VIVA - New Active Tourism Itineraries in Villanova

There are two old kaolin mines in the Bonuighinu area, located around the hill of Pedra 'e Multa (447 m above sea level), and both are within approximately 500 m from the Shrine: the first is located on the southern slope, in Cuguruntis, under the ruins of the nuraghe with the same name at 332 metres above sea level; the second is located on the northern slope, on the ridge opposite Planu Giuale (420 m above sea level).

Of these mines, characterised by white-pink rocks, there is almost no trace since they are almost entirely abandoned. The kaolin of excellent quality was extracted here and entirely exported for the production of fine ceramics.

The largest mine is located 1.5 km north-east from the church, in the evocative setting of Sa Rocca Manna (397 m above sea level), surrounded by the scrub and the forests of cork oaks, holm oaks, downy oaks, hackberry trees and olive trees: it is the Locchera mine, about 25 hectares wide, mainly active between 1960 and 1970, in the valley carved by Rio Locchera and Rio Sos Istrampos, dominated by the complex nuraghe of Mandra sas Ebbas or Idighinzos (491 m above sea level) on the border between Giave and Cossoine.

Not far to the west is the cave of Sa Rocca Manna, a large cave used for housing livestock which is located at the base of a volcanic riodacite monolith, about 30 m high, on the highest part of the kaolin mine.