The quarrymen seem almost clumsy and not physically prepared, they are no longer the heroes of the mountain, once constantly risking their lives. This is thanks to new technologies, which make it possible to extract the raw material more easily. Mountains are bereft of their beauty at a double speed, under the pressure of wealthy Middle Eastern oil men. 50 percent of the quarries are now owned by the BinLaden family, who sell also on the rich Chinese market. A market that finds cheap labor in the big red country and by consequence making survival impossible for the local processing companies. The extraction activity contaminates the rivers of Massa-Carrara with ‘marmettola’, the cements of the aquifers, transforming the natural course of the water and intensifying the flood. This is the reality that hides behind the pure whiteness of the unique Carrara marble. One of the symbols of Italian excellence that has turned into a dysfunctional and polluting machine, with little attention for the conscious preservation of resources.
