El travertino rojo de Mulaaportaciones a su geología y minería

Abstract

The red travertine from Mula has been mined from Roman times to the early 20th century in recurrent periods. This stone comes from two outcrops located on two hills, Alcalá and la Almagra (Mula, Region of Murcia). Its special colour with its hydric and mechanical properties have contributed to its use both in construction and in public works in the region of the Mula river. This paper shows a review of the geological knowledge of the area with own contributions, as well as the geochemical and crystallographic characterization of the rock. In addition, an estimation of the extracted material (193.920 m3) and an evaluation of the potential deposit that remains in situ (747.300 m3) have been done. Currently, both hills are protected sites, so the reactivation of mining activity is not possible.