The mine tells a story of progress and sacrifice since its documented activation in 1839 by the D’Oro and Curcuruto families, who made it one of the largest sulphur mines in the area. Its imposing external structures—the extraction shaft, the calcaroni furnaces, and the Gill kilns, today silent guardians of ancient toil—offer visitors a tangible impression of the 19th-century industrial revolution and the sulphur processing techniques, at the time a strategic resource for both local and national economy.
Among the most dramatic events, the tragedy of 6 June 1882 remains infamous: when the raising of the metal cable ignited sulphur dust, a sudden wave of sulphur dioxide was pushed into the gallery, instantly killing thirteen miners and injuring dozens of workers. This deeply scarred the collective memory, and only in 2022 was a commemorative plaque placed at the Cemetery of the Carusi to honor the victims.
Extraction continued until the mid-20th century, with concessions still active in the 1960s, leaving behind deposits of sulphur, gypsum, and calcite—testimony to Sicily’s rich subsoil. Today the site, accessible via cycle and walking routes or guided tours, lends itself to an evocative industrial archaeology itinerary, where Mediterranean vegetation embraces the ruins and invites reflection on the harsh life of the carusi and the resilience of mining communities, in a landscape that unites nature, history, and popular culture.