Amiantifera di Balangero (1918)

Established in 1918 through the formation of the ‘Società Anonima Cave di San Vittore’, the Amiantifera di Balangero was a monumental mining operation located in the Lanzo Valleys, Piedmont. For decades, it stood as the largest open-pit asbestos mine in Europe, and one of the largest globally. The site extracted chrysotile (white asbestos), a mineral highly valued during the 20th century for its heat resistance and tensile strength, used extensively in construction, automotive parts, and textiles. At its peak, the mine employed hundreds of local workers and fundamentally altered the landscape of the Corio and Balangero municipalities, creating a massive terraced crater and towering waste dumps.

The history of the Amiantifera di Balangero is not merely one of industrial scale, but also a stark environmental and public health chronicle. As the severe health hazards associated with asbestos inhalation—primarily asbestosis and mesothelioma—became scientifically undeniable in the late 20th century, the mine faced increasing scrutiny. Operations finally ceased in 1990, leaving behind a profound ecological legacy. Today, the vast, silent terraces of Balangero stand as a powerful monument of industrial archaeology, serving as a critical reminder of the complex and often devastating human and environmental costs of 20th-century industrial extraction.

Visiting the Site: Street View & Modern Geography