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Among the paramount resources of the island of Elba lie its mineral deposits, ranging from copper to ferrous hematite, which have historically played an integral role in Mediterranean transmarine commerce. Notably, the discovery of iron propelled Elba into a position of paramount importance for iron extraction and processing, shaping not only its own history but also that of the multifaceted landscape surrounding Portoferraio harbour, over a period spanning from antiquity to the modern and contemporary eras. The inception of the Aithale project, whose history is briefly explained here, stemmed from the imperative to comprehensively study the ancient metallurgical practices, particularly during the Roman period, within the San Giovanni plain — from its acme to depletion (§ 2.1). In pursuit of understanding these extraction structures, preliminary geomagnetic prospecting was conducted. This preliminary investigation identified a complex of buildings characterized by various circular anomalies, suggesting the presence of Etruscan and Roman iron smelting furnaces (§ 2.2).
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