Re-mining Punta Corna. A Laboratory on the Local Impacts of the Critical Raw Materials Act in the Alpine Region

Abstract

The transition to a clean energy economy requires securing critical minerals—such as nickel, copper, and cobalt—vital for low-carbon technologies. The EU Critical Raw Materials Act (2023) promotes domestic sourcing to reduce reliance on external suppliers. Our investigation explores the environmental and socio-economic impacts of renewed extraction in Europe, focusing on Italy, which holds 16 of the 34 listed materials but has seen no active metal mining since the 1970s. Using Punta Corna, a former cobalt mine in the Alps, as a case study, we analyze tensions between extractivist strategies and local economies based on tourism. Through cartographic analysis, we contrast industrial development with protective territorial approaches, raising questions on sustainability, peripheralization, and governance. The findings illuminate broader trade-offs in implementing green transitions within contested Alpine landscapes.