Campese mining cableway pylon collapses into sea

The last remaining pylon of the historic mining cableway in Campese, Isola del Giglio, has collapsed into the sea. The structure was one of three metal towers that once supported an aerial transport system used to move pyrite from the local mine to cargo ships.

The collapse occurred during recent bad weather in the Tuscany region. The pylon, which had been subject to long-term corrosion and deterioration, served as a prominent landmark in the gulf and a visible symbol of the island's industrial past.

Pyrite mining was a vital economic driver for Isola del Giglio before the rise of tourism, providing livelihoods for many local families. The mining operations at Campese officially concluded in 1962, leaving the remaining structures as historical remnants of the island's socio-economic history.