In master’s thesis, I examined 18 cases of post-mining heritage in Slovenia in terms of their characteristics, location, and management. These cases are located within 15 Local Action Groups (LAGs), where I conducted interviews and fieldwork. The contribution of LAGs to rural post-mining identity is uneven ‒ more evident in areas with a strong mining memory and active associations, and weaker where heritage is neglected or degraded. We find that LAGs recognize post-mining heritage as a tourism potential but develop it only partially, occasionally, or on a limited scale, depending on several factors. Out of the 15 studied LAGs in Slovenia, four assign great importance to mining heritage, as evident in the Local Development Strategies 2021–2027 and in tourism products linked to mining traditions. Where LAGs are directly connected with post-mining heritage, they successfully lead projects that bring together various stakeholders and deliver sustainable outcomes. The importance attached to mining heritage also depends on the historical development of the area and the interest of LAGs in integrating such initiatives into development projects, with stronger recognition usually linked to greater tourism use. LAGs acknowledge this potential mainly from the perspective of cultural tourism, with projects typically arising from local initiatives. For greater visibility and coherence of post-mining heritage areas, we propose a joint tourism product: the Post-Mining Heritage Trail of Slovenia.
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