Abstract
The marbles quarried in the areas Volakas, Granitis, Ochyro, Piges and Pyrgoi are classified according to their mineralogical composition into a) dolomitic and b) dolomitic-calcitic marbles. The percentage of dolomite in these marbles ranges from 85% to 97%, while that of calcite from 3% to 12%. Quartz, apatite, phlogopite, chlorite, muscovite, magnetite and pyrite occur as accessory minerals. The above are characterized as ultra fine-grained with granoblastic texture, while their crystal binding is characterized as triple-point junction and loboidal. Their white colour is attributed to their mineralogical composition, more specifically to the presence of ultra-fine-grained dolomite with prevailing grain dimensions of 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm. The grey colour is attributed to the particle differentiation and to the presence of bitumens. The marbles quarried in the areas of Xeropotamos and Vathylakkos are calcitic and are tectonically affected very intensively. Their texture is mainly granobla ...
The marbles quarried in the areas Volakas, Granitis, Ochyro, Piges and Pyrgoi are classified according to their mineralogical composition into a) dolomitic and b) dolomitic-calcitic marbles. The percentage of dolomite in these marbles ranges from 85% to 97%, while that of calcite from 3% to 12%. Quartz, apatite, phlogopite, chlorite, muscovite, magnetite and pyrite occur as accessory minerals. The above are characterized as ultra fine-grained with granoblastic texture, while their crystal binding is characterized as triple-point junction and loboidal. Their white colour is attributed to their mineralogical composition, more specifically to the presence of ultra-fine-grained dolomite with prevailing grain dimensions of 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm. The grey colour is attributed to the particle differentiation and to the presence of bitumens. The marbles quarried in the areas of Xeropotamos and Vathylakkos are calcitic and are tectonically affected very intensively. Their texture is mainly granoblastic - brecciated. The calcite content in these rocks ranges from 90% to 98%, while that of dolomite ranges from 2% to 10%. These marbles are characterized as fine-grained, present granoblastic texture and their crystal binding is characterized as triple-point junction and loboidal. The marbles quarried in the Thassos Island are mainly dolomitic (snow-white), while with small production of calcitic marbles, known as semi-white crystallines of Thassos, participates. The white colour in the dolomitic marbles of Thassos is attributed to the presence of coarse-grained dolomite with dominant crystal size from 1 mm to 1.3 mm. The white colour in the calcitic marbles of Thassos is attributed to the presence of the medium coarse-grained calcite, with crystal size around 0.4 mm for the crystalline of Maries and around 1.5 mm for the crystalline of Theologos. The presence of agglomerates or bands of grey colour in the crystalline of Theologos is mainly attributed to the presence of bitumens in its mass, and also to the presence of non carbonate minerals such as phlogopite, hornblende and fluorine apatite.The mineral chemistry performed on dolomitic marbles showed that the percentage of magnesium oxide (MgO) ranges from 20.52% to 22.67%, while the percentage of calcium oxide (CaO) ranges from 28.53% to 30.09%. The corresponding mineral chemistry of the calcitic marbles showed that the percentage of calcium oxide (CaO) ranges from 49.19% to 54.06%, while magnesium oxide (MgO) participates with a very small amount ranging from 0.55% to 1.20%. The values of bulk specific gravity in the dolomitic marbles, fine–grained or coarse–grained, are clearly higher than those in the calcitic marbles (fine–grained or coarse–grained) ranging for the dolomitic marbles from 2,825 kg/m3 to 2,848 kg/m3 and for the calcitic marbles from 2,694 kg/m3 to 2,714 kg/m3.The values of open porosity in the ultra fine–grained dolomitic marbles of Falakro Mountain are high, almost double, than those of the calcitic marble (fine–grained to coarse–grained), but also to those of coarse–grained dolomitic marbles of Thassos.The values of the water absorption in the ultra fine-grained dolomitic marbles of Falakro Mountain are high, almost twice or three times, compared to the calcitic marbles (fine- and coarse-grained) but also to those of coarse-grained dolomitic marbles of Thassos.The values of compressive strength in the dolomitic marbles are higher, almost twice or three times, compared to the calcitic marbles (fine- and coarse-grained). The coarse-grained dolomitic and calcitic marbles present the lowest values of compressive strength.The lowest values of resistance to tension possess the ultra fine-grained dolomitic marbles: white of Granitis Falakro (T=4 Mpa) and white of Pyrgoi Falakro (T=6 Mpa). The highest values are recorded in the white of Piges Falakro (ultra fine-grained dolomitic marble, T= 16 Mpa), in the snow-white of Thassos (coarse-grained dolomitic marble, T=16 Mpa) and in the semi-white “pseudo-breccia” of Xeropotamos (calcitic marble, T=17 Mpa).The absolute highest value of wear from friction is presented by the White of the Falakro, ultra fine-grained dolomitic marble (4.47 mm), while the lower values are presented by the marble types of: a) White of the Piges Falakro (ultra fine-grained dolomitic marble, 2.20 mm) and b) Crystalline of Theologos Thassos (coarse-grained calcitic marble, 2.20 mm).The mean micro-hardness values (HKm.o.) in the dolomitic marbles (coarse- and ultra fine-grained) are higher, almost double, than those of the calcitic marbles (fine- and coarse-grained). The results of all the laboratory examinations show that the selection of decorative rocks in the various constructions has to be based on the correlation of the physicochemical characteristics with the mineralogical-petrographic and textural characteristics that dominate those of the aesthetic ones. By this dissertation scientific data are provided to marble users (manufacturers, civil engineers, architects etc), for the selection of the most appropriate marble types available in the market, coming from the most important marble bearing region of Greece, Eastern Macedonia.
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