Abandoned mines turned into tourist attractions
A total of 93 abandoned mines in Lishui, Zhejiang province have been transformed into popular tourist attractions in recent years, promoting the high-quality development of the cultural and tourism industry.
As a significant mineral construction base, Lishui is home to a large number of mines which have been abandoned since the 1990s. To make use of these unused resources, the city has been committed to the restoration and innovative utilization of mine lots.
Jinyun county, renowned for its tuff reserves, boasts over 3,000 quarries of various shapes and sizes. The 300th anniversary celebration of the renowned French brand Rémy Martin was recently held in stone caves in the Xiandu scenic spot in Jinyun, during which participants enjoyed a grand banquet integrating nature and culture.
Since 2021, Architect Xu Tiantian's team has utilized quarry relics to create series of tourism products themed "24-Hour Tour of the Millennium Stone Caves", transforming abandoned sites into popular libraries, theaters, and exhibition halls.
The Nayun resort in Jingning She autonomous county was once a dilapidated iron mining area before becoming a lively tourist site. The tailings pond has been turned into a solarium and a 150-meter-long swimming pool, while the abandoned mines into guest rooms, concert halls, and a museum. At present, it has received more than 300,000 visits.
Furthermore, Suichang county has transformed its abandoned gold mines into a theme park, featuring over 20 scenic spots such as mining heritage displays, an ecological leisure area, and an experience area for the modern gold industry.
In the park, abandoned factories, workshops, and office buildings have been repurposed into a visitor center, a transfer center, a gold museum, and accommodations, with a daily capacity of 15,000 visits.