The soil in Montevecchio was veined with rocks containing all kinds of minerals. Zinc, lead and silver were up for grabs here. Something that the Romans and even the Nuragic civilization of the Bronze Age had also noticed. However, the Industrial Revolution accelerated everything in the mid-19th century.

On the hillside of the Genna Serapis, the mine director Giovanni Antonio Sanna built his home, a hospital, guest houses, a hotel, and a laboratory in 1870. Today, they are one by one protected monuments that shape the village of Montevecchio.

The trip to the valley takes you to the remains of three mines in a row: Piccalìnna, the medieval-looking Sant'Antonio and Sartori.

Preparation plant

Principe Tomaso's preparation plant, modernized numerous times to process the minerals, remained in service until 1981.

The end

In 1991, the mines were exhausted. Or that was the official version. In reality, people had had enough of the political unrest caused by the exploitation of the miners who had to do the dirty work.

Thirty years later, Montevecchio has emerged as a fine example of industrial heritage that you can explore through guided tours. And so you come across a Belgian machine from Danckaert from Brussels in the carpenter's workshop.