Helmet firmly in place.
Discovering rocks and minerals

TEMPERINO MUSEUM (ARCHAEOLOGY AND MINERALS MUSEUM)

Time: 20 minutes

Located in the Archaeological Mines Park of San Silvestro, in a building dating back to the early 20th century that housed the steam engines used to generate power for the mines, the Archaeology and Minerals Museum is the natural starting point of the tour of the mine and the medieval village of Rocca San Silvestro.

In the geology section, the formation of the mineral deposits at Campiglia is explained and there are exhibits of some of the most interesting and particular minerals;
In the section dedicated to Rocca San Silvestro, the history of the medieval village is reconstructed and the finds discovered during the archaeological digs are on display: everyday objects, work tools and copper and silver coins…

TEMPERINO MINE

Time: 40 minutes

A must for visitors to the Archaeological Mines Park of San Silvestro.

Before entering the mine, there is an space with panels and photographs illustrating the evolution of mining technology at Campiglia, in Val di Cornia, from Etruscan times to today.

With a miner’s helmet firmly in place, your exploration of the Temperino Mine can begin, discovering the rocks and minerals of the metalliferous deposits at Campiglia.

Traces of the miners’ work can be seen everywhere, reminders of the hardships and dangers of their craft.

360 metres long, the tunnel was started by a French mining company in the mid 19th century, reaching the Etruscans’ mines whose entrances can still be seen on the surface. Along the route, completed in the 1860s, you can see both the ancient and modern mining techniques as well as the most interesting metalliferous rocks and minerals in the various historical periods.

What you need to know before the tour: the temperature inside the mine is 14°C so it is important to bring a long-sleeved sweater or jacket with you, above all in summer.