(Miniera di Cerchiara, Borghetto Vara / Pignone, Val di Vara, La Spezia, Liguria, Italia)
This area [that is situated on the municipalities of Borghetto Vara and Pignone, near Faggiona (Pignone)] is certainly known since 1600, when hematite, associated to Mn minerals, was mined by locals to extract iron. The deliberate mining of Mn minerals started in 1790 and ended after WW II.
The Mn minerals are bound to jasper formations of Jurassic age.
References:
- Monetti L. (1922) - Miniera di Manganese "Cerchiara" - Memorie Soc. Lunigianese "G. Capellini", La Spezia, Vol II, fasc. III, pp. 98-100
- Huebner J.S. (1980) Rewiews in mineralogy, vol. 7: Pyroxenes - Mineralogical Society of America - P.H. Riber Ed., N.Y., p.274
- Palenzona A., Di Giovanni F., Borgo E. (1988) - La miniera di Manganese di Cerchiara (SP) - Rivista Miner. Ital., Milano, fasc. 4, pp.209-218
- Lucchetti G., Cortesogno L. Palenzona A. (1988): Low-temperature metamorphic mineral assemblages in Mn-Fe ores from Cerchiara mine (northern Appennine, Italy). N. Jb. Miner. Mh., 8: 367-383.
- Palenzona A., Bulgarelli (1989) - Orientite e MacFallite di Cerchiara (La Spezia) - Riv. Miner. It., 1: pp111-114
- Palenzona A., Di Giovanni F. (1990) - La Serandite di Cerchiara (SP) - Riv. Miner. Ital., XIII, fasc. 1, pp. 42-43
- Palenzona A., 1990. La sugilite di Cerchiara (SP). Riv. Mineral. Ital., 3: 153-154.
- Cabella R., Lucchetti G., Palenzona A., 1990. Al-rich, Fe-poor manganoan sugilite in a pectolite-bearing assemblage from Cerchiara Mine (Northern Appennines, Italy). N. Jb. Miner. Mh., 10: 443-448.
- Can. Min.:31:331-336
- Min. Mag.: 60:369-374
- Am. Min.: 86:197
- Min. Rec.: 27:465.
