Abstract 2018
Rivista Mineralogica Italiana > Abstract Articoli
Abstract ITALIAN MINERALOGICAL MAGAZINE nr. 1-2018 | |||||||||
MINERALS OF LIGURIAN RODINGITES  | This work provides an updated and compre- hensive picture, though not exhaustive, of some significant mineralogical findings in the Alpine and Apennine rodingites of Liguria dur- ing the last fifty years. In addition, to a renewed photographic documentation of “classic” samples of garnet, vesuvianite, titanite, etc., this article presents a systematic description of the mineralogical species found in Ligurian rodin- gites so far. The main localities that have provided samples of aesthetic value or scientific interest are also described, from the most famous to the lesser known. The historical and modern literature on Ligurian rodingites, both geological and mineralogical, is finally revisited to high- light the knowledge acquired so far and the questions still open on the genesis of the mineralogical associations of these rocks. | ||||||||
Abstract ITALIAN MINERALOGICAL MAGAZINE nr. 2-2018 | |||||||||
TINGHERLA MINE – UPDATE OF A CLASSIC MINERALOGICAL LOCALITY FROM TRENTINO  | Tingherla mine, located on the east side of Pergine Valsugana, on the left of the Fersina Val- ley (or Mòcheni Valley), belongs to a series of mines located in the “Alta Valsugana - Valle del Fersina” miningi district. These mines exploited hydrothermal veins whose origin is likely related to the occurrence of an early Permian intrusive magmatism. Tingherla mine is well known for the beautiful samples of fluorite, quartz, malachite and auricalcite found mainly during the exploita- tion of the mine (1958-1962). Today, it represents a source of nice specimens of secondary Cu-Pb-Zn minerals. The aim of this paper is to summarize the historical and mining knowledge on this mine besides being a rich update of the mineral- ogical species here found. Among more than 60 described minerals stand out some interesting news like annabergite, arthurite, chalcophanite, delafossite, dundasite, lavendulan, namuwite, ramsbeckite, schulenbergite, woodruffite and zavaritskite, in addition to a set of sulfosalts still unidentified. | ||||||||
PENTLANDITE - THE CRYSTALIZED SAMPLES OF NIBBIAIA, LIVORNO  | Prismatic to acicular crystals of pentlandite, closely associated with violarite, up to 0,5 mm in length, deeply striated and silvery-grey in color, have been found in quartz-calcite veinlets embedded in a chlorite rich ophiolitic breccia near the small town of Nibbiaia, Lenghorn, Tuscany. To the authors’ knowledge, this could be one of the most interesting finding of well crystallized pentlandite world-wide | ||||||||
BREISLAKITE (VONSENITE) HISTORY OF A NEW MINERAL NEVER APPROVED  | The name “breislakite” has been reported in the mineralogical literature since long time and it has been used as synonym of the accepted mineral name vonsenite. Indeed, notwithstanding the priority of “breislakite”, some shortcomings in its original characterization allowed the description and acceptance of the term vonsenite to describe this iron borate | ||||||||
FERSMITE FROM BAVENO: A CURIOUS UPDATE  | This article describes a sample of fersmite in micrometric prismatic crystals, with a lanceolate appearance of cream, brownish-brown color. A peculiar feature is the presence of a darker core, a sort of “ghost” inside the lanceolate crystals, clearly visible with the use of a magnifying lens | ||||||||
Abstract ITALIAN MINERALOGICAL MAGAZINE nr. 3-2018 | |||||||||
TREASURES HIDDEN WITHIN COLLECTIONS. LIVINGSTONITE AMONG CARRARA MARBLE MINERALS OF FRANCESCO BEDOGNÉ  | Francesco Bedogné was a renowned mineral col- lector from Sondrio, Northern Italy. He was well known among collectors for his legendary 'demantoids drawer’, even though his mineralogical collection was made of hundreds of high quality specimens, coming from both his beloved valleys and numerous worldwide localities. As a con- noisseur, Francesco also had a selection of Car- rara classics (41 specimens), which were recently reviewed as a whole using modern analytical techniques: scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The analyses led to the first identification of livingstonite on a specimen from the Carbonera quarry (Fantiscritti basin, Carrara). This is the first Italian occurrence for this rare Hg sulfosalt. The specimen was kept in the Bedogné collection with the wrong label “stibnite”. | ||||||||
SPHEROIDAL ANATASE FROM MOUNT CERVANDONE  | Spheroidal aggregates of anatase, smaller than one millimeter in size, are brown-yellow in color, with orange-yellow hues. On the samples the spheres are quite common and line all the minerals they are associated with. They are made up of a dense aggregate of radiated crystals which, in section, branch off from the base and widen to form the spherical aggregate. Single crystals, when distinguishable, have a tetragonal pris- matic habit and a flat, pinacoidal termination. | ||||||||
NEW ITALIAN MINERALS. APPROVALS 2017 | Eleven new mineral species having an Italian type or cotype locality were approved in 2017. Five new mineral species were first found in Piedmont (rüdlingerite, plumbopharmacosiderite, piccoliite, manganiakasakaite-(La), and marchettiite) and two from Eastern Liguria (ar- senmedaite and ramazzoite). Clino-suenoite, from Lombardy, is a new ad- dition to the amphibole supergroup, whereas tiberiobardiite is the first new mineral species described from the ophiolite hosted ore deposits from Tuscany. Finally, verneite was found in the Somma-Vesuvius volcanic complex and rubinite is a new member of the garnet super- group from the Vigarano meteorite. | ||||||||
HOPPER AND SCEPTER QUARTZ. THE FINDS OF THE D’AVETO VALLEY, IN THE EASTERN LIGURIA  | Various findings made at dif- ferent times and the analogies between these specimens and those from the Western Liguria led us to the preparation of this note. In particular, an area of the Eastern Liguria provided excellent samples of quartz both in the hopper and in the scepter habitus. The classic and probably best known location among the re- searchers is Mount Oramara, in Vicosoprano (Rezzoaglio), but various findings have also been made in other localities such as the old quarries of Vage, Monte di Mezzo and near Villanoce. | ||||||||
“SIMETITE”, THE RARE AMBER OF SICILY  | Sicilian amber, known as “simetite”, is a rare and precious gemstone, that has been actively sought for millennia and described by several scientists in their papers. The actual occurrence of “simetite” has not been located yet. It is probably located in inner Sicily, since the Imera, Dittaino, Salso, and Simeto rivers transport it to the sea after heavy rains. In this case, “simetite” can be found within beach deposits, as in the famous Costa dell’Ambra in Pachino. Recently, new significant findings of “simetite” have became increasingly difficult, owing to changes in river beds and the scarcity of rainfalls, affecting the transport of “simetite” to the beaches. | ||||||||
THE NEFRITE JADE OF THE MALENCO VALLEY (SONDRIO)  | Alpe Mastabia, in Val Malenco, Sondrio, northern Italy, rep- resents a source of nephrite jade. The material, generally light green in colour, consists mainly of tremolite amphibole, with variable amounts of other constituents, especially calcite (up to approximately 30%), apatite, diopside and sulfide minerals (molybdenite and galena). These minerals can cause significant variations in the colour of the jade. On the basis of chemical composition, we can classify this jade as dolomite related nephrite or paranephrite. | ||||||||
DESCLOIZITE - THE EXCEPTIONAL DISCOVERY OF SALVATORE ANGELO PINNA  | In 1967, Salvatore Angelo Pinna graduated in geological sciences at Parma, soon he started the profession of mining pros- pector between South Africa and Namibia where he carried out an exceptional finding of desclozite, at Berg Aukas, from which we publish some fragments collected in his diary. | ||||||||
Abstract ITALIAN MINERALOGICAL MAGAZINE nr. 4-2018 | |||||||||
THE “CRYSTAL MINE” SEGNARA VALLEY ANZASCA VALLEY (VERBANO-CUSIO-OSSOLA)  | Old gold prospects are located in the higher part of the Seg- nara Valley, Anzasca Valley, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont, Italy. These prospects are known as “Crystal mine”, owing to the occurrence of well crystallized quartz specimens found during the ex- ploitation of the ore deposit. Recently, the collecting activity of local mineral collectors allowed the finding of beautiful quartz samples, often associated with limonite after siderite. | ||||||||
CORALLOID ARAGONITE. RECENT FINDS AT THE SAN CARLO MINE, PELORITANI MOUNTAINS (NORTHEASTERN SICILY)  | In the ancient mine of San Carlo, located in the municipality of Fiumedinisi, in the Peloritani Mountains, the exploration of some narrow tunnels, has led to the recent discovery of beautiful samples of coralloid aragonite (variety flos ferri). Beautiful specimens of white or blue color, comparable to those found in the past, were collected in the last two years. | ||||||||
THE MANGANESE ORE DEPOSIT OF THE ERLA MINE (BASELGA DI PINÉ, TN) THE MINERALS AND THE MINING SITE  | The Erla Mine, a small mining site located near Faida (Baselga di Piné, TN, N-Italy), represents the unique manganese ore deposit in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. The mine, definitively closed in 1943, was developed along a vein of pyrolusite and manganese silicates (johannsenite and rhodonite) with traces of sulfides (mainly sphalerite and galena) inside the volcanites of the Gruppo Vulcanico Atesino (Lower Permian). This paper describes the mining site, its history, and the mineralogical species that we have found here (about 30); the most interesting are silver minerals like achantite and native silver, and some news for the Trentino-Alto Adige region like bustamite, johannsenite and kutnohorite. | ||||||||
DEVEROITE-(Ce) A NEW RARE EARTHS OXALATE FROM MOUNT CERVANDONE, DEVERO VALLEY  | This note describes deveroite-(Ce), named in rec- ognition of Devero valley and Devero Natural Park. It is the seventh new type mineral found between Italian and Swiss slopes of Mount Cervandone. Deveroite-(Ce) forms groups of beautiful crystals and small aggregates of colorless, elongated prisms, usually on rosettes of cervandonite-(Ce). The crystals of deveroite-(Ce) have dimensions ranging between 100 and 300 microns. | ||||||||
WHAT “ELEMENTS”! MUNICH SHOW 2018  | The topic of the special exhibit of the 2018 Mineralientage was “Elements”. This title may be misleading, since one could expect to see a collection of native elements. On the contrary, elements are revisited through their most beautiful minerals. Indeed, the special exhibit was represented by a selection of minerals containing the main chemical elements of the well- known Periodic Tables of the Elements of the Russian Dmitrij Ivanovich Mendeleev. | ||||||||
MINERALS FROM THE GRASTA MINE, SPECIAL EXHIBIT AT THE 49TH EDITION OF BOLOGNA MINERAL SHOW  | This year the 49th edition of “Bologna Mineral Show” pre- sented some excellent thematic exhibitions which gave particular relevance to the show. The most important exhibition was dedicated to the sulfur mine named “La Grasta” in the province of Caltanisetta, Sicily. Mineral specimens, maps, mining tools, belonging to the Corrado Ferrito collection, among the main mineral collectors of Sicilian sulfur mines, were displayed inside thematic showcases. | ||||||||
PREHNITE FROM MONTE PORRO (MS)  | The occurrence of prehnite from Monte Porro quarry, Aulla, is here reported. Prehnite forms hemispherica aggregates of tabular crystals, with vitreous luster and a light green color. Other minerals collected in this locality are calcite, “chlorite”,epidote, pumpellyite and quartz. | ||||||||
ALPEITE AND AN UPDATE ON THE MINERALS OF MONTE ALPE MINE (LA SPEZIA AND GENOA)  | More accurate mineralogical investigations carried out in the area of Monte Alpe, one of the stopes of the Tre Monti mine, allowed the identification of several mineral species, highlighting the similarity with the nearby deposits of the Graveglia Vlley and leading to the discovery of a new mineral species, alpeite. | ||||||||
CLAUDIO ALBERTINI | |||||||||