Gadoni, Funtana Raminosa Mine

The Funtana Raminosa mine, now an archeological-industrial heritage, is located in the center between the Barbagia di Belvì and that of Seulo. Known as one of the most important Italian copper deposits, it owes its importance, from a geomineral point of view, to the role it played, particularly significant, in the history of metallurgy in the Mediterranean area starting from the Eneolithic age.
Among the archaeological discoveries of great interest are some porphyry discs and a melting furnace that housed a unique copper ingot. The permits granted to the Spanish Pietro Xinto date back to 1517, who was able to start the search for excavations and cultivation to be carried out in a large area. The work of searching the subsoil was investigated in 1882 by Vincenzo Ridi: he was the first researcher who adopted modern exploration work in this mine.

Why it is important to visit it
The Funtana Raminosa mine, located on the banks of the Saraxinus stream, is waiting to be discovered because of its ancient origins. The experts who studied the mine in the early 1800's enthusiastically discovered the signs of an uninterrupted mining activity that dated back to the ancient Romans.