The Funtana Raminosa mining area includes an array of Cu-Ag-Pb-Zn-Fe mineralisations located W and SW of Gadoni. Mining, definitively ceased in 1987, was performed in modern times at Funtana Raminosa proper (six underground levels) and also at the mine yards named Brebegargius, Santa Sofia, Sant'Eugenio, and Fenice. Exploration works were also carried out at Su Fruscu (at 550 m above sea level), San Giuseppe, San Gabriele, Addiscazzu, Su Nusai, and Saulsu Nui.

This area has been very important for copper minerals probably since the Bronze Age. In fact, at the end of 1800 there were discovered the traces of very old extractive and mining activity which it was dated at Nuragic Age (Bronze Age) (Begemann et al., 2001).
These copper occurrences were surely mined also around 700 AD during Arabian Occupation of Southern Italy. In this period the Arabic conquerors (known as Saraceni) used these mines and the name of the river which crosses the mining area (Saraxinus River) is a proof of that (Saraxinus River means Saraceni River).

The ore is mainly composed of mixed Zn–Pb–Cu–Fe sulfides with minor bismuthinite and magnetite. Silver occurs in approximately 500 ppm abundance and is rarely in its native form or in the form of its own mineral phases. Apart from these minerals of economic interest, numerous other primary sulfides were documented in mine reports, including the Cd sulphide mineral hawleyite. Amongst the gangue silicates, the occurrence of ilvaite in addition to grossular–andradite garnet and diopside suggests temperatures greater than 500°C. High-temperature sulfides (>450°C) are represented by remnants of a solid solution between chalcopyrite and sphalerite within sphalerite crystals. Retrograde mineral associations include occurrences of epidote and galena that crystallized in fractures.

Presently it is a geo-park and some little part of the mining site is open to public visit.
For public visit and some other information about Funtana Raminosa geo-park, visit the website http://www.igeaspa.it.

Provided coordinates are referred to the main buildings of the mine.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References