Miniera di Rosas

Useful Information

Location:	Take SP78 between Carbonia and Siliqua. At Terrubia the Via Rosas leads to the mine which is located in a secluded valley.
Open:	26-OCT to MAY daily 8-13, 14-18, tours 9:30, 11, 14, 16. JUN to 25-OCT daily 8-19, tours 9:30, 11, 15, 17. [2020]
Fee:	Adults EUR 8, Children (5-15) EUR 5, Children (0-4) free. Groups (+): reductions available with reservation. [2020]
Classification:	Lead Mine Zinc Mine Copper Mine Écomusée
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:	D=90 min.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Miniera di Rosas, Via Rosas, Location Rosas, 09010 Narcao SU, Tel: +39-0781-185-5139. E-mail:
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

1851	mining concession of Rosas signed by Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia and Cyprus.
1908	Rosasite discovered at the mine.
1980	mine closed.
1986	beginning of restoration.
01-AUG-2009	opened to the public.

Geology

Description

The Ecomuseo Miniere Di Rosas has three main sights: the Museo Geo-Mineralogico e Storico (Mineralogical and Historical museum), the Galleria Santa Barbara underground mine tour, and the Museo di Archeologia Industriale, the surface buildings of the mine with the heavy machinery. The Mineral Museum has numerous minerals and ore samples from the mine, including the rare Rosasite. The mine is the type locale, the mineral was first found here in 1908. The first description is from Domenico Lovisato, geologist and professor of mineralogy of the University of Cagliari. The underground tour explains the mining technology, the construction of wooden supports using chestnut wood, and use of explosives, drills and hammers. The 19th century machinery includes a flotation system for the processing of the ore which is still in working condition.

The site is quite remote, but it offers a restaurant, a pizzeria, and a hotel in addition to the museums. The hotel is rather cheap with 20€ per night [2020]. Today nobody lives at the place any more, but at the end of the 19th and early 20th century it was a miners village with 750 inhabitants. There was an elementary school, post office, clinic for small injuries, dentist, and a general store.