The redevelopment of abandoned underground mines to mining museum and hypogeum walkway: a case from Gambatesa Mine, Aveto Natural Park (Italy)

The redevelopment project devoted to the underground mining museum of the Gambatesa mine is described in this research. The manganese mine is located in the Upper Graveglia valley (Aveto Natural Park, Italy) and represents a significative example of Mn-ore exploitation from metacherts of the Jurassic ophiolitic sequences. Ligurian Mn-deposits in Upper Graveglia valley and surroundings represented the European largest mining district for the manganese exploitation. Today the Mining Museum includes a visitor center with educational facilities, underground paths, outdoor tracks and mineral and rock collections. The first phase of the mine redevelopment project was devoted to security issues of particular interest in mining engineering and underground works: an highly specialized workplace mining into an underground museum site accessible to the general public has to adapt for cultural, economic and scientific values.