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

The transition to a clean energy economy requires securing critical minerals such as nickel, copper, and cobalt, which are essential for low-carbon technologies. The European Critical Raw Materials Act (2023) seeks to strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy by promoting domestic sourcing of these materials. This paper examines the environmental and socio-economic implications of renewed extractive activities in Europe, focusing on Alpine regions. In particular, it analyses the Italian context, where the government is considering reopening former mining sites despite the absence of active metal mining since the 1970s. Through the case study of Punta Corna—once Europe’s largest cobalt mine—the research explores the tensions between extractivist development strategies linked to the energy transition and local economies increasingly oriented toward tourism and territorial patrimonialization. The paper highlights the conflicts between competing development paradigms and contributes to ongoing debates on sustainable resource governance and the territorial implications of the ecological transition.