Historical data of Trentino porphyry
Historically, porphyry has been used in Trentino since ancient times. It was first used as building stone and later as covering for roofs. We have found evidence of heated disputes for the mining rights between the Earl of Tyrol and the Earl Bishop of Trento in the historic archives. This is a sign of the historical preciousness of this natural resource.
But only early in the 20th century, thanks to its versatility and its technical qualities, did porphyry became the ideal material, especially for civil engineering.
Porphyry was first introduced in the cube pavings on the main roads throughout Trentino and Südtirol. This kind of flooring swiftly spread throughout the country. The fatiguing work in the quarries and the production system were rationalized.
The porphyry production remained in the hands of a fistful of companies from other regions until the second half of the 20th century. A group of workers opened the first local cooperative in Albiano (one of the most important sites of the so-called Trentino porphyry platform), obtaining the mining concession in 1946. This made the local inhabitants aware of the great economical value of this natural resource.
The last decade of the 20th century showed a deep growth of the sector, followed by a big rise in production and a clear improvement in working conditions, mining methods and techniques. This has led to a better product offer and range, where the manufactured end-product (with more value added) represents the most common use.