Evaluation of Natural Stones in Different Usage Areas, Samsun Example

Abstract

In Samsun, which is located in the Central Black Sea Region and the largest city of the entire Black Sea Region, the purchase of materials from the quarries, especially limestone, has started as a result of the prohibition of purchasing aggregates from the Yeşilırmak and Kızılırmak basins, especially due to the very low sediment transport. Although the materials taken from the limestone quarries are mostly used in the production of concrete, there are rocks of volcanic origin such as basalt, granite, andesite and, albeit in small numbers, diorite. Limestone quarries, especially concentrated in Kavak district, are widespread in the entire Black Sea Region. In addition, other natural stone quarries used for different purposes other than concrete production are also used in commercial activities. The fact that natural stones have different properties also affects the variety of usage areas. To give an example, while there are companies in our country that can manufacture thermal insulation materials such as rock wool by melting basalt stone at high temperature, no such study has yet been carried out for the existing basalt quarries throughout the province in Samsun. It is thought that the high water absorption capacity of basalt, as in the Ayvacık example, is an important factor in this. However, the same natural stone can be used as ballast material under railway tracks. Samsun has a good potential in terms of the number of reserves and quarries of natural stones used in construction and visual production items in the construction sector, and a significant contribution will be made if new production areas are opened in addition to the existing areas of use.