Key Engineering Materials Vol. 848

Abstract: Raquel de Castro Marble’s Museum was built in an old quarry of ornamental marble located in one of the entrances of Vila Viçosa, Alto Alentejo – Portugal. It’s a space intended to preserve all the knowledge acquired over decades of exploitation and processing of the Worldwide know stone Estremoz Marble, regionally called "White Gold”. The name of the museum, Raquel de Castro is due to the former owner of the quarry that donated in life the space to the Town Hall of Vila Viçosa. The importance of this industry to the region's economy has profoundly affected the lives of its people and is always strongly linked to the natural stone sector. The contents arranged logically and sequentially, guide the visitor in the most varied aspects, from the geological, historical, technological, environmental and social framework. All the themes are approached in a scientific and practical way, making the museum an area of knowledge and culture constituting a portrait where the populations and industrialists of the region can be reviewed.

Abstract: The proposal as a strategic economic cluster and subsequent recognition of the Portugal Mineral Resources Cluster, by the Portuguese Government, constitutes a milestone and an important step for its rational management. It was clear that the economic growth of companies associated with the cluster of mineral resources grew comparatively more in the same period than those that are not part of the cluster. It has also been demonstrated that the learning capacity of making alliances increases the performance of companies. As an evolution of the Portuguese Stone Cluster, where the clustering strategy demonstrated positive results during the Portuguese economic crisis, the main goal, partly already achieved, of the “Associação Cluster Portugal Mineral Resources” is to spread the experience acquired in the stone sector to the Mineral Resources Economic Sector.

Abstract: Brazil is one of the main producers and exporters of natural stones in the world. Aiming to contribute to environmental improvements, the life cycle inventory of Brazilian natural stones – LCI Stones was elaborated. This paper presents the results obtained along the LCI Stones project. The project was carried out according to the Brazilian methodology for the elaboration of inventories and to the 14040 and 14044 ISO standards. The study consists of two product systems: quarrying and processing (which is divided in two other subsystems: sawing and polishing), being the last one the main system of this study. The product considered is the polished slab. The data were collected within producing companies, comprising a representative time period for the inventory validation. All inputs and outputs of mass, water and energy as well as products and emissions, within the boundaries, were identified and quantified. The main difficulty found in the data collection was the lack of data control by the companies, mainly the water and energy consumption and polishing inputs. The results of the study showed that, among the stone production processes, gang saw cutting was the one with the most relevant impacts. On account of the rapid technological improvements during the last years, the LCI-Stones is being updated by CETEM.

Abstract: The Santo Antonio de Padua natural stone cluster in the state of Rio de Janeiro is considered one of the most successful small mining initiatives in Brazil, having seen the creation of around 150 small- and medium-sized companies operating quarries and stone saw mills. Initially used as corral flooring material, the natural stone was later used in large urban projects such as the Porto Maravilha, a project supported by the city of Rio de Janeiro to modernize the city port before the 2016 Olympic Games. Such a step forward was made possible by a multistakeholder approach that brought together local stone business representatives, government agencies, non-governmental institutions, and other authorities that supported a regional development plan stablishing natural stone production as a priority. This paper describes historical events associated with the development of the Padua stone cluster that may offer practical examples for similar initiatives worldwide.

Abstract: Sardinia (Italy) produces a vast array of natural stones for ornamental use. Besides the internationally known pink and gray granites and the famous limestone known as Orosei marble, a wide range of vulcanites (basalts and “trachytes”) and phyllites - including yellow and ghiandone granites - are also produced. Orosei marbles are some of the most requested types today, which are marketed especially to China. However, there are a number of Sardinian natural stones, which have been quarried and marketed for fifty years, although no image or footage has been published yet: a mention of this natural stones has been only made in some old list of Sardinian stones. For this reason, authors suggested the publication of a poster (70 cm x 100 cm) showing a collection of natural stones quarried for ornamental purposes in Sardinia over the last fifty years. The poster includes a user-friendly map that has been adapted for school use and as a public resource in libraries. There are no previous publications showing a similar wide range of Sardinian stones. The poster offers scientific information about lithology, quarrying sites, dimension stone producing areas, quarries of historical and/or archaeological interest, historical trend in quarries output, technical properties, stone surface workability and a glossary.

Abstract: The dimension stone sector is more and more active in developing new solutions to improve the sustainability of its supply chain, partly as a consequence of the current EU policies on Circular Economy and Raw Materials. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a recognized scientific tool for evaluating environmental impacts of the processes. Nevertheless, in the stone sector, LCA is hindered by the scarce availability of Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) datasets for the specific processes of the stone supply chain. This paper provides LCI datasets of the most common and widespread techniques and related technologies for quarrying, cutting and finishing soft-weak stones. To this aim primary data were collected in Italian marble quarries and processing plants and in companies producing cutting tools. When necessary, industry data were complemented with secondary data from literature. High replicability and flexibility of the datasets is obtained through the provision of Unit process inventories for each technology/technique and through the set of parameters. In addition, the uncertainty of the resulting LCI datasets has been evaluated with the well-established procedure of Ecoinvent pedigree matrix. The availability of these datasets contributes to the population of Life Cycle databases and is expected to boost the measurement and enhancement of the key aspects of sustainability in the stone sector.

Abstract: The purpose of this research is to show how to reduce the amount of landfilled marble waste/scraps by collecting and re-purposing the marble microfine sawdust, which is produced after the sawing and processing of carbonate dimension stones. Our ultimate goal is to identify alternative uses, rather than landfilling. The current solution so far preferred - landfill - does not fully meet sustainable development criteria. Our reduction strategy is based on a regulatory framework which identifies waste, by-product and end of waste status clearer. After a careful characterization, the marble sawdust can be reused and marketed for industrial applications, that employ micronized calcium carbonate, as a new material. During the first few years of study, the research focused on the construction industry (i.e. concrete – plaster - brick), by assessing the extensive use of marble sludge. The building industry is able to incorporate and reuse waste materials deriving from different industries, although, in this way, such material would be regarded as of poor quality. The current trend is to add high economic value to this waste. Since product specifications for calcium carbonate vary depending on its application, a comparison with the paper - rubber - and tyre calcium carbonate requirements is described herein and, in addition, the final results of the tests carried out on marble sawdust in tyre mixtures are also reported in detail.

Abstract: About 20 years ago, the lack of knowledge of the Brazilian architects about the use of rocks as natural materials was being commented which may have contributed to the problems of the stone coatings of buildings in several cities, compromising their original features and the beauty of many works. Professionals did not seek technological data on rocks and students were not instructed on such subjects in classrooms. The choice of these materials was supposedly empirical. Between 2010 and 2012 it was possible to obtain access to information about the contents of materials teaching in the architecture courses of Brazil, and also to inquire whether or not there was knowledge by architects active in the market on the subject, interviewing 64 professionals in 13 states from the country. The architects would be authors of architectural projects of large buildings and responsible for the materials specifications. Conclusion: there is no teaching directed to the use of rocks in Architecture in the country courses and architects never learned formally about such subject, fact that justified in a doctorate thesis proposal, the creation of the first discipline on the subject in the Course of Architecture and Urbanism of the Federal University of Pernambuco, UFPE, Brazil.

Abstract: Stereotomy, as a constructive technique, has a millennial history that has been optimized over time due to the development of geometry and construction . Using mainly stones specially limestone the stereotomic design takes advantage of the subdivision of solid big structures into smaller different pieces, named ´voussoirs´. These pieces are limited in forms and they work through the assembly of multiple units to create the final structure. Precision in the cuts and the correct placement of each part is crucial to ensure static and structural safety. The development of digital technology which has been taking place through the last decades re-ignited the interest in the use of stones as an essential material to buildings structures. As a result, many experiences took place mixing the use of stones with computerized and manufactoring techniques that , in turn, boost the industry of stone cutting. This paper presents information on the use of stereotomic design through the centuries, focusing on its evolution as a technique and on the results that are showing out in contemporary architecture. Through an analysis of the recovery of stone as a constructive and structural material, it is the aim of this study to establish a general panorama on the results achieved in the field of architecture and design in order to understand the methodologies applied when using the stereotomic technique.

Abstract: Through the observation of the set of monuments of cultural heritage built in stone, it can be seen important ornamental or covering applications. From macroscopic descriptions performed in these monuments, a great variety and different intensities of alteration processes are observed, mainly when comparisons are made between monuments located in large and small urban centers. These alterations and degradations, in part conditioned by the mineralogical composition and the structures present in these stone materials, are strongly influenced by the conditions of the environment. In general, the set of alterations and degradations observed are those related to the decomposition of the minerals that make up these rocks. Based on these in-situ investigations, diagnostics can be produced on the degree of degradation of stone materials and recommendations for their conservation