Italy’s mining sector: Active mines, emerging opportunities and environmental concerns

Italy’s mining sector continues to play a role in the extraction of critical raw materials, with 76 active mines, 22 of which are involved in extracting materials listed as critical by the EU. Among these, feldspar and fluorite are significant, with feldspar being crucial for the ceramic industry and fluorite used in various applications including steel and electronics. Notably, the Genna Tres Montis fluorspar mine in South Sardinia, set to resume full production, will be a major player in Europe.

Key points:

1. Current mining activities:
   • Italy has 76 active mines, with feldspar being extracted from 20 sites and fluorite from 2 sites. The Genna Tres Montis mine is expected to become one of Europe’s key sources of fluorspar.
2. Historical mining and potential resources:
   • Historical mining of metal ores has left approximately 900 sites, but no metallic critical raw materials are currently extracted in Italy. The country remains dependent on foreign sources for these metals. Known deposits of copper, manganese, tungsten, cobalt, and others exist, but they are not currently exploited.
3. Emerging opportunities:
   • Recent exploration has identified significant quantities of lithium in Tuscany-Lazio-Campania geothermal fluids, offering low-impact extraction opportunities. The presence of lithium has also been noted in pegmatites on the Island of Elba and other locations.
4. Critical and non-metallic materials:
   • Italy has deposits of various critical and non-metallic materials, including bauxite, magnesite and barite. Graphite deposits, once used for pencils and lubricants, are also of interest.
5. Environmental and waste management issues:
   • Previous mining activities have left behind approximately 150 million cubic meters of waste, posing significant environmental challenges. There is a growing interest in recovering valuable materials from these mining wastes, a shift from viewing them purely as pollutants.
6. Future directions:
   • The EU regulation on critical raw materials and Italy’s national mining program aim to address these challenges. There is a need for increased investment in training, research, and collaboration with scientific and academic institutions to advance the mining sector and address environmental issues.

This comprehensive overview highlights Italy’s current mining activities, potential for future resource development, and the need for effective waste management and environmental stewardship.