Iglesias, San Benedetto Mine

The mine insists on an area rich in environmental merits, where the forest vegetation is integrated with the artifacts necessary for the mining activity.
The village of San Benedetto is developed with houses located along the main road and some cross roads. Its plant dates back to the early twentieth century, after the Vieille Montagne Company had already acquired the concession of the mine in 1872, which then became public and abandoned in 1990.
The most significant buildings are the church, the school and the management building.
The church is a simple building with a gabled façade and an arched portal that is included in the sailing bell tower that overlooks it. Above, you can see the unique two-story school building with double-glazed round arched windows, which has a higher body covered with a hipped roof, in a prominent position compared to other buildings.
The simple management building stands out mainly for the entrance bezel with the monogram “VM” (Vieille Montagne) with three stars and two crossed hammers that recall mining work.
Among the structures reserved for the extraction of minerals, the iron castle of the Zinnerman kiln is worth mentioning.
The mine is part of the Geominerary, Historical and Environmental Park of Sardinia, recognized by UNESCO.

History of studies
The Iglesias mining plants are mentioned in several works on industrial archeology in Sardinia.

Bibliography
F. Masala, “Mining architecture in Sardinia between revivals and eclecticism”, in Man and Mines in Sardinia,edited by T.K. Kirova, Cagliari, Edizioni della Torre, 1993, pp. 115-126; S. Mezzolani-A. Simoncini, Sardinia to save. Mining landscapes and architecture, Nuoro, Sardo Photographic Archive, 1993, pp. 167-177;
F. Masala, “Mining settlements. Forms, architectures, problems”, in Founding Cities in Sardinia, edited by A. Lino, Cagliari, 1998, p. 40.

How to get there
The San Benedetto lead-zinc mine is located in the valley of the river of the same name, accessible by the SS 126 that leads from Iglesias to Fluminimaggiore. About 5 km from the city, there is a road that reaches the village through a series of hairpin bends.