In 1910 the Società Anonima Miniere Scisti bituminosi di Meride e di Besano started its commercial activity with the opening of the oil factory Spinirolo close to Meride, a small village situated on the southern slop of the Monte San Giorgio, Canton of Ticino, Switzerland.

The Monte San Giorgio is also well known as the «Mountain of the Saurians» due to the abundant amount of fossils reptiles (saurians) found in the 8 to 12 m thick Middle Triassic Besano Formation or «Grenzbitumenzone» composed of bituminous shales, dolomitic limestones and bentonites.

Since 1906 the bituminous shales of the Besano Formation of the Monte San Giorgio had been removed in subterranean galleries and tunnels for commercial purposes (BRINKMANN 2004). From 1910 onwards the oil of the bituminous shales were distilled in the new «Fabbrica dello Spinirolo» and then further processed into an Ichthyol-like product for the pharmaceutical industry of Mailand, Italy, and Basel, Switzerland. The cure Ichthyol – produced from the Late Triassic bituminous-rich shale of Seefeld, Tyrol, Austria, which is well known for its fish fossils – was already successful on the market. Therefore, the new Swiss product was called Saurolo with reference to the abundant fossil saurians unearthed in the Besano Formation. Ichthyol and Saurolo in oil or ointment form are applicable for the anti-inflammatory treatment of skin diseases.

While the brand Saurolo has long been driven out of the market, the now synthetically manufactured Ichthyol is successful as medicinal product until today. From the oil factory Spinirolo close to Meride only the chimney has survived. The factory itself was replaced by a residential building.