Is Zuddas is the only show cave in the Sulcis region and is renowned for its helictites. The cave develops over 1500 m in Cambrian dolostones of Monte Meana (Santadi, SW Sardinia). This carbonate hill hosts important subterranean karst phenomena comprising several other caves. From the middle of the 1980's the cave is managed by the Cooperative Monte Meana that has made a part of the underground tunnels and rooms accessible installing stairs, pathways and artificial illumination. In this study, in the framework of a BSc thesis in Geological Sciences at the University of Cagliari, the mineralogical characteristics of many types of speleothems discovered in both tourist and wild parts of the cave are presented. These formations are classified according to the morphological classification proposed by Hill & Forti (1997). Some considerations on the way these helictites change direction and ramify are made. The cave is renowned for its abundance of helictites, but a detailed study has recognised a great variety of different speleothems, reaching a total of 29 types, some of which are common forms, others are rather seldom morphologies. For what concerns mineralogy, besides calcite and aragonite, Mg-calcite, huntite, dolomite, barite, gypsum, hydromagnesite, quartz and some clay minerals have been found.
Il ricco patrimonio speleotemico della Grotta di Is Zuddas (Santadi, Sardegna sud-occidentale)
FRAU, FRANCO
2008-01-01
Abstract
Is Zuddas is the only show cave in the Sulcis region and is renowned for its helictites. The cave develops over 1500 m in Cambrian dolostones of Monte Meana (Santadi, SW Sardinia). This carbonate hill hosts important subterranean karst phenomena comprising several other caves. From the middle of the 1980's the cave is managed by the Cooperative Monte Meana that has made a part of the underground tunnels and rooms accessible installing stairs, pathways and artificial illumination. In this study, in the framework of a BSc thesis in Geological Sciences at the University of Cagliari, the mineralogical characteristics of many types of speleothems discovered in both tourist and wild parts of the cave are presented. These formations are classified according to the morphological classification proposed by Hill & Forti (1997). Some considerations on the way these helictites change direction and ramify are made. The cave is renowned for its abundance of helictites, but a detailed study has recognised a great variety of different speleothems, reaching a total of 29 types, some of which are common forms, others are rather seldom morphologies. For what concerns mineralogy, besides calcite and aragonite, Mg-calcite, huntite, dolomite, barite, gypsum, hydromagnesite, quartz and some clay minerals have been found.
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
