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Casino lignite mining district, Siena Province, Tuscany, Italyi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Casino lignite mining district | Coal Field (Repurposed) |
| Siena Province | Province |
| Tuscany | Region |
| Italy | Country |
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Area:
10 km2
Type:
Coal Field (Repurposed) - last checked 2025
Deposit first discovered:
Before 1870
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Bacino lignitifero di Val d'Elsa e Staggia [Val d'Elsa and Staggia lignite mining district]
Other Languages:
Italian:
Bacino lignitifero del Casino, Provincia di Siena, Toscana, Italia
De Castro and Pilotti in 1933 write;
The first geologist to speak of the lignite layers of the Casino (the only ones known at the time) was Soldani in 1789. The first records of modern mining in the district date back to 1861, after the Unification of Italy.
Reports of intermittent mining activity are available from 1883 to 1963. In that year, due to the limited success of the le Cogne prospects in the unified "Lilliano - Campalli" mining concession, a request to renounce the concession was submitted. Finally, in 1964, the last modest mining equipment was removed and sold, leading to the definitive cessation of mining activities in the district.
A basin of brown Miocene xyloid lignite, about 10 km long, is located on the hilly slopes of the right bank in the wide valley of the Elsa, followed by the valley of the Staggia. The Empoli-Siena railway runs along this area.
About ten mines were opened in this region. In chronological order, they are:
• Tenditori, near Topina.
• Casino, with three different and distant sites.
• Boria or Bora.
• Molinuzzo, below Castellare.
• Fizzano.
• Ligliano - Cignan bianco, Cignan rosso.
• Gardina.
• Sietina near Campalli, also known as the Campalli mine.
• Castello, near Querce Grossa (today Quercegrossa).
• Bindi.
Only a few historical records and barely any traces remain of the first four mines.
About ten mines were opened in this region. In chronological order, they are:
• Tenditori, near Topina.
• Casino, with three different and distant sites.
• Boria or Bora.
• Molinuzzo, below Castellare.
• Fizzano.
• Ligliano - Cignan bianco, Cignan rosso.
• Gardina.
• Sietina near Campalli, also known as the Campalli mine.
• Castello, near Querce Grossa (today Quercegrossa).
• Bindi.
Only a few historical records and barely any traces remain of the first four mines.
The first geologist to speak of the lignite layers of the Casino (the only ones known at the time) was Soldani in 1789. The first records of modern mining in the district date back to 1861, after the Unification of Italy.
Reports of intermittent mining activity are available from 1883 to 1963. In that year, due to the limited success of the le Cogne prospects in the unified "Lilliano - Campalli" mining concession, a request to renounce the concession was submitted. Finally, in 1964, the last modest mining equipment was removed and sold, leading to the definitive cessation of mining activities in the district.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsMineral List
Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities1 valid mineral. 2 erroneous literature entries.
Rock Types Recorded
Rock list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Marcasite Formula: FeS2 |
| ⓘ 'Petrified Wood' Localities: Lilliano mine, Castellina in Chianti, Siena Province, Tuscany, Italy Campalli mine, Castellina in Chianti, Siena Province, Tuscany, Italy Monteo I stope, Campalli mine, Castellina in Chianti, Siena Province, Tuscany, Italy Monteo II stope, Campalli mine, Castellina in Chianti, Siena Province, Tuscany, Italy |
| ⓘ Formula: SiO2 Locality: Casino Mine, Monteriggioni, Siena Province, Tuscany, Italy - erroneously reported References: Amir Akhavan(instead of erroneously reported smoky quartz) |
| ⓘ Formula: SiO2 Locality: Casino Mine, Monteriggioni, Siena Province, Tuscany, Italy - erroneously reported Description: Black and brown crystals found at this locality are authigenic quartz crystals colored by inclusions. They are not smoky quartz. References: Amir Akhavan(added to strike out) |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Marcasite | 2.EB.10a | FeS2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz ? | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | var. Smoky Quartz ? | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Petrified Wood' | - | |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| O | Oxygen | |
|---|---|---|
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz var. Smoky Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz var. Smoky Quartz | SiO2 |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Marcasite | FeS2 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Marcasite | FeS2 |
Geochronology
Mineralization age: Miocene : 7.246 Ma to 5.333 MaImportant note: This table is based only on rock and mineral ages recorded on mindat.org for this locality and is not necessarily a complete representation of the geochronology, but does give an indication of possible mineralization events relevant to this locality. As more age information is added this table may expand in the future. A break in the table simply indicates a lack of data entered here, not necessarily a break in the geologic sequence. Grey background entries are from different, related, localities.
| Geologic Time | Rocks, Minerals and Events | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phanerozoic | ||||
| Cenozoic | ||||
| Neogene | ||||
| Miocene | ||||
Fossils
This region is too big or complex to display the fossil list, try looking at smaller subregions.Localities in this Region
- Tuscany
- Siena Province
- Tuscany
- Siena Province
- Castellina in Chianti
- Lilliano mine
- Tenditoi mine
- Topina mine
- Monteriggioni
- Castellina in Chianti
- Siena Province
Other Regions, Features and Areas that Intersect
Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
- Apennine Mountains (Apennines; Apennine Orogen)Accretionary Complex
EuropeContinent
Italy
- Tuscany
- Siena Province
- Casino BasinBasin
- Siena Province
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
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References
[1]De Castro, Calogero; Pilotti, Camillo (1933) Memorie descrittive della Carta Geologica d'Italia Vol. 23 - I Giacimenti di Lignite della Toscana [The Lignite Deposits of Tuscany]. Ministero delle Corporazioni. Reale Ufficio Geologico. 217 pp.pp.104-118 - Chapter VIII - Bacino di lignite xiloide bruna miocenica di Val d'Elsa e Staggia.
