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Last minute booking 2 Special offers 7 Apartaments 218 Small villas and detached houses 17 Bed & breakfast 16 Hotels 79 Villas 7 Residences 47 Farm holiday centres 14 Campsites 19 Farm holiday campsites 1
  1. Island of Elba
  2. Discovering Elba
  3. Geology of Elba
  4. Minerals
    • Eastern side
    • Western side

The minerals of the Island of Elba

Information about the minerals and the mines on the Island of Elba

The history of the Island of Elba and that of its mines are one and the same thing. As far back as the VIII century BC the Etruscans became rich and powerful exploiting the great amount of iron on the island. The smoke that came out of the furnaces the Etruscans used to melt the iron covered the entire island in a sooty cloud, and this explains why the ancient Greek sailors called Elba Aethalia (sooty).

From then onwards, generations of miners spent most of their life digging deep down under the ground just to bring enormous amounts of natural beauty and richness up to the surface. At the time it was their only source of income, today it is a a wonderful source of information, a collector's item.

Eastern side

Hematite, limonite, pyrite, ilvaite and magnetite: the minerals on the eastern side of the Island of Elba. Read more

Western side

Tourmaline, beryllium, orthoclase and quartz: the minerals on the western side of the Island of Elba. Read more

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The Calamita minesIsland of Elba Mineral Park

Further reading

The history of the mines
Plan your stay: request a free quote for your holiday
  • Sleep
  • Find accommodation
  • Request a quote
  • Hotels
  • Residences
  • Bed & Breakfast
  • Farm holidays
  • Campsites
  • Farm campsites
  • Apartments and holiday homes
  • Villas and independent houses
  • Villas
  • Luxury accommodations
  • Travel info
  • Ferries
  • How to reach the island
  • Getting around the island
  • Car and scooter rental
  • Online scooter rental
  • Taxi and car hire
  • Elba Island
  • Beaches and coasts
  • Towns and villages
  • What to see
  • Tuscan Archipelago National Park
  • Recommended itineraries
  • Webcams
  • Experiences
  • Water sports
  • Outdoor sports
  • Wine & Food Experience
  • Guided tours
  • Boat trips
  • Elba by bike
  • Events and festivals
  • Services
  • Restaurants and pizzerias
  • Tourist and real estate agencies
  • Campers and caravans
  • Beach establishments
  • Boat rental
  • Bike and e-bike rental
  • Weather
  • Useful numbers

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