Field trips
in the Apuan Alps  
 

Carmignani L., Conti P., Meccheri M., Molli G. (2004) 
      Geology of the Alpi Apuane Metamorphic Complex (Alpi Apuane, Central Italy)
      32nd International Geological Congress, Field Trip Guide Book (Pre-Congress P38),
      Florence 2004, APAT Roma, 1-36.

Pandeli E., Decandia F.A., Tongiorgi M. (2004) 
      The Paleozoic Basement through the 500 Ma History of the Northern Apennines
      32nd International Geological Congress, Field Trip Guide Book (Pre-Congress B05),
      Florence, 2004, APAT Roma, 1-36.

Zanchetta G., Isola I., Piccini L., Dini A. (2011) 
      The Corchia Cave (Alpi Apuane): a 2 Ma long temporal window on the Earth climate
      85° Congresso Nazionale della Società Geologica Italiana, Pisa 2010,
      Geological Field Trips, 3 (2.1), Servizio Geologico Italiano-ISPRA, Società Geologica Italiana, Roma, 1-55.

Mount Corchia is one of the most typical geological structure of the Alpi Apuane but this is not the only peculiar aspect of this territory. Within a very small area it is possible to combine structural geology, marble exploitation, geomorphology and ore deposits. The last point is of worth of interest because the area has been the subject of ore exploitation until the recent past. Within the marble succession of the Corchia synclinal core develops the longest Italian cave with around 60 km of passages and galleries. Ongoing researches are exploring the huge paleoclimatic archives preserved within the carbonate concretion of the cave and are reconstructing, with extreme detail the climatic and environmental evolution of this sector of the Mediterranean basin.