Mines of Gorno
Gorno, Italy
The mines of Gorno are a historical mining district located in Gorno, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. The mines operated from Roman times until the late 20th century, producing blende, calamine and galena, minerals primarily used to extract zinc. They are reported to have been visited by Leonardo da Vinci in his role as an engineer of the Venetian Republic. For centuries, they played a significant role in the economy and social life of the Riso Valley, involving entire families of miners, the taissine and the galecc. The mines were permanently closed in 1982 following a decline in productivity. Since 2009, the Gorno Mining Ecomuseum has preserved and promoted the heritage of the mining community, exhibiting work tools, mineralogical finds, and historical documents.
Mine data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).