The Troodos mountain range is an ophiolite, a term used to describe a group of igneous rocks which make up the oceanic crust. Troodos is part of a very ancient section of oceanic crust...
The Troodos ophiolite complex is characterised by its rich deposits of asbestos, chromite, copper and iron pyrites as well as seams of gold and silver.
Cyprus' name has long been linked to copper (Cuprum). Vertical copper production on the island began 3000 BC. The ancient Cypriots were not only expert miners but superb metallurgists too.
Today, on the site of the Geopark, in the two areas where quarrying is permitted, the Mitsero and Pharmakas quarries produce some 2,200,000 tons of aggregates, covering approximately 22% of the island’s needs.
