Regional Report: Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy

Very high pressure metamorphism of Mg-rich pelites, at depths over 100 km, have created this very unusual pyrope-coesite-quartzite, now exposed in the Western Alps. Famous for its (nearly) colorless, very pure pyrope (over 95% pyrope molecule) as crude crystals up to coconut size. High-pressure phases like ellenbergerite and coesite are preserved only as inclusions in the pyrope, not in the surrounding matrix. The main composition of the quartzite is: quartz, phengite, talc, kyanite, pyrope. Ref.: Hermann, J. (2003) Experimental evidence for diamond-facies metamorphism in the Dora-Maira massif. Lithos 70: 163-182.

For full locality listing click here. Alternatively: Click here for heirarchical list of localities in Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy

Aegirine - 6

Aegirine-augite - 6

Albite - 6, 2

'Allanite-Epidote' - 10

Almandine - 6, 8

'Almandine-Spessartine Series' - 6

'Apatite' - 4, 6, 10

Bearthite - 4, 1, 5

Biotite - 6

Chloritoid - 3

Clinochlore - 4, 5, 10

'Clinopyroxene Subgroup' - 10

Coesite - 4, 6, 8

Corundum - 4, 5

Dravite - 4, 8

Ellenbergerite - 4, 1

Enstatite - 5, 8

'Ferronyböite' - 6, 8

'Garnet Group' - 10

Gedrite - 4, 5

Goethite - 8

Hydroxylwagnerite - 4

Ilmenite - 6, 10

Jadeite - 6, 2, 10

Katophorite - 6

Kyanite - 4, 5, 3, 9, 8

Magnesiochloritoid - 4, 5

Magnesiodumortierite - 4, 1

Magnesiostaurolite - 1, 5, 9, 8

Microcline - 2

'Monazite' - 4, 6

Monazite-(Ce) - 5

Muscovite - 2

Nybøite - 1

Omphacite - 6

Orthoclase - 2

Paragonite - 6

Phengite - 4, 6, 5, 10, 9

Phlogopite - 10

Phosphoellenbergerite - 4, 9, 8

Pyrite - 8

Pyrope - 4, 1, 5, 9, 8

Quartz - 4, 6, 2

Rutile - 4, 6, 5, 10, 3, 9, 8

Sapphirine - 4, 5, 8

Schorl - 5, 3, 8

Spinel - 5

Sulphur - 8

Talc - 4, 5

Taramite - 6, 5

Vermiculite - 4

Wagnerite - 4, 5

Zircon - 4, 6, 5, 10, 8

53 minerals listed.

Locality Key

1	Case Parigi (Case Paris), Martiniana Po, Po Valley, Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy
2	Colle delle Sagneres, Varaita Valley, Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy
3	Colle di Cervetto, Sampeyre, Varaita Valley, Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy
4	Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy
5	Gilba Valley, Brossasco, Varaita Valley, Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy
6	Isasca, Varaita Valley, Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy

7	Martiniana Po, Po Valley, Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy
8	Masueria, Gilba Valley, Brossasco, Varaita Valley, Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy
9	Pratolugo (Pratolungo), Isasca valley, Venasca, Varaita Valley, Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy
10	Punta Rasciassa, Oncino, Po Valley, Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy
11	Varaita Valley, Dora Maira Massif, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy

The above list 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!

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