Lord Thomas Alnutt Brassey.
1943	mining crisis.
1968	mine closed.

Geology

Description

The town Ingurtosu is a mining town, and as the mine is abandoned it has currently 9 inhabitants [2011]. There is no underground tour, the main sight is the Laveria Brassey or Laveria di Naracauli. This mechanical mineral preparation plant was named after the owner Lord Thomas Alnutt Brassey. It was used for the treatment of the local blende, a sulfur rich polymetallic ore. The ore produced zinc, cadmium, gallium and indium.

While this once was one of the biggest zinc mines in Sardinia, today it is only ruins. This site is much less developed than other show mines, but the landscape is beautiful and there are less restrictions than at other sites. The place is part of the GeoPark and on the UNESCO WHL, but nevertheless the government offered it for development. The idea was to build hotels for mass tourism with access to the nearby sand dunes and beach. So far there is no sign anybody is interested in this deal.