Colline Metallifere

The Metalliferous [ kol -li: nə metal -li: ferə ], the Tuscan Ore (Italian: 'Metal bearing hills " in German pars pro toto translation also called metalliferous hills ) are a mountain range of central and southern Tuscany. Since ancient times they were known for their natural resources; today, moderate tourism development.

Location

The geographical location of the ridge can be further adapted or close. Some cards limit them to a core region north of the former mining center of Massa Marittima with the studs at Montieri and Gerfalco, south east of Cecina on the Tyrrhenian Sea and southwest of Siena.

Occasionally, the south of Massa Marittima Grosseto to adjacent hills, where also minerals were mined, included in the term and called Metalliferous Grossetane. Center of this southern extension is Gavorrano.

The valley of the Cecina, which is also known as the Valley of the Devil because of its geothermal activity, is also sometimes included in the literature with. In this the north by the alabaster hills of Volterra adjacent area ENEL operates one of the world's largest geothermal power plants to produce electricity at Larderello.

History / Economic Terms

Roman sources, have built the Etruscans from the hills iron ore, copper and silver; immediately south of Volterra went to Alabaster. In the Middle Ages the ore mining flourished especially in the free city of the Republic of Massa Marittima, the world's aufstellte 1225 the first mining code.

The uncontrolled swamping of the Maremma, which brought malaria to Massa Marittima and the local population decimated by once 10,000 to only about 500, brought the mining industry in the later Middle Ages to a halt. Only after a successful reclamation and drainage program of the Habsburg Grand Dukes of Tuscany, the activity could be resumed in the mines of Massa, Gavorrano and Montieri in the 19th century. The mining industry was up again in the 1970s, the main source of income in the region. Then they closed again due to lack of profitability, because the import of raw materials from Africa, South America and Central Asia had become cheaper.

The Metalliferous today

In the last quarter of the 20th and beginning of the 21st century, tourism has replaced mining as an economic base. At the time of mining had shown little interest in the natural scenery and wildlife of the region, which could therefore evolve away from the mines without human intervention. Large enclosed oak and chestnut forests cover the higher mountain areas, a rare form of central Italy landscape. At lower altitudes, scrub, oak and broom prevail. In the woods wild boar, porcupine, badger and stone marten live.

Individual walkers and riders discover gradually in the context of agri-tourism or vacation on tab farms the area in the valley of the Upper Cecina and the river Merse west of Siena.

By decree of 28 February 2002 of the Italian Ministry for the Environment, the community areas of Follonica, Gavorrano, Massa Marittima, Monterotondo Marittimo, Montieri, Rocca Strada and Scarlino were institutionalized as Parco Tecnologico ed archeologico delle Colline Metalliferous. The aim of the National Parks is to document the history of the region as an important mining center of national importance for posterity. Discontinued tunnels and disused quarries are explained by information boards in the entire mountain range. A completely preserved and developed as a museum pyrite mine is since 2003 in the Parco di Minerario Naturalistico Gavorrano, a core part of the park, accessible with a guide.

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