
Miniera e laveria di Su Zurfuru
A story that spans over two centuries
The Su Zurfuru Mine and Washery are located in the municipality of Fluminimaggiore, along the SS 126.
The mine has a history that extends over two centuries. The first mining activities in the area date back to the 18th century, but it was in the 20th century that the mine experienced its maximum development, thanks to the interest of various mining companies, both local and international, attracted by the richness of the lead and zinc deposits. These metals were essential for European industries, in particular for the production of alloys and the manufacture of metal products. The mine extended over a vast territory, with a complex network of underground tunnels and surface structures. Extraction took place mainly in depth, using advanced techniques for the time. The minerals, once extracted, were transported to the washery, a plant where the first processing of the materials was carried out.
The one in Su Zurfuru was equipped with machinery for crushing rocks, followed by gravity separation and flotation processes, an innovative technique that allowed obtaining highly pure mineral concentrates.
From a technical point of view, the operation of the washery was organized in successive phases: initially, the extracted material was reduced in size by crushers; subsequently, it passed through sieves and classifiers to separate the particles according to their size. The most sophisticated phase was flotation, introduced at the beginning of the 20th century, which exploited the different affinity of minerals for water and air, allowing the separation of metal particles from waste particles. The complexity of the operation required a large number of workers, engineers and specialized technicians, who lived in a village built around the mine.
This village included both housing and public facilities such as schools, shops and meeting places.
Today, Su Zurfuru hosts a museum: located inside the historic buildings, it offers an exhibition route that tells the story of the mine, illustrating the techniques of extraction and processing of minerals through original equipment and information panels. Visitors can explore the original environments of the washery, observe the machinery used and understand the functioning of an industrial complex that played a crucial role in the Sardinian economy.
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