FUNTANA PIROI MINE
 
Aerial view of the site
Layering clay formation
The Clay deposit extends continuously for about 900 hectares in the municipality of Escalaplano (CA), the mining Concession is currently 350 hectares with reserves established for over 3 million tonnes.
The geology of the area is typical of the formations of Central Sardinia, in particular as regards the Mesozoic sedimentary cover, discordant with the Paleozoic crystalline basement: particularly in the field of Escalaplano are visible the words been and Middle Jurassic in which between the quartz conglomerate bed and dolomitic limestone is present roof clay formation of our interest.
Clay formation thickness ranges from 8 to 10 meters and consists of an alternation of Marly soil levels-levels a kaolin and silica rich grey-plastic is grey and illitic minerals reddish.
Preparation of a Sprint on the barren limestone
The clay minerals content varies from a minimum of 60% Silica Rich levels to a maximum of 80% in plastic with subordinate levels feldspars and MICAS and quartz.
Storage view mixtures and raw materials
The discreet compositional variety of clays, with Alumina contents vary from 20 Al 30% allows to obtain different mixes and dough and refractory ceramic.
Mining activity is always preceded by a thorough campaign of surveys in order to assess the qualitative and quantitative of continuities training clay; cultivation takes place after killing of sterile soil and extraction of various lithologies argillaceous selectively is performed with the help of excavators and loaders.
The output is stored in the warehouse of raw materials, the sampling and chemical-physical analysis and characterization of ceramics. On the basis of these analyses are prepared formulations of commercial mixtures in accordance with the product specifications.
Environmental recovery phase
Considerable attention is placed to the restoration of affected areas to mining operations, in particular the recovery of lands under the morphological and environmental profile.