During the Stati Generali of the Cammino Minerario di Santa Barbara, held on May 15th, 2026, at Pozzo Sella, within the historic Monteponi mining complex in Iglesias, a special session entitled “MINES.B: The European Federation of Santa Barbara Mining Routes” was dedicated to the role of the European network in promoting mining heritage and to the ongoing process towards the candidacy of the European Mining Route as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe.
The session featured Tomaž Bizjak, Vice-President of the MINES.B Federation and representative of the Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Centre in Idrija (Slovenia), Luca Bruschi, Director of the European Association of Francigena Ways, and Margherita Concu, Project Coordinator of the MINES.B Federation and representative of the CMSB Foundation.
Several topics were addressed during the discussion, including the origins and growth of the Federation, the development of the European network of mining routes, and the involvement of institutional members, universities, and the Scientific Committee within the framework of international cooperation.
Particular attention was also given to the experience of the Via Francigena as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, exploring the opportunities that this recognition can offer to a European cultural network such as MINES.B in terms of territorial development, community engagement, and the promotion of cultural heritage.
The discussion also focused on the concrete projects developed within the member territories of the Federation, the joint activities organized over the years — including photo exhibitions, publications, and international events such as the European Mining Routes Day — as well as the importance of European cooperation in promoting mining heritage.
The session concluded with the screening of the trailer for the MINES.B documentary “Voices from the mine“, dedicated to the stories, memories, and identities of Europe’s mining communities.
