L. ottelli

Direttore Consorzio Parco Geominerario Storico e Ambientale Della Sardegna, Ltaly

Keywords: Sardinia, mining, heritage, Geopark

Sardinia (Italy) is famous in the international mining world for the richness of its geology, of its ore deposits and of its mines. On the 24,000 square kilometers that make up the area of this island, all the geological eras from the Late Pre-Cambrian onwards are represented through an enormous variety of heterogeneous rocks, minerals and fossils.

Many different ore deposits have been mined intensively for some 8,000 years by the local populations and by those of the Mediterranean basin and the European continent.

Evidence of the importance of the technical and scientific heritage of Sardinia, represented by its geology, its mineral deposits and by mining aspects, can be found in the large number of scientific books that have been published and in the interest shown by the many ltalian and foreign Universities in the present century.

The Autonomous Region of Sardinia has decided to establish the Geological and Mining Park of Sardinia, subdivided into 8 distinct Areas on a total 3,770 square kilometers, in order to protect and enhance that heritage. Each area is both peculiar and original because of the specific varieties of the geological deposits, of their mineralogical characteristics, of the history of mining activity and mining techniques.

Particular attention has been devoted to historical and archaeological aspects strictly related to mining. The proposal also includes a precise description of the natural resources as well as aspects of environmental renovation aimed at the restoration of the landscape of abandoned mining areas.

The management and staff of the Park, besides, are firmly attached to its inclusion in the network of the Geo-Parks, not only on the ground of its unique value with respect to other examples of European heritage landscapes in the same category, but because of the great investment that has already been made in surveying the riches, working on their restoration or maintenance, planning their valorization together with the political and administrative authorities, the sphere of business and the inhabitants asset for the purpose of increasing the visitors flows, since its international recognition will help overcoming some difficulties due to the isolated situation of the island and to the challenge of other classical artistic or mass leisure tourism targets.