Valaverta stream gorge, Ziano di Fiemme, Trento Province, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italyi

Regional Level Types
Valaverta stream gorge	Gorge
Ziano di Fiemme	Commune
Trento Province	Autonomous Province
Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol	Autonomous Region
Italy	Country

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The Valaverta Stream Gorge is a narrow fluvial canyon incised into the lower southern slopes of Mount Cornon. The gorge cuts through Middle Triassic carbonate successions, primarily the Formazione dello Sciliar and the underlying Formazione del Contrin. The resulting morphology shows a classic V-shaped profile with sub-vertical rock faces.

The lithoclases within these rock surfaces are filled with a specific mineralogical assemblage: secondary, well-developed dolomite crystals covered by authigenic clay deposits, notably including palygorskite (Avanzini et al., 2007).

From a mineralogical standpoint, a careful cleaning process using water to remove the clay matrix allows for a dual recovery: the fragile palygorskite films - characterised by a distinct fibrous or felt-like texture (often referred to as 'mountain leather') - can be preserved, while simultaneously exposing the underlying euhedral dolomite crystals, which typically range from millimetric to one centimetre in size.

The preservation of this dolomite-palygorskite dual assemblage represents a significant mineralogical curiosity. While palygorskite is documented in various Alpine carbonate contexts, it is seldom recovered in direct association with its host crystals in such a pristine state. The specimens from the Anton "Toni" Kiem collection (1973) are of particular interest, as they document the complete paragenesis of the fracture filling.

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Fossils

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References