Italy has initiated a National Mineral Exploration Program aimed at rejuvenating the sector; the last national investment in mineral exploration was almost 30 years ago. During the twentieth century, mining in Italy focused on metalliferous minerals (iron, lead, zinc, and others) in the Alpine region, lignite (a form of fossil coal) in central Italy, and sulfur in Sicily, occasionally using child labor. Industrially valuable minerals were also extracted, particularly those used in ceramics, where Italy remains a major manufacturer and continental leader. However, mineral resources such as lithium, rare earths, and cobalt, which have recently gained new worth and economic attention, have mostly gone unexploited. The goal now is to compensate for this shortfall. Exploration surveys include geological, geochemical, and geophysical surveys, as well as the use of aerial sensors and remote sensing image analysis. Advanced technology and artificial intelligence software will also be used to process and integrate the collected data.