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Monterufoli, Pomarance, Pisa Province, Tuscany, Italyi
Regional Level Types
MonterufoliMining Area (Abandoned)
PomaranceCommune
Pisa ProvinceProvince
TuscanyRegion
ItalyCountry

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PhotosMapsSearch
08403100017272056187222.jpg
Chalcedony, etc.

Monterufoli, Pomarance, Pisa Province, Tuscany, Italy
09624080017272056181787.jpg
Magnesite

Monterufoli, Pomarance, Pisa Province, Tuscany, Italy
05755600017272056197710.jpg
Magnesite, etc.

Monterufoli, Pomarance, Pisa Province, Tuscany, Italy
08326270017272050269350.jpg
Chalcedony, etc.

Monterufoli, Pomarance, Pisa Province, Tuscany, Italy
02629990017272029167242.jpg
Magnesite

Monterufoli, Pomarance, Pisa Province, Tuscany, Italy
05755600017272056197710.jpg
Magnesite, etc.

Monterufoli, Pomarance, Pisa Province, Tuscany, Italy
08403100017272056187222.jpg
Chalcedony, etc.

Monterufoli, Pomarance, Pisa Province, Tuscany, Italy
02629990017272029167242.jpg
Magnesite

Monterufoli, Pomarance, Pisa Province, Tuscany, Italy
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
43° 14' 32'' North , 10° 45' 38'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
43.24238,10.76072
GRN:
N29E06
Type:
Mining Area (Abandoned) - last checked 2024
Köppen climate type:
Csa : Hot-summer Mediterranean climate
Mindat Locality ID:
25968
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:25968:1
GUID (UUID V4):
0
Name(s) in local language(s):
Monterufoli, Pomarance, Pisa, Toscana, Italia


The Monterufoli area is interesting for ophiolitic rocks that were involved by alteration due to hydrothermal fluids. The area is famous for chalcedony and magnesite quarries (now abandoned) that were used also in the Renaissance by the Medicis.

40km as the crow flies in the south-southwest of Volterra lies the "Riserve Naturali di Monterufoli-Caselli", from which the Medici princely dynasties had their precious stones brought.

Since 1533, this area was known for its agricultural resources such as forestry and mining. In 1846, the Maffei family of Volterra-Monterufoli owned a huge estate of over 4,000 hectares, where minerals such as copper, lead, silver, salt, alabaster, sulfur, vitriol, alum, etc. were mined. The country was also known for the magnificent chalcedony, which had been continuously supplied to the "Opificio Granducale delle Pietra Dure di Firenze" since the sixteenth century. This facility was actually previously a workshop reserved exclusively for the Medici court. It was founded in 1588 and for over four centuries brought the processing of colored and sparkling stones to an unsurpassed high level of artistic and craftsmanship. Stone pieces were sawn, ground and polished with the utmost precision in order to then assemble them into a picture like a puzzle. This is how the "Florentine mosaic" came into being, or as it is also called, a "painting made of stone", which can be admired in many museums around the world.

A report by Targioni Tozzetti about some travels in various areas of Tuscany dates from 1769. This book is in the National Library of Vienna, is from 1769 and gives good information about the locations of the time. You learn a lot about the lives of the workers, their equipment and the processing of the “hard stones”.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded from this region.


Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

13 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Rock list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Aragonite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ Bornite
Formula: Cu5FeS4
ⓘ Chalcocite
Formula: Cu2S
ⓘ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
ⓘ Chrysocolla
Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
ⓘ Dolomite
Formula: CaMg(CO3)2
ⓘ Magnesite
Formula: MgCO3
ⓘ Magnetite
Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘ Malachite
Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
ⓘ Opal
Formula: SiO2 · nH2O
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ Quartz var. Chalcedony
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ Zoisite
Formula: (CaCa)(AlAlAl)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
ⓘ Zoisite var. Thulite
Formula: {Ca2}{Al,Mn3+3}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH)

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘChalcocite2.BA.05Cu2S
ⓘBornite2.BA.15Cu5FeS4
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘMagnetite4.BB.05Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘQuartz
var. Chalcedony		4.DA.05SiO2
ⓘ4.DA.05SiO2
ⓘOpal4.DA.10SiO2 · nH2O
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘMagnesite5.AB.05MgCO3
ⓘDolomite5.AB.10CaMg(CO3)2
ⓘAragonite5.AB.15CaCO3
ⓘMalachite5.BA.10Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘZoisite
var. Thulite		9.BG.10{Ca2}{Al,Mn3+3}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH)
ⓘ9.BG.10(CaCa)(AlAlAl)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
ⓘChrysocolla9.ED.20Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Hⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Hⓘ OpalSiO2 · nH2O
Hⓘ Zoisite var. Thulite{Ca2}{Al,Mn33+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH)
Hⓘ Zoisite(CaCa)(AlAlAl)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
CCarbon
Cⓘ AragoniteCaCO3
Cⓘ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Cⓘ MagnesiteMgCO3
Cⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ AragoniteCaCO3
Oⓘ Quartz var. ChalcedonySiO2
Oⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Oⓘ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Oⓘ MagnesiteMgCO3
Oⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Oⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Oⓘ OpalSiO2 · nH2O
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ Zoisite var. Thulite{Ca2}{Al,Mn33+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH)
Oⓘ Zoisite(CaCa)(AlAlAl)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Mgⓘ MagnesiteMgCO3
AlAluminium
Alⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Alⓘ Zoisite var. Thulite{Ca2}{Al,Mn33+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH)
Alⓘ Zoisite(CaCa)(AlAlAl)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
SiSilicon
Siⓘ Quartz var. ChalcedonySiO2
Siⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Siⓘ OpalSiO2 · nH2O
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
Siⓘ Zoisite var. Thulite{Ca2}{Al,Mn33+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH)
Siⓘ Zoisite(CaCa)(AlAlAl)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
SSulfur
Sⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ ChalcociteCu2S
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
CaCalcium
Caⓘ AragoniteCaCO3
Caⓘ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Caⓘ Zoisite var. Thulite{Ca2}{Al,Mn33+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH)
Caⓘ Zoisite(CaCa)(AlAlAl)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
MnManganese
Mnⓘ Zoisite var. Thulite{Ca2}{Al,Mn33+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH)
FeIron
Feⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
CuCopper
Cuⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cuⓘ ChalcociteCu2S
Cuⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Cuⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2

Localities in this Region

Italy

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
EuropeContinent

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

De Castro C., 1915. La magnesite di Monterufoli (Comune di Monteverdi Marittimo, Pisa). Relaz. Serv. Min.: 83.
Lovari D., 1930. La magnesite in Toscana. La Min. Ital., 14: 386-387.
Castelli G., 1933. I principali giacimenti italiani di magnesite. l'Ind. Min., 7: 189-195.
Nannoni, R., Capperi, M., 1989. Miniere e minerali della Val di Cecina. Gruppo Mineralogico Cecinese. Tip. Grafiche Favillini, Livorno.
Brizzi G., Meli R. (1988) - Le pietre silicee della Fattoria di Monterufoli (PI) - Rivista Mineralogica Italiana, Milano, fasc. 3, pp. 101-110
Orlandi P., (2005). Geositi minerari e mineralogici della provincia di Pisa. In: La geologia della provincia di Pisa. Cartografia, geositi e banche dati, Provincia di Pisa, Italy, pp. 55-280.
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