Four projects to relaunch the mine in the post-coal era. Because, once the mining activity is over, we look at new initiatives by exploiting the infrastructures built over the years and still functioning. These are the programs that Carbosulcis, a company controlled by the regional Industry department and holder of the mining concession, intends to carry out at the Monte Sinni site in Sulcis. To support the programs and create alternative activities to coal mining, we are also looking at the possibility of playing the European funds card of the Just Transition Fund (which assigns Sulcis a dowry of 367 million euros) or those of the Pnrr.
The Air Project
One of the most advanced projects for the vertical use of the well, which goes up to 500 meters deep, is the Aria project which aims at the search for dark matter. The system works through a sort of alembic which should be used to distill the air and therefore obtain the isotopes. Another initiative, which aims to exploit the hot water that rises from the subsoil, is linked to the cultivation of Spirulina algae.
In this case, the project (funded by the Region) involved the construction, commissioning and testing of a photobioreactor for the cultivation of blue algae. No less important, and closely linked to the decarbonisation program and the energy transition process, is Energy Storage. That is, an integrated model that «captures the discontinuous energy of Renewable Energy Sources, accumulates it efficiently and supplies it to energy-intensive users».
Leaching
And there is also a prospect for the thousands of tons of coal left outside or which could be resumed to be extracted, albeit minimally. This is the leaching process, for which an international patent has been filed, for the desulphurization of medium and low-grade coal. It is a process that allows the production of fertilizers for bioagronomy. Recently, the authorization for the first 10 MW of renewable energy plant. “Surely this decision bodes well for the start of the conversion process of this unique mining structure already capable of hosting the innovative project such as that of the construction of the cryogenic tower wanted by the National Institute of Nuclear Physics for the production of stable isotopes – comments Francesco Lippi, sole director -. The Region of Sardinia, sole shareholder of Carbosulcis, is evaluating a first plan of industrial feasibility hours to verify the real possibilities of reusing the area».
Acts of the Region
Also because it will be up to the Region to decide on the basis of the strategies it intends to pursue. “The projects are there – says Gian Matteo Sabiu engineer and Rsu delegate – but unfortunately the acts that the Region must carry out to give legs to the work that has been done are still missing”.