Illustrated presentation - The Colourful Universe of the Geodes of Teis

Illustrated presentation by Volkmar Mair, Director of the Office for Geology and Building Materials Testing

The Bolzano supervolcano is the Earth’s third largest known caldera. The eruptions came from various supply vents and fractures. There were also areas with hot springs, solfataras and other accompanying phenomena of volcanism. All these processes have led to the formation of a wide variety of minerals. Some of these mineral occurrences, such as the famous Geodes of Teis, are even rarer than diamonds. The dawsonite crystals of Terlan are among the most beautiful in the world. Each mineral from the porphyries documents a different chapter of the history of formation of this volcanic region. The presentation impressively illustrates the history of this unique geological area.