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Note illustrative redatte per il Foglio geologico n. 245 Viterbo della Carta Geologica d'Italia alla scala 1:50.000. 273 pp.

This is the pre print draft version of the geological sheet 345 of "Geological Map of Italy at 1:50,000 scale - CARG, published on-line by ISPRA (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale) -Servizio Geologicod'Italia -https://www.isprambiente.gov.it/en/projects/soil-and-territory/foglio-345-viterbo-della-carta-geologica-ditalia-alla-scala-1-50.000?set_language=en Description The geological sheet 345 "Viterbo" at the scale 1:50,000 is currently being prepared for printing. The sheet has been realized with a Research Contract between ISPRA and the University of Urbino, through the survey at 1:10.000 scale of the volcanic and sedimentary deposits on it, also using the cartography and data already existing at 1:25.000 scale. The activities also involved the acquisition of stratigraphic, sedimentological and structural data of the area, included in the documentation accompanying the sheet, such as Legend, geological sections, chronostratigraphic scheme, tectonic scheme and Explanatory Notes. ISPRA also took care of the computerization and preparation of the geological BD at 1:25.000 scale. The areas occupied by sedimentary deposits were surveyed by the Tuscia University, while the areas occupied by volcanites were surveyed by the University of Urbino and ISPRA. In the part entrusted to ISPRA (SE quadrant of the sheet), all surveys and samples were carried out ex-novo. The area of Sheet no. 345 "Viterbo" is included in the sector of the western edge of the central Apennines affected by a sinorogenic compressive tectonic phase in the upper-middle Miocene and by an extensional phase from Messinian to Plio-Pleistocene. On a regional scale, this area is involved in the lifting of southern Tuscany and northern Latium, which can also be referred to the rising of magmatic melts. &nbsp

ROSSI F.P., MADONNA S, MILLI S. (2018). From quarrying site to geosite: a review on a possible approach to project an open-air museum as a key to preserve geological data. In: Geosciences for the environment, natural hazards and cultural heritage Congresso congiunto SGI-SIMP 2018 - Fabio Massimo Petti, Bernardo Carmina, Rosolino Cirrincione, Carmelo Monaco (Eds.) Società Geologica Italiana, Catania, 12-14 settembre 2018. Abstract Book. Società Geologica Italiana. Roma https://doi.org/10.3301/ABSGI.2018.02 Abstract Many quarrying sites at the end of the activity are covered and re-natured through a morphological land modeling and a subsequent re-vegetation (environmental restoration). However these actions are very expensive and rarely effective, and in some cases risk to cover unique features emerging on the excavation fronts. In the last few decades, landscapes and geological features of depleted mining sites start to be considered as a resource with a public value that could attract a new generation of culturally and scientifically oriented tourists. However, to be fully effective, planning the functional recovery should take place in parallel with the exploitation activities. Facies analysis could be a useful tool to ameliorate an overall knowledge on sedimentary stone materials, helping improving marketability, reducing the volumes of waste and collect data to plan a future open-air museum. Here we present a quarrying site in Tuscany (Italy), Poggio la Vecchia quarry. The extracted lithotype, well-known in literature as Manciano sandstone, consists of medium-coarse sands with local intercalations of conglomerates, which were deposited in shallow-water environment (see Rossi et al., 2017 with references therein). Some of the well exposed, diamond-line cut, allow a detailed analysis of textures and sedimentary structures, as well as ichnofacies, fossils, etc.; in this study, we also obtained HD ortophotoimages and a detailed morphological model using UAV flights. A huge stock of data and about 1000 detailed pictures took with a HD GPS built-in Camera were also collected and geolocated. For its central position in the Tuscany area and the height of the mining site (more than 80m in 12 climbing walls), Poggio la Vecchia quarry represents an incredible opportunity to “read history” on every wall, of every step of the quarry. All this deserve to be preserved and turned into a Geosite.This lithotype is very stable geotechnically allowing the site to easily be converted in a visiting site, operational facilities in indoor museum areas and wasting sites in picnic areas following an environmental rehabilitation. Exploitation and recovery plan to be submitted (L.R. Toscana n°35/2015) lasts 25 years. This timeframe is adequate to collect enough data throughout the lifespan of Poggio La Vecchia quarry.

An alternative kind of re-vegetation. Feasibility of environmental restoration on a depleted mining site - Rossi F.G., Schirone B. & Madonna. Published inIn: Geosciences for the environment, natural hazards and cultural heritage Congresso congiunto SGI-SIMP 2018 - Fabio Massimo Petti, Bernardo Carmina, Rosolino Cirrincione, Carmelo Monaco (Eds.) Società Geologica Italiana, Catania, 12-14 settembre 2018. Abstract Book. Società Geologica Italiana. Roma.https://doi.org/10.3301/ABSGI.2018.02 Abstract Quarries represent important economic activities with an high cost in term of environmental impact. Here we present a study of a quarrying site in Tuscany (Italy). The extracted lithotype, formerly “Arenaria di Manciano” consisting of medium-coarse arenites with intercalations of conglomerates. Some of the quarry-exposures of the Manciano Sandstone allow a detailed analysis of sedimentary structures, icnhofacies, fossils, etc., deserve to be preserved and emphasized. However other less interesting areas of the quarry, from the scientific point of view, need an environmental restoration at the end of the mining activity. Almost every quarry in Italy actually has an exploitation plan coupled with an environmental restoration plan. Especially in Tuscany, exploitation and recovery plan has to be submitted all at once based on the regional laws for the mining sector (L.R. Toscana n°35/2015) and exploitation plans can last 25 years. According to the comprehensive definition of restoration proposed by Stanturf (2014), quarries recovery plans belong to a particular category of restoration named Reclamation: “Reclamation applies to severely degraded land generally devoid of vegetation, often the result of belowground resource extraction, such as mining… On such sites, more intensive management techniques are usually necessary to revegetate the site although natural recolonization can be effective”.In the case of quarries this means that before planting, morphological land modelling of the site is necessary. Nowadays, in Italy quarry recovery designs are often simple works of covering mining sites followed by planting of “resistant” species, sometime using bioengineering techniques. Instead, after a careful preparation of the site, with particular attention to drainage works, it is important to choose with great wisdom the plant species that must initiate a vegetative succession able to develop autonomously. Equally important are the selected planting techniques that can also include the use of shelters, hydroretentors or hydrogels combined with nitrogen, or other methods. Above all, it is important to take care of the reforestation work for at least three or four years after planting. Following this feasibility study, a pivotal recovery project should take effect to evaluate in practice, some new reclamation techniques suggested.&nbsp

This is the final paper of: "Facies Analysis Applied To Quarrying" A review of the possible use of sedimentology to increase knowledge and use of ornamental sandstones.Author:Francesco Giuseppe Rossi,Sergio Madonna,Salvatore Milli.Publication: Procedia Engineering. Publisher:Elsevier Date:2017-https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.11.031. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. Abstract Quarrying is an important economic activity but has several impacts on environment. Some of these impacts can be mitigated or compensated during the activity but the main goal to obtain better results would be digging less material and augmenting the marketable percentage over the amount extracted. Facies analysis could be a useful tool to ameliorate an overall knowledge on sedimentary stone materials, helping improving marketability and reducing the volumes of waste material. This is particularly true on sandstones, usually used as ornamental stones because of their peculiarity in colour, geometry and fossils. Here we present an example of facies studies on the Manciano Sandstone of the Gamberaio quarry in Tuscany (Italy), in order to valorize its commercial varieties.

The Ficoncella site in northern Latium (Italy) represents a unique opportunity to investigate the modalities of a short occupation in an alluvial setting during the Lower Palaeolithic. The small excavation area yielded a lithic assemblage, a carcass of Palaeoloxodon antiquus, and some other faunal remains. The main objectives of the study are to better characterize the depositional context where the Palaeoloxodonand the lithic assemblage occur, and to evaluate with greater precision the occupation dynamics. A 25 m-long well was drilled just above the top of the terrace of the Ficoncella site and faunal and lithic remains were analyzed with current and innovative techniques. The archaeological site contains floodplain deposits as it is located next to a small incised valley that feeds into a larger valley of the Mignone River. A tephra layer capping the site is 40Ar/39Ar dated to 441±8 ka. Collectively, the geochronologic, tephrochronologic and geologic data, suggest the site was occupied during MIS 13. The new results should prompt further research at Ficoncella in order to improve our understanding of the dynamics of human settlement in Europe during the Early to Middle Pleistocene.