And They Called It a Mine

The Mining Museum was established in the 1980s, just as the region's mining industry was nearing its end. It is composed of the museum and an underground tour of over 700 meters of tunnels carved into the travertine hillside and showcases the history of mining in the area, which began during the Copper Age and the Estruscan era, reaching its peak in the Middle Ages. 

Walking through the tunnels, we learned about the various mining techniques and tools used over the centuries:

Lateral roads and cross cuts: These paths were used to transport machinery, miners and excavated ore. 

Caving Method: In areas with fragile ceilings, ore was initially excavated and supported with props. Once the ore was removed, the props were intentionally taken down, allowing the ceiling to collapse safely, stabilizing the roof of the tunnel below. 

The ore was then put down the chute where it was loaded onto carts and taken up to the surface.

Back stoping

Back stoping would allow the mine to develop deeper to follow the seam of the ore deposit.

Overshot loader

Overshot Loaders replaced rail carts in the 1960s, these air-powered loaders with tires carried larger loads and were easier to maneuver.

Stope and fill mining / Pneumatic hammer drills

The stope and fill mining technique filled the tunnel with a mixture of cement and rock after the mineral ore was extracted. Filling the spaces, especially near roads above, reduced the risk of implosion.

Pneumatic Hammer Drills: These compressed-air drills, introduced in the early 20th century, allowed for efficient rock excavation but were notoriously heavy, weighing up to 30 kg. Early versions created significant dust, making conditions harsh for miners. By the 1940s, water jets were added to reduce dust and cool the drills. 

Filling tunnels

These tubes pressure-fed the backfill mixture into the tunnel to be filled. The backfill was prepared outside the mine by a group of miners, specialized in the task breaking the rocks until the pieces were the correct size.

Wooden Support Structures

Structural Support in the Mines

Wooden Supports: upright props and horizontal beams, often made from damp resistant, high resin pine or fir, provided initial support. Acacia wood beams were used for their durability.  They were built by specialized laborers. The bits of wood left over were taken home by the miners to stoke the home fires.

Metal Support Structures

Metal Supports: Adjustable steel structures with telescopic joints alerted miners to potential collapse if the supports shifted.

Bolting

Bolting: A modern method using resin-filled cartridges to anchor bolts in the rock, often combined with mesh to prevent smaller rocks from falling. 

Ring Supports

Ring Supports: Used in areas with inward rock pressure, composed of concrete blocks with wooden plank spacers to make the construction more elastic. It was very safe but very expensive. If at all possible gaps were left between the rings to save on material and labor.

Cement support structures

Cement Support Structure: Used in tunnels where water collected, composed of cement walls and a vault of concrete blocks. Since this structure lasted a long time with little maintenance, it was frequently used in tunnels which were expected to last for a long period, justifying the cost.

The Skip

Used to haul ore to carry it up to the shaft and then hoist up to the surface.

Air Compressor

The air compressor was initially located in the mines, but due to the noise and dust they created were later moved to the surface to improve the miners working conditions.

Explosives Depot

For safety reasons there were two explosives depots--one for fuses and another for explosives--that were maintained for safety, accessible only to the fochino (the miner in charge of explosives).

The Canteen

The miners ate their main meals down in the mine in a tunnel fitted out as a canteen.

Metal lunchboxes

The miners' lunchboxes were made of metal to prevent rats from getting into them. Interestingly, rats were tolerated in the mines as they often sensed rockfalls before miners did. 

The workshop

Mine mechanics would repair equipment in the workshop down in the mine. It was more cost effective versus bringing the machines up to the surface for repair.

Pirite / Pyrite

The region's most important mineral was pyrite, used primarily for producing sulfuric acid. Other minerals included galena, gypsum and gesso. Between the late 19th century and 1994, over 17 million tons of pyrite were extracted. However, by the 1980s, mining began to decline due to decreased competitiveness and the rise of petroleum byproducts as a sulfur source. By the early 1990s the mines had closed, and efforts shifted toward preserving this history.

After returning our hard hats, we continued to the Subterraneo building to explore more of the museum's exhibits, featuring photographs by Corrado Banchi, a local photographer who captured significant moments in Massa Marittima's history. You can see his photos at this site Corrado Banchi Photo Archive

Then it was time for lunch. Inspired by Tommaso's mom, we tried recreating her warm focaccia sandwiches. They turned our pretty well.

Later at piano practice at the Organ Museum I received a 'quasi finito' (almost finished) on my piece. I'm not sure if it means I've mastered it or if Dr. Ronzoni is simply ready for me to move on, but I took it as a good sign.

To wind down, we watched 3 Days to Kill with Kevin Costner. Neither of us had seen it before, and though it was in Italian, the plot was easy enough to follow. 

And that wrapped up our day.

A dopo!

P.S. Extra points if you can name the movie that inspired the title of this blog.