Gruppo Mineralogico Romano

"IL CERCAPIETRE" N. 1 - 2 | 2008

| THE MINERALS IN CAMPOMORTO QUARRY IN THE PIETRA MASSA LOCALITY, MONTALTO DI CASTRO, VITERBO, ITALY.

The Campomorto quarry, in the Pietra Massa locality near Montalto di Castro in the province of Viterbo, mines a lava flow formed by nephelinic phonolite related to a fissured peripheral activity of the Volsino Volcanic Complex. The fame of this site among the studious, researchers and mineral collectors, depends on the discovery of rare or very rare minerals (afwillite, ettringite, hydrocalumite, jennite and strätlingite) or even or new species (katoite, vertumnite).

After a synthetic geological and topographical picture, the Authors provide the description, with numerous photos, of minerals up till now found in the lava flow's bubbling and termo metamorphosis discovered included in the flow.

Edgardo Signoretti
Domenico Preite
Enrico Bonacina
Italo Campostrini
Luigi Mattei
Roberto Pucci

| DISCOVERY OF TOPAZ IN ANGUILLARA, ROME, ITALY.

The Authors describe the discovery (probably the first in Latium) of topaz. - Al₂SiO₄(F,OH)₂– as submillimetric whitish prismatic crystals near Anguillara, Rome. The topaz has been discovered in a very vesiculated dark grey scoriaceous ejecta in the Pizzo Prato pyroclastic flow unit. The identification of minerals was obtained by SEM-EDS qualitative analysis and X-ray powder diffraction.

Luigi Mattei
Roberto Pucci

| ON THE“TRACKS” OF SARDINIAN AMETHYSY QUARTZ– “HALFSERIOUS” DESCRIPTION OF AN EXPEDITION TO OSILO AND NEIGHBOURHOOD.

The Authors describe, half seriously, the results of a mineralogical research made near Osilo, in the province of Sassari , in the Capurru and Crastu Muraddu quarries. There is a thorough analysis and description of both quarries and of remarkable specimens of amethyst quartz found, of which photographic documentation testify the special intensity of colour.

Sandro Ianniello
Stefano Perini
Maurizio Travaglini

• BIACHELLAITE, NEW MINERAL OF THE CANCRINITE GROUP FROM THE SABATINO VOLCANIC COMPLEX.

There is the news of the discovery of biachellaite – (Na,Ca,K)₈(Si₆Al₆O₂₄)(SO₄)₂(OH)_0,5·H₂O – a new mineral species of the cancrinite group (approval IMA 2007-044).

Note by
Roberto Pucci

• DISCOVERY OF PERICLASE ON THE "COLLI ALBANI", LATIUM, ITALY

The occurrence of periclase (MgO) is described, unusually in small octahedral crystals with a , in an honey colour carbonatic ejecta found in the phreato-magmatic formation of Albano. Periclase is associated with artinite.

Note by
Roberto Pucci

• DISCOVERY OF CELESTINE ON THE "COLLI ALBANI", LATIUM, ITALY

In a carbonatic rock ejecta found in the peperino of Albano, with the appearance and consistency tipic of marble, sub millimetrical prismatic hyaline crystals are seen, which, subjected to qualitative analysis by SEM-EDS, have given results compatible with celestine (SrSO₄).

Note by
Roberto Pucci