Island of Elba Mineral Park

The Mining Park of the Island of Elba, established in 1991 with the goal of redeveloping areas damaged by iron mining, preserves a geological, mineralogical, and historical-mining heritage of inestimable value. It is an area of great landscape and cultural importance, characterized by evocative “lunar landscapes”, blood-red and ochre-yellow colors, and the presence of remnants of old processing plants.

The park includes two mining sites: Rio Marina and Rio Albano, as well as several excavation sites.

Curiosity: inside the Rio Mines, the Rosseto Tunnel has recently been restored and made safe. Inside the tunnel, significant elements have been recovered and reconstructed, such as Santa Barbara (the explosive storage area), the drilling zone complete with original machinery, and the winze, now accessible and secured, leading to the lower levels of the labyrinth of tunnels connected to Rosseto.

Rio Marina mining site

The Rio Marina site is the oldest mine on the Island of Elba: operations began during the Etruscan-Roman period and continued almost uninterruptedly into the industrial era. Covering a total area of around 191 hectares, the mine mainly yielded hematite and limonite, along with accessory minerals such as pyrite and quartz.

The main excavation areas at Rio Marina were Bacino, Valle Giove, and Falcacci, each with unique characteristics. The Bacino site is well known among mineral collectors worldwide for its spectacular hematite crystals discovered in the 1980s. Falcacci is famous for cubic pyrite specimens and for the 2005 discovery of a new mineral species, Riomarinaite, named after Rio Marina. Valle Giove is notable for its terraced amphitheater shape, typical of open-pit mining.

Rio Albano mining site

The Rio Albano site spans approximately 172 hectares and includes several excavation areas around Monte Caledozio. The site is mainly composed of deposits of hematite and limonite (with pyrite). Though less well-known than Rio Marina, this area also saw intense mining activity, and some sites were exploited until the ore was completely depleted.

The main excavation area was Le Conche, which operated from 1940 to 1970 using both open-pit and underground methods. The main extracted minerals were limonite and hematite, with pyrite and siderite as secondary minerals. A reddish-brown lake with purple reflections has formed in the deep open-pit excavation, with waters extremely rich in iron salts.

Guided tours by reservation

Several types of guided tours are available upon reservation and include visits to the main open-pit sites of Rio Marina and Rio Albano. Along the route, guides explain the various mineral species and extraction techniques used. Tours take place daily from April to October by reservation. Prices include a visit to the Mineral Museum of Rio Marina, the starting point for all excursions.

Miniera Adventure

An unforgettable experience aboard a real military vehicle: the VM90 (8 seats), which takes visitors off-road to explore mining sites and search for Elba’s most famous minerals.

Prices include museum visit:
Full price € 25.00
Reduced (ages 4–12) € 13.00

The little train

A tour of the mines aboard a charming little train that travels through the main mining areas of Rio Marina, each with its own colors and features, offering a memorable experience in the land of iron.
The tour includes a stop at the Valle Giove site, where visitors can look for mineral samples to take home.

Prices include museum visit:
Full price: € 16.00
Reduced: € 10.00 (children and teens aged 4 to 12)
Free for children up to 3 years old

In the magical world of minerals

Educational workshop for families with children aged 6 to 12. The workshop starts at the Mineral Museum of Rio Marina and continues with mineral searching at the Bacino site.

Prices include museum visit:
Accompanying adults € 9.00
Children € 12.00

Groups and school groups

Activities are also available for groups and schoolchildren with advance booking: Mineral Searching, Educational Workshops, Trekking, and Train Tours.

Infoelba recommends: guided e-bike tours can be booked with Safari in Miniera.