Analysis of lapideus materials from the columns of the cathedral of St Maria in Randazzo (Catania, Italy) and from their ancient origin quarries

Lava columns from the cathedral St Maria of Randazzo (Catania, Italy), were studied in order to establish the classification of these rocks and to investigate their origin. At the beginning of the XIX century, some columns of the old frame of the nave were removed to build the dome and stored in a fornix beneath the cathedral. Samples were taken directly from these columns. The specimens underwent petrographic investigation through optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and chemical analyses of major and trace elements through X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Some trace element (Sr, Rb, Y, Zr and Nb) concentrations were assessed through non-destructive analyses, performed with a portable X-ray device which can detect homogeneous concentrations of such elements on the columns of the cathedral. According to chemical data, these rocks can be classified as mugeariites whose mineral assemblage is given by plagioclase (mostly andesinic), augitic pyroxene, olivine, magnetite and, occasionally, apatite. In order to investigate the origin of the material used for the columns, a comparative examination was conducted between the column samples and specimens collected from quarries in the surrounding area of the town of Randazzo (Randazzo and Maniace quarries and the 1536 lava flow). The correlation with the Randazzo quarry proved to be excellent. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS