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Geological map representations of the Calabria-Peloritani Orogen: a) Schematic map of the Alpine belt in the southern Mediterranean area (GK= Grande Kabylie; PK = Petit Kabylie; Sa = Sardinia; CPO = Calabrian Peloritani Orogen) (modified after Carminati et al., 1998); b) Geological sketch map of the CalabriaPeloritani Orogen with distribution of its massifs and related Alpine and pre-Alpine basement rocks (modified after Angì et al., 2010; c) Geological sketch map of the Sila and Catena Costiera Massifs; d) Geological sketch map of the Serre Massif; e) Geological sketch map of the Aspromonte Massif and Peloritani Mountain Belt.
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The Calabria-Peloritani Orogen is an arcuate segment of the peri-Mediterranean orogenic Alpine nappe system that comprises the whole Calabria and the north-eastern sector of Sicily. It comprises the Sila and Catena Costiera Massifs in northern Calabria, the Serre and Aspromonte Massifs in central and southern Calabria, and the Peloritani Mountains...
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... the north, and the Taormina Line (TL) to the south, acting as a connecting element between the Apennine thrust-and-fold belts of southern Italy and the Maghrebian chain in Sicily (Figure 2a - Bonardi et al., 1980a;Tortorici, 1982;Carminati et al., 1998). The overall architecture of the CPO is made up of a series of basement nappes and ophiolite-bearing tectonic units that are considered to be remnants of the Cretaceous-Paleogene Europe verging Eo-Alpine chain involved, during the Neogene, in the building of the Apennine orogenic belt. ...
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... overall architecture of the CPO is made up of a series of basement nappes and ophiolite-bearing tectonic units that are considered to be remnants of the Cretaceous-Paleogene Europe verging Eo-Alpine chain involved, during the Neogene, in the building of the Apennine orogenic belt. Thrusting has been related to the slab roll-back of the African subducting plate, accompanied by the progressive back-arc opening of the Tyrrhenian sea ( Figure 2a) and the consequent southeastward migration of the entire belt in the present-day geographic coordinates ( Rossetti et al., 2001;Cifelli et al., 2008;Carminati et al., 2010). From a physiographic point of view, the CPO is clearly constituted by the amalgamation of two different sectors, subdivided by the Catanzaro line (CL) (Figure 2b): a northern sector, composed by the Sila Massif and the Catena Costiera and a southern one, formed by the Serre and Aspromonte massifs together with the Peloritani Mountains, in Sicily. ...
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... has been related to the slab roll-back of the African subducting plate, accompanied by the progressive back-arc opening of the Tyrrhenian sea ( Figure 2a) and the consequent southeastward migration of the entire belt in the present-day geographic coordinates ( Rossetti et al., 2001;Cifelli et al., 2008;Carminati et al., 2010). From a physiographic point of view, the CPO is clearly constituted by the amalgamation of two different sectors, subdivided by the Catanzaro line (CL) (Figure 2b): a northern sector, composed by the Sila Massif and the Catena Costiera and a southern one, formed by the Serre and Aspromonte massifs together with the Peloritani Mountains, in Sicily. From a geological point of view, on the other hand, the origin and evolution of these chain sectors is still matter of debate: some authors argue that the CPO would entirely derive from the European continental margin of the neo-Tethys (Ogniben, 1973;Bouillin, 1984;Knott, 1987;Dietrich, 1988;Dewey et al., 1989;Thomson, 1998), while others hypothesize that it can be considered a portion of the Austroalpine domain belonging to the African plate ( Haccard et al., 1972;Alvarez et al., 1974;Amodio-Morelli et al., 1976;Scandone, 1979;Bonardi et al., 1982;; other authors still propose a derivation from a micro-continent located between African and European plates ( Guerrera et al., 1993;Cello et al., 1996;Perrone, 1996;Critelli and Le Pera, 1998). ...
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... nappe edifices of Sila and Catena Costiera make entirely up the northern sector of the orogen (Figure 2c). They are separated by the Crati valley, a N-S trending graben ascribed to the Upper Pleistocene ( Cello et al., 1982;Tortorici et al., 1995); these edifices consist of three main tectono-stratigraphic complexes (Figure 3 -Ogniben, 1973;Morten and Tortorici, 1993 and references therein) each of them formed by distinct tectono-metamorphic units (Figure 3b -Amodio-Morelli et al., 1976;Piluso et al., 2000;Scandone, 1982). ...
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... Serre Massif and the Capo Vaticano Promontory, which are separated by the NE- SW trending Pleistocene graben of the Mesima Valley, represent two portions of the same edifice (Figure 2d) (Ietto and Bernasconi, 2005). This sector of the orogen, especially along the Serre transect, is considered to represent a continuous continental crustal section (e.g., Schenk, 1980;1990;Caggianelli et al., 2007;Angì et al., 2010) whose metamorphic and magmatic evolution is closely associated to that of the Calabride Complex cropping out in the Sila and Catena Costiera areas. ...
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... Aspromonte Massif occupies the southern end of Calabria, bordered to the north by the crustal-scale strike-slip fault system known as Palmi Line (Figure 2b-d - Ortolano et al., 2013). It is a south-east verging nappe edifice ( Ortolano et al., 2015), where the two uppermost tectonic slices are constituted by two middle-upper crust derived units (the upper Stilo Unit and the lower Aspromonte Unit), both characterised by a multi- stage Variscan metamorphism, locally involving only the deeper one during the latest stages of the Alpine metamorphic cycle ( Bonardi et al.,1984a,b;Graessner and Schenk, 1999;Platt and Compagnoni, 1990;Ortolano et al., 2005;Pezzino et al., 2008). ...
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... Peloritani Mountain belt consists of a set of south-verging basement nappes with metamorphic grade increasing upwards and remnants of a Mesozoic-Cenozoic sedimentary sequence (Figure 2d - Atzori and Vezzani, 1974;Lentini and Vezzani, 1975). The belt has been subdivided into two complexes on the basis of their different tectono-metamorphic histories (Atzori et al., 1994;Cirrincione et al., 1999). ...
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... interpretation of the overlying Castagna Unit is controversial as well: this is formed by medium to high grade mylonitic gneisses cropping out in a discontinuous way at the western edge of the Catena Costiera, as well as at the southern edge of the Sila Massif (Figure 2c). It has been considered to be placed at the base of the granulitic-migmatitic gneiss of the Sila Unit (De Vuono et al., 2004). ...
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... Peloritani Mountain Belt, in NE Sicily, represents the southernmost sector of the Calabria-Peloritani Orogen (Figure 2). It is bounded on the south by the Taormina Line, whose meaning is still widely debated: originally interpreted as a dextral strike-slip fault Amodio Morelli et al., 1976), it is now likely considered to represent a thrust front displaced as a consequence of the anti-clockwise rotation of the entire orogen ( Ghisetti et al., 1982;1991). ...
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... tectonic contact between the two units, marked by a thick cataclastic horizon with widespread remnants of mylonitic relics zones, suggests that the juxtaposition of the two units took place in a ductile environment ( Messina et al., 1990;Atzori et al., 1994). The Mandanici Unit (Ogniben, 1970;Atzori and Vezzani, 1974) consists of greenschist to lower amphibolite facies rocks; prevailing lithotypes are phyllites and phyllitic quartzites (Figure 20a) with interbedded levels of metabasites and subordinate marbles and calc-schists. Evidence of a clockwise P-T evolution, with peak estimates of 0.9 GPa and ~ 530 °C is considered consistent with a Variscan crustal thickening stage at middle-lower crustal conditions, followed by a retrograde trajectory (constrained at 0.30-0.60 ...
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... and 420-460 °C) associated to exhumation . A Mesozoic sedimentary succession, known as "Alì sequence" (Atzori, 1968) and characterised by a weak Alpine metamorphism (Figure 20b), occurs either at the bottom of the unit and as tectonic slices within the Variscan basement, mainly in proximity of the tectonic contact with the overlying unit (Ferla and Azzaro, 1976;Cirrincione and Pezzino, 1991;1994;Cirrincione et al., 2012a). The anchimetamorphic rocks of the Alì sequence exhibit a succession of Figure 18. ...
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... Aspromonte Unit represents the highest tectonic unit of the Peloritani nappe edifice. Similarly to the adjacent Aspromonte Massif, it consists of amphibolite facies metamorphic rocks, mainly represented by paragneisses, migmatitic paragneisses and augen gneisses (Figure 20c), with minor marbles and amphibolites, diffusively intruded by late Variscan granitoid plutons (D'Amico, 1979;Paglionico and Rottura, 1979;D'Amico et al., 1982;Rottura et al., 1993;Fiannacca et al., 2005a;. Unlike the batholiths of the Sila and Serre Massifs, the late Variscan granitoids of the Aspromonte Unit only occur as isolated plutons of a few km 2 in size and of trondhjemitic and leucogranodioritic- leucogranitic composition, typically intruded in migmatitic paragneisses (Figure 20 d,e). ...
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... to the adjacent Aspromonte Massif, it consists of amphibolite facies metamorphic rocks, mainly represented by paragneisses, migmatitic paragneisses and augen gneisses (Figure 20c), with minor marbles and amphibolites, diffusively intruded by late Variscan granitoid plutons (D'Amico, 1979;Paglionico and Rottura, 1979;D'Amico et al., 1982;Rottura et al., 1993;Fiannacca et al., 2005a;. Unlike the batholiths of the Sila and Serre Massifs, the late Variscan granitoids of the Aspromonte Unit only occur as isolated plutons of a few km 2 in size and of trondhjemitic and leucogranodioritic- leucogranitic composition, typically intruded in migmatitic paragneisses (Figure 20 d,e). In particular, the weakly peraluminous trondhjemites, that are exclusive of the Aspromonte Unit, represent the earliest identified occurrence of Late Variscan granitoid magmatism in the CPO (314 ± 4 Ma; Fiannacca et al., 2008), predating the emplacement of the widespread strongly peraluminous leucogranodiorite plutons by more than 10 Ma. ...
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... This possibility is reinforced by the occurrence of decompression microstructures, such as plagioclase+hornblende coronitic symplectites replacing, partly to totally, former garnet porphyroblasts in rare amphibolite samples from north-eastern Peloritani (Fiannacca, personal communication - Figure 20f); furthermore, pressure up to 0.8 GPa at ~ 600 °C were recently obtained by Ortolano et al. (2014) by pseudosection computation of garnet micaschists from Santa Lucia del Mela area. Although the Peloritani Mountains are a segment of the southern Alpine orogenic belt and an Alpine subgreenschist-to greenschist- facies metamorphic overprint is indeed locally recorded in the rocks of the Upper complex ( Atzori et al., 1994;Pezzino et al., 2008;Cirrincione et al., 2012a), the Peloritani basement is considered to represent, on the whole, a portion of middle-upper late Variscan crust. ...
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... comparison between the crustal sections exposed in the crystalline massifs of Sila-Catena Costiera, Serre, Aspromonte and Peloritani Mountains that are briefly outlined in Figure 22, permits to highlight the correlation of the main Variscan and Alpine geological events, contributing thus to develop new perspectives which may be the basis for geodynamic models. ...
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... deep crust then becomes an exclusive chronicler of the post-peak history, without saving memory of previous events. The comparison between the two sectors of deep crust occurring in both Sila and Serre Massifs shows a quite similar late Variscan evolution (Figure 23a). The scenario depicted after the comparison is the following: a) metamorphic peak at ~ 300 Ma; b) isothermal exhumation at intermediate crustal levels; c) isobaric cooling at intermediate crustal conditions at ca. 10-15 km for the Sila segment and a little bit shallower (12-18 km) for the Serre segment; finally, an ultimate exhumation stage begun during the Oligo-Miocene, has been interpreted by Thomson (1994) as due to a post- orogenic extension probably due to unroofing process related to a massive erosion event. ...
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... from the deep crust, the upper crust underwent metamorphism under amphibolite to greenschist conditions preserving the record of its prograde history and therefore, may provide important information for reconstructing the evolution of the entire chain sector, marking the transition from the collisional stage up to the final contact metamorphism event. Moreover, important analogies rise from the comparison between the evolution events of the two upper crust sectors (Figure 23b). The history of polyphase metamorphism of Sila upper crust depicts a sequence of episodes characterised by early-medium P metamorphic event dating ~ 330 Ma according to Acquafredda et al. (1994). ...
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... event likely occurred in a context of a complex pattern of coeval strike- slip shear zones active up to 300 Ma (Padovano et al., 2014, and reference therein). A branch of this complex network of tectonic lines known Figure 23. a) Comparison between P-T-paths of the lower crust in Sila (blue line) and Serre Massifs (red line) (after Caggianelli et al., 2007;Graessner et al., 2000;Graessner and Schenk, 2001); b) Comparison between the P-T-paths of the upper crust of Sila (curves 1 and 3; after Borghi et al., 1992;Langone et al. 2010) and Serre Massifs (curve 2 after Angì et al., 2010). ...
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... ductile deformation structures related to Alpine tectonics led to the detection and kinematic characterisation of the Alpine accretionary wedge: Cello et al. (1991; recognised a subduction-related deformation history with a northwest-vergency in the Diamante area; Carrara and Zuffa (1976) provided structural data for the northern Catena Costiera, indicating a top to the west tectonic transport; in the southern border of the Sila and Catena Costiera, Dubois (1976) and Piluso et al. (2000) distinguished the same groups of Alpine structural deformations characterised by the same south-westward vergency. All the structural data related to Alpine deformation events consequently confirm an Europe-verging accretionary wedge connected to an eastward subduction of oceanic lithosphere (Figure 24 - West Calabrian accretionary wedge). Structures related to the same deformation stages are also present within the mylonitic rocks of the Calabride complex (Castagna Unit;De Vuono, 2005). ...
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... already pointed out in the previous sections, the opposite situation is observed in the Aspromonte Massif and in the Peloritani Mountain Belt, where structures linked to crustal thickening and exhumation indicate only an African vergency, thus implying the existence of an accretion wedge placed to the west of the continental basement ( Pezzino et al., 2008;Cella et al., 2004;Cirrincione et al., 2012a). The above considerations envisage a pre-collision scenario schematically set out in Figure 25, where northern CPO (including the Sila and Catena Costiera Massifs) and southern CPO represented by the Serre and Aspromonte Massifs and by the Peloritani Mountain Belt, were located on opposite continental margins separated by the neo-Tethys basin; as a result, the northern and southern sector are ascribed to the African and Iberian plate, respectively. In this context, the Catanzaro Line, formerly identified for explaining the lack of Alpine metamorphism in southern CPO (Tortorici, 1982), is given now greater significance. ...
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... areas of crustal weakness distributed across this continental-scale shear zone system did likely represent preferential breakup lines in the subsequent Permo-Triassic Pangea rifting and Tethys basin opening, with strong evidence suggesting, as far as the CPO is concerned, that the northern and southern sectors of the orogen were located into different continental margins ( Figure 25). ...
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... In addition to metabasite (i.e., metamorphic rocks derived from a former basic igneous rock), the ophiolite sequence consists of serpentinites with metasedimentary cover made up of marble rocks, calc-schists and quartzites [16,17]. A lot of literature is dedicated to the geology of the Calabrian ophiolites, describing their tectonic, petrological and geochemical features [16,17,19,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. The geology of Mt. ...
... This event was followed by subsequent high pressure (i.e. from 0.5 to 2.1 GPa) and relatively low temperature (from 350 to 450 • C) metamorphism, processes testified by the occurrence of Na-rich amphibole and related to subduction according to the literature (see [17,27]). Moreover, a subsequent retrograde event, which took place under low grade greenschist facies conditions [16,26,27], is indicated by the mineral association given by chlorite, epidote, albite and tremoliteactinolite amphibole (Fig. 6). ...
... In a plan view, the "calabro-peloritano arc" shows an arcuate shape and connects the reliefs of the Southern Apennines to those of the Maghrebian chain ( Figure 2). It should be noted that despite the following updated geological synthesis (e.g., [24,33,35]), the regional geologic map according to [27] still remains a reference for the geolithology of Calabria ( Figure 2). ...
In the present work, more than one hundred and thirty lithic artefacts rediscovered in several archaeological sites dating from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Middle Ages from Calabria (Southern Italy) were petroarchaeometrically characterised through minimally invasive techniques. In more detail, 110 specimens were found in the Grotta della Monaca site (Sant’Agata di Esaro), and the other 23 belong to a collection kept in the Museo Nazionale Preistorico ed Etnografico “Luigi Pigorini” (Roma), coming from several localities (Longobucco, Spezzano della Sila, Cicala, Gimigliano, Roccaforte del Greco, and Bova). For preservation needs, 2 small axes in polished stone and 2 obsidians collected from Grotta della Monaca were analysed by absolutely non-destructive techniques. Optical and electron microscopic investigations, sometimes integrated with wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction spectrometry, allowed us to ascertain that the source area of all the lithic tools was in Calabria, except for obsidians, which come from the island of Lipari (Messina, Southern Italy). For a small number of particularly favourable cases, it was possible to define with great precision the outcrop area of the used rocks given their textural and mineralogical features. The specific source area contained a pickaxe originating from Cetraro–Fuscaldo metabasalt (lawsonite–albite facies) outcrops and two small axes in polished stone, one derived from migmatitic metapelites from Palmi and the other from meta-ultramafic rocks from Curinga. The choice of the used lithologies, harder or softer, had to be linked to the use that humans had to make of the lithic artefacts.
... The Calabria region is characterized by numerous areas of ophiolite outcrops (Punturo et al., 2004;Cirrincione et al., 2015;Ricchiuti et al., 2020) which are potential sources of asbestos elongate mineral particles and PTEs (e.g. Mn, Cr, Co and Ni) and are released into the environment due to naturally occurring processes (drainage, leaching) and also due to anthropic activities (mining, excavation, landscape modification), resulting in the contamination of soil, water and air (e.g., Bloise et al., 2016b;Cannata et al., 2018;Gwenzi, 2019;Ricchiuti et al., 2020). ...
Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) host in asbestos elongate mineral particles is one of the factors which have been invoked to explain their toxicity/pathogenicity effects.This study quantifies and compares these elements in terms of major, minor and trace element concentrations (Si, Mg, Ca, Al, Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Be, V, As, Rb, Sb, Ba, Pb, Sr) in various types of asbestos using micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), in order to understand how they contribute to asbestos-related diseases. Chrysotile, tremolite asbestos and actinolite asbestos extracted from the Gimigliano-Mount Reventino Unit (Calabria Region, Southern Italy) were used for this study.Among the investigated minerals high concentrations of Cr (171 ppm) and Be (2.9 ppm) were found in tremolite asbestos and chrysotile respectively. When calculating the pseudo-total concentrations of trace elements in the samples, the largest amounts were detected in tremolite asbestos, followed by actinolite asbestos and chrysotile. However, since other metals such as Mn and Fe (minor elements) are known to induce toxicity, and considering their input to the overall balance, actinolite contained the largest amount of PTEs and in this case chrysotile proved to be more toxic than tremolite asbestos. Furthermore, the potential leaching of PTEs, released by chrysotile, tremolite and actinolite asbestos-containing rocks, into the soil and water supply is also discussed. Since asbestos elongate mineral particles can be widespread in the environment (i.e. rocks, soil, water), it is essential to quantify the toxic elements present in asbestos elongate mineral particles in order to prevent asbestos-related diseases. The knowledge obtained from this study will provide us with a better understanding of asbestos-related lung cancer.
... The Ligurian Complex is composed of two ophiolite-bearing units, the non-metamorphic Calabro-Lucanian Flysch Unit and the metamorphic Frido Unit which were affected by intense tectonic activity [35,36]. During Cretaceous-Paleocene, the Frido Unit experienced low-temperature and high-pressure metamorphism [37][38][39][40] (Figure 1). ...
... The Ligurian Complex is composed of tw ophiolite-bearing units, the non-metamorphic Calabro-Lucanian Flysch Unit and the m amorphic Frido Unit which were affected by intense tectonic activity [35,36]. During Cr taceous-Paleocene, the Frido Unit experienced low-temperature and high-pressure me morphism [37][38][39][40] (Figure 1). Serpentinites are related with metamorphosed ophiolitic suite where magmatic ma dykes cut medium to high-grade metamorphic rocks [41]. ...
A multi-analytical study on serpentinites in the ophiolite units (Calabria-Basilicata boundary, southern Apennines) was carried out on samples collected from a serpentinite quarry, locally called “Pietrapica”, which sitsin the Pollino UNESCO Global Geopark. Optical microscopy observations revealed the petrographic characteristics, ICP-MS was used to assess the chemical composition while EMPA mineral chemistry, Raman spectroscopy and X-Ray Powder Diffraction and were used altogether to trace the mineral composition of the rocks. Petrography revealed that serpentinites from Pietrapica quarry are essentially composed of serpentine group minerals, amphibole and carbonate minerals with lower abundances of talc and Cr-spinel. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction analysis clearly allowed to establish that carbonate minerals, serpentine and amphibole-like minerals, are the dominant phases, followed by 2:1 phyllosilicate. Electron probe microanalyses were carried out on different minerals in serpentinites samples including serpentine, amphibole, chlorite, clinopyroxene, magnetite, talc, quartz and titanite which are often associated with carbonate veins. Bulk geochemistry is dominated by major oxides SiO2, MgO and Fe2O3 while the most abundant trace elements are Ni and Cr. Chemical analysis showed that some heavy metals in the studied serpentinites such as Ni and Cr, are beyond the maximum admissible limits for Italian normative for public, private and residential green as well as for commercial and industrial use representing a potential environmental concern. Anyway, some of these heavy metals have been recently listed by Europe as critical raw materials and therefore, the Pietrapica abandoned quarry could represent a new resource considering their economic potentiality.
... This contribution focuses on serpentinites located in the northern sector of the Calabria-Peloritani Orogen (CPO [29]) from the Mt. Reventino, Conflenti, and Gimigliano quarries (Calabria region, Italy), attempting to understand their behavior when they are employed as building materials, in order to predict their performances upon emplacement in monuments. ...
... Moreover, since serpentinite from Calabria has been traded for a long time, detailed knowledge of it may provide a useful tool for studies concerning the provenance of serpentinite employed in monuments and to plan for correct restoration. For these reasons, we present a comprehensive report of the petrographic, mineralogical, and geochemical features of serpentinite from Calabria, cropping out in the Sila Piccola Massif (e.g., [29][30][31]), where the historical quarries are located. Moreover, we discuss their physical-mechanical properties such as the Uniaxial Compressive Strength (UCS), seismic behavior, and their relationship with rock fabric [32,33]; finally, we discuss aspects related to documented asbestos occurrences in serpentinite from Calabria since human activities like road construction, mining, and agriculture in ophiolite outcrops may potentially give rise to disturbances in serpentinite rocks and induce the release of asbestiform minerals in the surrounding environment, thus triggering mechanisms of hazardous exposure for the population [34][35][36][37][38]. ...
... The CPO can be divided into two main sectors [29]: (a) the northern sector includes the Coastal Chain and Sila Massifs, where the oceanic units are enclosed between the pre-Mesozoic continental crustal rocks at the top and the Apennine carbonate units at the bottom [22,[29][30][31]; (b) the southern sector comprises the Serre and Aspromonte Massifs in central-southern Calabria and the Peloritani Mountains in north-eastern Sicily, where only continental crust-derived units crop out [29,[39][40][41][42][43][44]. ...
Serpentinite rocks testify to the ocean-floor metamorphism that took place and transformed the original mineralogy and fabric of previous ultramafic rocks. Due to their tectonic and petrological importance, in recent decades, there has been increasing interest in serpentinites. From the economic point of view, it is worth noting that, due to their beauty and attractiveness, serpentinite rocks have been exploited and traded as building and ornamental stones since prehistorical times worldwide. In this work, we provide a comprehensive report of the petrographic, mineralogical, petrophysical, and geochemical features of the serpentinites cropping out in the northern sector of the Calabria–Peloritani Orogen (Italy), where the historical quarries are located. Since these serpentinite rocks have been traded for a long time and employed as an excellent building material, their detailed knowledge may provide a useful tool to understand their behavior when they are employed as building materials, to predict their performances upon emplacement in monuments, and to plan correct restoration by considering the provenance of the lithotypes employed. Moreover, comprehensive characterization is also particularly important because it has been reported that serpentinites from Calabria may contain asbestiform and other fibrous minerals, as testified by the occurrence of chrysotile, tremolite, and actinolite asbestos located within the veins, which could lead to health problems due to asbestos fiber exposure. Finally, serpentinite may be considered as an important potential CO2 sequestration sink.
... The Calabria-Peloritani terrane is a belt of Paleozoic to Mesozoic plutonic and metamorphic rocks in southern Calabria and NE Sicily that form a stack of thrust nappes and ophiolite-bearing tectonic units of the Alpine internal zone (Rossetti et al., 2001;Vitale and Ciarcia, 2013;Cirrincione et al., 2015). Irregular retreat of the subduction zone has produced tear faults in the subducting slab that promote mantle upwelling, decompression melting, basaltic volcanism, and NW-striking strike-slip faults that partition the crust into zones of upper-plate extension and oblique transtensional deformation (Fig. 2) (Faccenna et al., 2004(Faccenna et al., , 2011Gallais et al., 2013;Scarfì et al., 2018;Maesano et al., 2020;Jolivet et al., 2021;Pirrotta et al., 2021Pirrotta et al., , 2022Sgroi et al., 2021). ...
Messina Strait is a narrow fault‐bounded marine basin that separates the Calabrian peninsula from Sicily in southern Italy. It sits in a seismically active region where normal fault scarps and raised Quaternary marine terraces record ongoing extension driven by southeastward rollback of the Calabrian subduction zone. A review of published studies and new data shows that normal faults in the Messina Strait region define a conjugate relay zone where displacement is transferred along strike from NW‐dipping normal faults in the northeast (southern Calabria) to the SE‐dipping Messina‐Taormina normal fault in the southwest (offshore eastern Sicily). The narrow marine strait is a graben undergoing active subsidence within the relay zone, where pronounced curvature of normal faults results from large strain gradients and clockwise rotations related to fault interactions. Based on regional fault geometries and published age constraints, we infer that normal faults in southern Calabria migrated northwest while normal faults in NE Sicily migrated southeast during the past ca. 2–2.5 Myr. This pattern has resulted in tectonic narrowing of the strait through time by inward migration of facing normal faults and rapid mantle‐driven uplift.
... In the study area (depicted in Fig. 1b) only the Aspromonte Unit, which occupies the uppermost geometrical position in the Peloritani nappe system, crops out. The Aspromonte Unit is formed by a metamorphic basement composed of paragneiss, orthogneiss, migmatites, amphibolites and marbles showing a medium-to high-grade Variscan metamorphism, intruded by Late Variscan intrusive bodies (Cirrincione et al. 2015 and references therein). ...
Radon measurements in soil gases were carried out along the Tyrrhenian margin of north-eastern Sicily (southern Apennines of Italy), one of the most tectonically and seismically active areas within the central Mediterranean region. The collected data highlight an ~ NW–SE oriented zone located to the south of the Milazzo Peninsula marked by intense soil radon degassing. Concentrations of 222Rn and 220Rn were derived to be in the range of 0.69–81.3 kBq m−3 and 2.63–123.48 kBq m−3, respectively. The widespread radon release seems to be induced by the uprising of deep-originated fluids along faults and joints, and it is favoured by the high permeability of the outcropping alluvial Quaternary sediments. Moreover, the potential tectonic structure promoting the soil radon degassing may act as the “silent” on-land prolongation of the Vulcano-Milazzo fault zone (VMFZ), a transtensional tectonic element located in the Gulf of Patti and belonging to the Aeolian–Tindari–Letojanni System (ATLFS). The collected results are in accordance with previous studies showing the close relationship between regional degassing and tectonic activity. Periodical and continuous monitoring of radon emission over the area is considered of basic importance to better assess the radiological/health hazard for the population, which in this study was primarily evaluated from low to moderate in terms of first-level screening, as well as in view of possible development of the seismogenic process that can intensify the releasing of endogenous fluids.
... The same connection between Central Italy and the European mainland around 6.3 Ma (M1-2 transition) is also highlighted by Van der Made et al. (2006) (Figure 4). Rögl (1999), Ferretti et al. (2003), Cirrincione et al. (2015) and Broquet (2016) postulated that the areas of Sicily and Calabria were close to North Africa during the Tortonian. Van der Made et al. (2006) hypothesised two different scenarios regarding South Italy: (i) Calabria was part of the African land mass or (ii) it was temporarily connected during a regression. ...
Fossil remains from the latest Messinian of Casino Basin (Tuscany, Italy) are known since the beginning of the nineteenth century. Among the others, the mammal assemblage includes Mesopithecus pentelicus, Tapirus arvernensis, Propotamochoerus provincialis and scarce and poorly preserved remains of a hippopotamid, consisting of a mandibular symphysis fragment, an apical fragment of a lower canine, some isolated lower incisors, a fragmented second upper premolar and a second lower molar. These specimens were initially referred as Hippopotamus hipponensis and later ascribed to the new species Hippopotamus pantanellii (recently reported as Hexaprotodon? pantanellii). However, this attribution has been disputed during the past years. The hippopotamid remains from the Casino Basin are revised here in order to clarify their systematic position and to infer paleobiogeographic and evolutionary patterns within the Mediterranean fossil record of Hippopotamidae. The morphology of the remains collected from the Casino Basin more closely resembles the African than the Asian hippopotamids’ lineage and therefore the Tuscan remains should be more properly referred as Archaeopotamus pantanellii. The latter species probably dispersed into Tuscany from the Iberian Peninsula where the presence of Archaeopotamus crusafonti is well documented.
... (a) Sketch map showing the distribution of basement rocks exposed in Southern Italy (modified after [71]); (b) sketch map of the lower, middle, and upper late-Variscan continental crust exposed in Calabria (modified after [68]); (c) geological sketch-map of the Sila Massif area with numbered location (numbers 1-20 in the white circles are the same as reported in Table A1 and in paragraph 4) of the pertaining mineralization sites (modified after [73][74][75][76]). 1-Ophiolite units (e.g., Gimigliano and Diamante-Terranova units). ...
... Minerals 2023, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 of 28 Figure 2. (a) Sketch map showing the distribution of basement rocks exposed in Southern Italy (modified after [71]); (b) sketch map of the lower, middle, and upper late-Variscan continental crust exposed in Calabria (modified after [68]); (c) geological sketch-map of the Sila Massif area with numbered location (numbers 1-20 in the white circles are the same as reported in Table A1 and in paragraph 4) of the pertaining mineralization sites (modified after [73][74][75][76] Table A2 and in paragraph 5) of the pertaining mineralization sites (modified after [74,76] Massif area with numbered location (numbers 21-28 in the white circles are the same as reported in Table A2 and in paragraph 5) of the pertaining mineralization sites (modified after [74,76] The almost complete late Variscan continental crustal block shows a thickness up to about 23 km [69,70,[77][78][79], consisting of three crustal levels: lower, middle, and upper ( Figure 2b). The lower crust (formerly assigned to the Monte Gariglione and Polia-Copanello units) shows a thickness of about 7-8 km, and is composed of mafic and felsic granulites, below, and of amphibolite-granulite facies migmatitic paragneisses, above (e.g., [70,[80][81][82]), juxtaposed by a shear zone [83]. ...
... Minerals 2023, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 of 28 Figure 2. (a) Sketch map showing the distribution of basement rocks exposed in Southern Italy (modified after [71]); (b) sketch map of the lower, middle, and upper late-Variscan continental crust exposed in Calabria (modified after [68]); (c) geological sketch-map of the Sila Massif area with numbered location (numbers 1-20 in the white circles are the same as reported in Table A1 and in paragraph 4) of the pertaining mineralization sites (modified after [73][74][75][76] Table A2 and in paragraph 5) of the pertaining mineralization sites (modified after [74,76] Massif area with numbered location (numbers 21-28 in the white circles are the same as reported in Table A2 and in paragraph 5) of the pertaining mineralization sites (modified after [74,76] The almost complete late Variscan continental crustal block shows a thickness up to about 23 km [69,70,[77][78][79], consisting of three crustal levels: lower, middle, and upper ( Figure 2b). The lower crust (formerly assigned to the Monte Gariglione and Polia-Copanello units) shows a thickness of about 7-8 km, and is composed of mafic and felsic granulites, below, and of amphibolite-granulite facies migmatitic paragneisses, above (e.g., [70,[80][81][82]), juxtaposed by a shear zone [83]. ...
We provide an updated overview of the known mineral deposits from the Sila and Serre Massifs in Calabria, contributing to setting their genesis within a complex geologic history, starting from the late-Carboniferous. We summarize the mineralization reported in the literature, with a critical review of the host tectonic units, by taking into account the upgrades in the knowledge of these areas. We also set them in updated geological maps and in stratigraphic columns, highlighting the crustal levels to which they pertain. Despite the geologic and minerogenetic similarities potentially existing with late-to post-Variscan mineral deposits from other regions (e.g., Sardinia and French Central Massif), the scientific literature on the Calabria mineralization is out-of-date and not exhaustive. Moreover, these ore deposits were likely considered not economically attractive enough to stimulate new scientific studies. However, in our opinion, such studies are needed to resolve the main open questions, which rely on deciphering the origin and age of mineralization. Finally, research for critical elements hosted by the Sila and Serre mineralization (e.g., In, Ge and Ga in sphalerites) is a possible interesting new perspective.
... The Calabria-Peloritani terrane is a belt of Paleozoic to Mesozoic plutonic and metamorphic rocks in southern Calabria and NE Sicily that form a stack of thrust nappes and ophiolite-bearing tectonic units of the Alpine internal zone (Rossetti et al., 2001;Vitale and Ciarcia, 2013;Cirrincione et al., 2015). Irregular retreat of the subduction zone has produced tear faults in the subducting slab that promote mantle upwelling, decompression melting, basaltic volcanism, and NW-striking strike-slip faults that partition the crust into zones of upper-plate extension and oblique transtensional deformation (Fig. 2) (Faccenna et al., 2004(Faccenna et al., , 2011Gallais et al., 2013;Scarfì et al., 2018;Maesano et al., 2020;Jolivet et al., 2021;Pirrotta et al., 2021Pirrotta et al., , 2022Sgroi et al., 2021). ...
The Messina Strait is a narrow fault-bounded marine basin that separates the Calabrian peninsula from Sicily in southern Italy. It sits in a seismically active region where normal fault scarps and raised Quaternary marine terraces record ongoing extension driven by southeastward rollback of the Calabrian subduction zone. A review of published studies and new data shows that normal faults in the Messina Strait region define a conjugate relay zone where displacement is transferred along-strike from NW-dipping normal faults in the northeast (southern Calabria) to the SE-dipping Messina-Taormina normal fault in the southwest (offshore eastern Sicily). The narrow marine constriction of the Messina Strait is a graben undergoing active subsidence within the relay zone. Pronounced curvature of normal faults near their tips results from large strain gradients and clockwise rotations related to fault interactions. Based on regional fault geometries and published age constraints, we propose a model for northwest (oceanward) migration of normal faults in southern Calabria during the past ~2–2.5 Myr in response to rapid crustal extension at the southeast margin of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
