The Gioia quarry complex is located on the watershed between the Colonnata basin (Carrara) and the Frigido valley (Massa). The southeasternmost sector of the quarrying area (sometimes indicated as the Gioia-Casette quarries or the Gioia-Casette quarrying basin), is entirely located in the municipal territory of Massa and includes the quarries: Vittoria (44°4'41" N, 10°9'28.22" E), Lavagnina (44°4'40" N, 10°9'21.50" E), Ravalunga (44°4'36" N, 10°9'15" E), Fichetto (44°4'37" N, 10°9'8.35" E), Piastrone 2 (44°4'39.20" N, 10°9'12.70" E), and Piastrone Gioia or Sbasso (44°4'42.60" N, 10°9'23.70" E). The quarries Piastrone 1 or Quarry no. 179 (44°4'39" N, 10°9'11.60" E), Cima di Gioia or Quarry no. 168 (44°4'45" N, 10°9'23.70" E), and Venedretta A or Quarry no. 167 (44°4'49" N, 10°9'28.80" E), although mainly located in the municipal territory of Carrara, partially extend over the municipal territory of Massa. Furthermore, the northwesternmost group of quarries is entirely located in the municipal territory of Carrara [see https://www.mindat.org/loc-309584.html] to the south of the village of Colonnata.

Due to the characteristics of the quarried marble, the location of the quarries, and the typical mineral assemblages of the cavities, this southeasternmost group of quarries, although located in the municipal territory of Massa, is often considered as part of the Colonnata quarrying basin of Carrara. The attribution of a specimen generically labelled "Gioia quarries" to the Carrara or Massa sector of the quarrying area, whitout precise information on the quarry where it has been found, is practically impossible. In many cases the distinction is made arbitrarily by collectors, based solely on parochialism.


At Gioia quarries most of the mineral species known for the Carrara marble cavities have been found. The most typical minerals includes quartz, dolomite, gypsum, fluorite, adularia, celestine, colusite, tetrahedrite, enargite and a lot of products of alteration (claraite, lavendulan, carraraite, etc.).

Dolomite tipically occur as milky saddle-like aggregates, while isolated rhombohedral crystals are rare. Some saddle-shaped groups show a pale green colour due to traces of iron and manganese, as shown by X-ray fluorescence analysis (Franzini et al., 1982).

Fossils

This region is too big or complex to display the fossil list, try looking at smaller subregions.

References