Industrial History and Heritage of the Karaburun Mercury Mining District, Türkiye

Abstract

Mining metallic resources has been important to technological advancement since prehistoric times and has contributed to the progress of civilisation. Mining heritage includes sites and structures related to mining that reveal historical and cultural insights. The remains of structures in the mercury mining district on the Karaburun peninsula of Izmir in Türkiye, which includes the Kalecik, Karareis and Dikencik mines, is one such site. Despite its abandonment and subsequent damage, research has highlighted the importance of the district during the late Ottoman empire and the early years of the Republic as a source of cinnabar, the most common source ore for refining elementary mercury. Comparable mines elsewhere have been transformed into heritage sites and tourist attractions, such as at Monte Amiata in Italy and Idrija in Slovenia. In view of the potential, this study aimed to establish the historical and industrial significance of the Karaburun mercury mining district through detailed research and site survey to form a robust base for a holistic conservation approach. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.