Church of Albo

This beautiful outcrop consists of dark schists rich in biotite, known in Italian geological literature as‘kinzigites’, belonging to the Ivrea-Verbano Zone (or ‘Ivrea-Verbano diorite-kinzigite Formation’).

This is a high-grade metamorphic rock that has undergone limited partial melting (at around 700°), producing a hydrated granitic melt. The melt recrystallised, forming the distinct lenses and pods of pegmatite, a white rock consisting mainly of quartz and feldspar with some muscovite and tourmaline; the coarse grain size is due to crystallisation in the presence of water.

This schistose rock consists of quartz, plagioclase, biotite, a small amount of secondary muscovite and sillimanite; garnet may also be present.