A sustainable integration of mining activity in a tourist mountain territory: The case of GermanascaValley

• Published in: Resources policy Vol. 98
• Main Authors: Casale, Marco, Gambino, Francesca, Borghi, Alessandro, Beltramo, Riccardo, Vesce, Enrica, Varì, Cristina, Giardino, Marco, Dino, Giovanna Antonella
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2024
• Subjects: Geotourism; Industrial tourism; Mining tourism; Post-mining; Sustainable mining; Talc; Talc; Post-mining; Sustainable mining; Industrial tourism; Geotourism; Mining tourism
• ISSN: 0301-4207
• DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2024.105312

Every mining activity shows a footprint on the territory. The signs left by mining operations are physical, such as tunnels, extractive waste facilities, dressing plants, but also economic and social, due to job placement, income and knowledge connected to mining activity sensu lato. In the extraordinary context of the Germanasca Valley, mining has coexisted for hundreds of years with the mountain environment of the Alps and with the local population, and has become a fundamental part of local development, intimately connected with the territory and the local economic and social fabrics. The progressive migration of mining crops at lower altitudes has left behind old mining structures that here, more than elsewhere, guaranteed new forms of industrial and geo-tourism. Similarly, the technological advance and the evolution of mining production, towards a higher quality product, with a consequent reduction in the quantities exploited, led over time to a progressive reduction in the number of employed miners. The resilience of the local population, however, balanced the contraction of work in the mine, transforming former miners in tourist guides and increasing the induced activities, passing from the previous “in house” model to an “outsourcing” model, characterized by external management of mine-related activities. The transformation of old mines into museums has certainly contributed to the development of the area, particularly considering a slow tourism that shows scarce attitude to a “fast and junk” tourism. The challenge is to understand if and how geotourism influence, in specific mining areas (such as Germanasca Valley), the attractiveness of a place. [Display omitted] •Mining activities in the Germanasca Valley leave various footprints, including physical structures like tunnels and waste facilities, as well as economic and social impacts such as job creation and local knowledge.•Despite the historical presence of mining in the Alps, shifts in mining locations have resulted in abandoned structures, which have now become sites for industrial and geo-tourism.•Technological advancements in mining have led to higher quality production but reduced employment opportunities over time, prompting a shift from “in house” to “outsourcing” models of mine-related activities.•Former miners have transitioned into roles such as tourist guides, and increased induced activities have helped balance the decline in mining employment.•The conversion of old mines into museums has contributed to the area's development, catering to a slow tourism model that contrasts with “fast and junk” tourism trends, posing the question of how geotourism impacts the attractiveness of specific mining regions like the Germanasca Valley.