Geomaterials as a resource for mankind development: the Traversella & Brosso mining areas in the framework of the "Progeo-Piemonte" project (geothematic area 7).

The multidisciplinary research project PROGEOPiemonte (PROactive management of GEOlogical heritage in the PIEMONTE region: innovative methods and functional guidelines for promoting geodiversity knowledge and supporting geoconservation activities (PROGEO-Piemonte - coord. M. Giardino), aims to achieve a new conceptual and operational discipline in the management of the geological heritage of the Piemonte Region by means of the development of techniques for recognizing and managing its rich geodiversity at the local and regional scale. After a systematic review of inventoried geosites, 9 strategic geothematic areas will be investigated to represent the geodiversity of Piemonte. Geological history, climate and environmental changes, natural hazards, soil processes and georesources will be popularized not only with geosites but also with museum collections, evidences of mining activity and quarrying, science exhibits and nature trails. The recognition of the economic value of geodiversity will lead to the production of regional guidelines for Geoconservation integrated quality management system, suitable for tourism and sustainable development strategies. One of the nine chosen geosites is the Brosso and Traversella mining area. These locations are two of the most important iron mines in the Piemonte area since ancient time. Iron mining activity in Traversella was very important until the end of the second world war, whereas in the Brosso mine production was focussed on pyrite extraction for sulphuric acid manufacturing until the beginning of ‘900. Not only these sites are of primary scientific importance, (the Brosso-Traversella mining district represents the only skarn-type mineralization in the Alps), but also for science passionate, mineralogist and collectors, these two localities are of the highest interest, and outstanding mineralogical samples coming from these two mines are displayed in the most famous museum all over the world. Among the scientific research actions that our team want to carry out on the site, we will obtain the reconstruction of the mineralogical features of the Traversella and Brosso mines, by performing mineralogical, petrological and ore deposits studies. We will acquire information from every kind of historical sources. In order to achieve these objectives, we will need to coordinate a study of historical mineralogical samples and of recent findings in these sites. Such a study will be carried on by optical microscopy, SEM-EDS microanalysis, microXRF, XRD, focussing on the field observation and mapping, and the study of historical documentation about mining and metallurgic processes before the XIX century. We will cooperate with the existing organization as well as the Museum of the Mineralogical Group Valchiusella, the Museum of Brosso Mine, the Comune di Traversella and Comune di Brosso, the Comunità Montana, the Piemonte Region and the Turin Provincia, and last but not least the Museum of Natural Science of Turin. With these actions we would like to put on view the extraordinary importance of the Traversella mine from a scientific point of view, but also we want emphasize the role of the site from the point of view of the industrial development in Piemonte Region. We will illustrate the impact on the surrounding region from a sociological and environmental point of view, investigating the lifestyle of people living and working, during centuries, in this small mining region. As expected results, the team would obtain a new series of books and booklets relative to historical background of mining extraction, metallurgic dressing, mineralogical richness in the area, scientific importance of the samples in various museums in the world, itineraries in the area for a better comprehension of the interaction between mines and geological environment.