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Montecatini Mine, Montecatini Val di Cecina, Pisa Province, Tuscany, Italyi
Regional Level Types
Montecatini MineMine (Tourist Attraction)
Montecatini Val di CecinaCommune
Pisa ProvinceProvince
TuscanyRegion
ItalyCountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
43° 23' 29'' North , 10° 44' 18'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Mine (Tourist Attraction) - last checked 2024
Deposit first discovered:
1466
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Montecatini Val di Cecina492 (2014)0.9km
Orciatico211 (2014)5.0km
Ponteginori464 (2014)6.3km
Saline1,143 (2014)6.9km
Il Cipresso101 (2014)8.8km
Mindat Locality ID:
29760
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:29760:9
GUID (UUID V4):
0
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Caporciano Mine; San Demetrio Mine
Other Languages:
Italian:
Miniera di Montecatini (Miniera di Caporciano), Montecatini Val di Cecina, Provincia di Pisa, Toscana, Italia


This is a very old and very important copper mine within an ophiolitic formation where basaltic rocks with altered and mineralised gabbros are covered and surrounded by sedimentary formations.

This is surely one of the most ancient mines of Italy and certainly was used by the Etruscans since the 10th century B.C.

The mines are opened near the village of Montecatini Val di Cecina (about 1 km to the west) on the west side of Monte di Caporciano (which gave the synonym name for a reddish laumontite found there and called "caporcianite").

In these mineralised gabbro levels there were nodules of copper minerals; the ore body mainly consisted of chalcopyrite with bornite, chalcocite and minor copper, but many zeolites were also found.

Modern activity started about 1830 and ended in the early years of 1900 (1907?), producing 30,000 tonnes of copper.

The most recent geophysical prospections were made in the 1950s to evaluate the amount of remaining mineralised area, but no more work was done.

The last research work with a reprise of excavations was made in some lateral tunnels in 1950, 1955, 1957 and 1959, but the results were not good, and in 1963 the mine was definitively abandoned.

According to the English Wikipedia page, there is also an old copper mine located between the two old villages of Casaglia and Gello.

The MVC [Montecatini Val di Cecina] deposit is hosted in a 2 km wide and 200 m thick lens of basalt, tectonically embedded in Cretaceous shales (Palombini shale formation). Despite the strong disruption of the stratigraphy of the oceanic sequence, few relics of the original sedimentary cover (Jurassic radiolarite) are preserved at the top of the basalt, in the southern part of the outcrop. Thanks to the mining activity, we know that the bottom of the basalt lens is lined by several pluri-decametric lenses of serpentinite and gabbro. Larger, kilometric bodies of serpentinite and gabbro crop out one kilometre to the west of the MVC basalts. The basalt relics occurring on top of these serpentinite-gabbro outcrops (La Cavina) suggest that they could represent the original oceanic basement of the MVC basalt lens.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.


Mineral List


44 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded


Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ 'Amphibole Supergroup'
Formula: AB2C5(T8O22)W2
ⓘ Analcime
Formula: Na(AlSi2O6) · H2O
ⓘ Andradite
Formula: Ca3Fe3+2(SiO4)3
✪ Anilite
Formula: Cu7S4
ⓘ Aragonite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ Aurichalcite
Formula: (Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
ⓘ Azurite
Formula: Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
✪ Betekhtinite
Formula: Pb2(Cu,Fe)22-24S15
ⓘ Bornite
Formula: Cu5FeS4
References:
ⓘ Brochantite
Formula: Cu4(SO4)(OH)6
ⓘ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ Chalcocite
Formula: Cu2S
ⓘ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
ⓘ 'Chlorite Group'
ⓘ Chrysocolla
Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
ⓘ Clausthalite
Formula: PbSe
ⓘ Clinochlore
Formula: Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
ⓘ Clinochlore var. Pennine
Formula: Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
ⓘ Covellite
Formula: CuS
ⓘ Cuprite
Formula: Cu2O
ⓘ Datolite
Formula: CaB(SiO4)(OH)
ⓘ 'Diallage'
ⓘ Digenite
Formula: Cu9S5
ⓘ Diopside
Formula: CaMgSi2O6
ⓘ Djurleite
Formula: Cu31S16
ⓘ Galena
Formula: PbS
ⓘ Hematite
Formula: Fe2O3
ⓘ Hemimorphite ?
Formula: Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
ⓘ Hessite
Formula: Ag2Te
ⓘ Langite
Formula: Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 · 2H2O
ⓘ Laumontite
Formula: CaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
ⓘ Laumontite var. Caporcianite
Formula: CaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
ⓘ Linarite
Formula: PbCu(SO4)(OH)2
ⓘ Magnetite
Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘ Malachite
Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
ⓘ Marcasite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Native Copper
Formula: Cu
ⓘ Native Gold
Formula: Au
ⓘ Native Gold var. Electrum
Formula: (Au,Ag)
ⓘ Native Tellurium
Formula: Te
ⓘ Natrolite
Formula: Na2Al2Si3O10 · 2H2O
ⓘ Posnjakite
Formula: Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 · H2O
ⓘ Prehnite
Formula: Ca2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ Quartz var. Agate
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ 'Saussurite'
ⓘ Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
ⓘ Talc
Formula: Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
ⓘ Talc var. Steatite
Formula: Mg3(Si4O10)(OH)2
ⓘ Tenorite
Formula: CuO
ⓘ Thomsonite-Ca
Formula: NaCa2[Al5Si5O20] · 6H2O
ⓘ Titanite
Formula: CaTiO(SiO4)

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘNative Copper1.AA.05Cu
ⓘNative Gold
var. Electrum
1.AA.05(Au,Ag)
ⓘ1.AA.05Au
ⓘNative Tellurium1.CC.10Te
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘChalcocite2.BA.05Cu2S
ⓘDjurleite2.BA.05Cu31S16
ⓘAnilite2.BA.10Cu7S4
ⓘDigenite2.BA.10Cu9S5
ⓘBornite2.BA.15Cu5FeS4
ⓘHessite2.BA.60Ag2Te
ⓘBetekhtinite2.BE.05Pb2(Cu,Fe)22-24S15
ⓘCovellite2.CA.05aCuS
ⓘSphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
ⓘClausthalite2.CD.10PbSe
ⓘGalena2.CD.10PbS
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
ⓘMarcasite2.EB.10aFeS2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘCuprite4.AA.10Cu2O
ⓘTenorite4.AB.10CuO
ⓘMagnetite4.BB.05Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘHematite4.CB.05Fe2O3
ⓘQuartz
var. Agate
4.DA.05SiO2
ⓘ4.DA.05SiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘCalcite5.AB.05CaCO3
ⓘAragonite5.AB.15CaCO3
ⓘAzurite5.BA.05Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
ⓘMalachite5.BA.10Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
ⓘAurichalcite5.BA.15(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘBrochantite7.BB.25Cu4(SO4)(OH)6
ⓘLinarite7.BC.65PbCu(SO4)(OH)2
ⓘLangite7.DD.10Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 · 2H2O
ⓘPosnjakite7.DD.10Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 · H2O
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘAndradite9.AD.25Ca3Fe3+2(SiO4)3
ⓘTitanite9.AG.15CaTiO(SiO4)
ⓘDatolite9.AJ.20CaB(SiO4)(OH)
ⓘHemimorphite ?9.BD.10Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
ⓘDiopside9.DA.15CaMgSi2O6
ⓘPrehnite9.DP.20Ca2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
ⓘTalc
var. Steatite
9.EC.05Mg3(Si4O10)(OH)2
ⓘ9.EC.05Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
ⓘClinochlore9.EC.55Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
ⓘvar. Pennine9.EC.55Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
ⓘChrysocolla9.ED.20Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
ⓘNatrolite9.GA.05Na2Al2Si3O10 · 2H2O
ⓘThomsonite-Ca9.GA.10NaCa2[Al5Si5O20] · 6H2O
ⓘAnalcime9.GB.05Na(AlSi2O6) · H2O
ⓘLaumontite9.GB.10CaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
ⓘvar. Caporcianite9.GB.10CaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
Unclassified
ⓘ'Amphibole Supergroup'-AB2C5(T8O22)W2
ⓘ'Chlorite Group'-
ⓘ'Diallage'-
ⓘ'Saussurite'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ AnalcimeNa(AlSi2O6) · H2O
Hⓘ Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Hⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Hⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Hⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Hⓘ ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Hⓘ DatoliteCaB(SiO4)(OH)
Hⓘ HemimorphiteZn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
Hⓘ LangiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6 · 2H2O
Hⓘ LaumontiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
Hⓘ LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
Hⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Hⓘ NatroliteNa2Al2Si3O10 · 2H2O
Hⓘ PosnjakiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6 · H2O
Hⓘ PrehniteCa2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
Hⓘ Talc var. SteatiteMg3(Si4O10)(OH)2
Hⓘ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
Hⓘ Thomsonite-CaNaCa2[Al5Si5O20] · 6H2O
Hⓘ Clinochlore var. PennineMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Hⓘ Laumontite var. CaporcianiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
BBoron
Bⓘ DatoliteCaB(SiO4)(OH)
CCarbon
Cⓘ AragoniteCaCO3
Cⓘ Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Cⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Cⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Cⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ Quartz var. AgateSiO2
Oⓘ Amphibole SupergroupAB2C5(T8O22)W2
Oⓘ AnalcimeNa(AlSi2O6) · H2O
Oⓘ AndraditeCa3Fe23+(SiO4)3
Oⓘ AragoniteCaCO3
Oⓘ Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Oⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Oⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Oⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Oⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Oⓘ ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Oⓘ CupriteCu2O
Oⓘ DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Oⓘ DatoliteCaB(SiO4)(OH)
Oⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Oⓘ HemimorphiteZn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
Oⓘ LangiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6 · 2H2O
Oⓘ LaumontiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
Oⓘ LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
Oⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Oⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Oⓘ NatroliteNa2Al2Si3O10 · 2H2O
Oⓘ PosnjakiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6 · H2O
Oⓘ PrehniteCa2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ Talc var. SteatiteMg3(Si4O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
Oⓘ TenoriteCuO
Oⓘ Thomsonite-CaNaCa2[Al5Si5O20] · 6H2O
Oⓘ TitaniteCaTiO(SiO4)
Oⓘ Clinochlore var. PennineMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Oⓘ Laumontite var. CaporcianiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
NaSodium
Naⓘ AnalcimeNa(AlSi2O6) · H2O
Naⓘ NatroliteNa2Al2Si3O10 · 2H2O
Naⓘ Thomsonite-CaNaCa2[Al5Si5O20] · 6H2O
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Mgⓘ DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Mgⓘ Talc var. SteatiteMg3(Si4O10)(OH)2
Mgⓘ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
Mgⓘ Clinochlore var. PennineMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
AlAluminium
Alⓘ AnalcimeNa(AlSi2O6) · H2O
Alⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Alⓘ ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Alⓘ LaumontiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
Alⓘ NatroliteNa2Al2Si3O10 · 2H2O
Alⓘ PrehniteCa2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
Alⓘ Thomsonite-CaNaCa2[Al5Si5O20] · 6H2O
Alⓘ Clinochlore var. PennineMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Alⓘ Laumontite var. CaporcianiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
SiSilicon
Siⓘ Quartz var. AgateSiO2
Siⓘ AnalcimeNa(AlSi2O6) · H2O
Siⓘ AndraditeCa3Fe23+(SiO4)3
Siⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Siⓘ ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Siⓘ DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Siⓘ DatoliteCaB(SiO4)(OH)
Siⓘ HemimorphiteZn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
Siⓘ LaumontiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
Siⓘ NatroliteNa2Al2Si3O10 · 2H2O
Siⓘ PrehniteCa2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
Siⓘ Talc var. SteatiteMg3(Si4O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
Siⓘ Thomsonite-CaNaCa2[Al5Si5O20] · 6H2O
Siⓘ TitaniteCaTiO(SiO4)
Siⓘ Clinochlore var. PennineMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Siⓘ Laumontite var. CaporcianiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
SSulfur
Sⓘ AniliteCu7S4
Sⓘ BetekhtinitePb2(Cu,Fe)22-24S15
Sⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Sⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ ChalcociteCu2S
Sⓘ CovelliteCuS
Sⓘ DigeniteCu9S5
Sⓘ DjurleiteCu31S16
Sⓘ GalenaPbS
Sⓘ LangiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6 · 2H2O
Sⓘ LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
Sⓘ MarcasiteFeS2
Sⓘ PosnjakiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6 · H2O
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
Sⓘ SphaleriteZnS
CaCalcium
Caⓘ AndraditeCa3Fe23+(SiO4)3
Caⓘ AragoniteCaCO3
Caⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Caⓘ DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Caⓘ DatoliteCaB(SiO4)(OH)
Caⓘ LaumontiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
Caⓘ PrehniteCa2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
Caⓘ Thomsonite-CaNaCa2[Al5Si5O20] · 6H2O
Caⓘ TitaniteCaTiO(SiO4)
Caⓘ Laumontite var. CaporcianiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
TiTitanium
Tiⓘ TitaniteCaTiO(SiO4)
FeIron
Feⓘ AndraditeCa3Fe23+(SiO4)3
Feⓘ BetekhtinitePb2(Cu,Fe)22-24S15
Feⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Feⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Feⓘ MarcasiteFeS2
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
CuCopper
Cuⓘ AniliteCu7S4
Cuⓘ Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Cuⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Cuⓘ BetekhtinitePb2(Cu,Fe)22-24S15
Cuⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Cuⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cuⓘ ChalcociteCu2S
Cuⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Cuⓘ CovelliteCuS
Cuⓘ CupriteCu2O
Cuⓘ Native CopperCu
Cuⓘ DigeniteCu9S5
Cuⓘ DjurleiteCu31S16
Cuⓘ LangiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6 · 2H2O
Cuⓘ LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2
Cuⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Cuⓘ PosnjakiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6 · H2O
Cuⓘ TenoriteCuO
ZnZinc
Znⓘ Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Znⓘ HemimorphiteZn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
Znⓘ SphaleriteZnS
SeSelenium
Seⓘ ClausthalitePbSe
AgSilver
Agⓘ Native Gold var. Electrum(Au,Ag)
Agⓘ HessiteAg2Te
TeTellurium
Teⓘ HessiteAg2Te
Teⓘ Native TelluriumTe
AuGold
Auⓘ Native Gold var. Electrum(Au,Ag)
Auⓘ Native GoldAu
PbLead
Pbⓘ BetekhtinitePb2(Cu,Fe)22-24S15
Pbⓘ ClausthalitePbSe
Pbⓘ GalenaPbS
Pbⓘ LinaritePbCu(SO4)(OH)2

Other Databases

Wikipedia:https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniera_di_Caporciano
Wikidata ID:Q3858429

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
EuropeContinent

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