The transport process was costly, slow and dangerous, and the ore-laden boats often sank in stormy seas.
In bad weather, up to two months was required to fully load a steamship in Carloforte.
Even when conditions were good, the wait was no less than seven days.
The mines' owner asked the Italian engineer Cesare Vecelli todevise a solutionto improve steamship loading time and cost.
The reservoirs, carved directly into the rock, were capable of holding over 10,000 metric tons of ore.
The ends of the tunnels facing the sea were adorned with concrete towers and decorative nameplates.
Today, Porto Flavia is a UNESCO-protected site and much visited by tourists.
Photo credit: Courtesy ASM (Archivio storico Minerario, collezione digitale)
Entrance to the Porto Flavia mine.
Photo credit:Torruzzlo/Shutterstock.com
View from Porto Flavia.
Photo credit:Giuma / Shutterstock.com
Photo credit:Marc Osborne/Shutterstock.com
