Marble Quarry Research Articles

Determination of Land Change and Land Cover Change of Marble Quarries in Bilecik Central Region by Support Vector Machine Method

Bilecik ili Türkiye’nin en önemli doğaltaş alanlarından birisidir. Son yıllarda, Bilecik çevresinde yeni mermer ocaklarının açılmasıyla birlikte bölgede doğaltaş üretimi giderek artmıştır. Sakarya kıtasının batısında bulunan çalışma alanında birçok mermer ocağı bulunmaktadır. Bu kıtaya ait birimler, mavişist metamorfizması geçirmiştir. Metamorfik birimlerin üzerine uyumsuzlukla örten Geç Jura-Erken Kretase yaşlı birimler, transgresyona uğramıştır. Mermer ocaklarının yer aldığı Geç Jura-Erken Kreatese yaşlı birimler, Bilecik Formasyonu’ndan oluşmaktadır. Bu birimlerde; beyaz-pembe, kahverengi-gri ve bej renkli mermerler bulunmaktadır. Arazi kullanımı/arazi değişimi (LULC) sınıflaması kullanılarak uzaktan algılama yöntemi ile bölgedeki mermer ocaklarının 5 er yıllık (2006, 2011, 2016 ve 2021) arazi değişimi gösterilmiştir. Landsat 5 TM ve Landsat 8 OLI multispektral uydu görüntüleri makine öğrenme yöntemlerinden Destek Vektör Makineleri (DVM) metoduyla sınıflandırılmıştır. LULC doğruluğunu ispat etmek için doğruluk matrisi ve Kappa indisi oluşturulmuştur. Tematik haritaların doğruluğu sırasıyla %95,75 , %92,00, %93,60, %95,20, Kappa katsayısı değerleri de; 0,92, 0,86, 0,89, 0,91 olarak belirlenmiştir. Mermer ocak sayısının artması, katı atık miktarındaki artışı beraberinde getirmektedir. Bu durum, katı atık depolama sahalarının yetersiz kalması nedeniyle gelecekte kenti olumsuz olarak etkileyebilecektir.

Use of Marble Waste as A Road Base Material in Different Size Ranges

Along with the economic loss caused by the non-use of waste worldwide, uncontrolled storage also brings an additional cost. Today, the rapid increase in the population and the rapid depletion of natural resources in nature lead us to research the recycling possibilities of waste materials. In this context, using marble waste in road pavements is one of the best areas of use. This study investigated the suitability of substituting the marble waste obtained from a marble quarry in Bilecik, Turkey, in the road base layer instead of the aggregate, which was used all the time in the base layer in highway construction at different intervals. The physical tests carried out in this context have met the base material limit conditions of the Turkish Highways Technical Specification (THTS). Mixtures obtained in modified Proctor experiments, and optimum water contents (wopt) and maximum dry unit volume weight (rdmax) were determined for each mixture. California bearing ratio (CBR) values remained above the limit value of all mixtures for 0 days and 7 days of curing according to the specifications for THTS. In addition, CBR values were obtained after freezing-thawing at 4, 12, and 20 cycle numbers. According to the freeze-thaw test results, there was an increase in CBR values in the first 4 cycles and a decrease in the following cycles. Still, all the test results obtained remained above the limit value according to the specifications for THTS. Aggregate unit cost constitutes approximately twice the unit cost of marble waste. Besides, this difference has created an economic equality distance of 18.9 km. Therefore, a marble quarry, a road construction site within the calculated economic equality distance and marble waste material will provide a financial gain for our country. With the evaluation of quarry waste all over the world, we can leave a liveable world with rich raw material resources and a strong economy for future generations.

Study on turbidity sources for a karst spring downgradient of a marble quarry

Study on turbidity sources for a karst spring downgradient of a marble quarry

Performance evaluation of concrete mixtures using mining & industrial byproducts

Concrete plays an important and rightful role in the construction of buildings and other structures, and a large quantity of concrete is being utilized. Currently, India had already taken a massive effort on continuing to develop the infrastructures like expressways, flyovers, hydroelectric dams, and industrial projects, etc. to satisfy the specifications of global economy. For such massive development huge amount of natural resources were extracted and utilized. One of the most commonly used stone is marble for the infrastructure building works. The mining, refining, polishing, cutting, and transporting of a large quantity of marble all result in the generation of waste, which has a cumulatively detrimental effect on the natural environment. Marble is almost entirely sourced from the Indian state of Rajasthan, accounting for approximately 95 % of the requirement supply. The coarse-grained slag produced in the foremost extraction of zinc is ISF (Intrinsic Slag) is a nuisance. The focus of this investigation was to produce sustainable concrete by using the mined marble waste in concrete as a substitute for coarse aggregate and industrial waste i.e. ISF slag as a substitute for fine aggregate. Natural aggregate was used in this analysis instead of coarse aggregate. Marble aggregate produced from Marble Quarry Waste (MQW) replaced 75 % of the natural aggregate, and ISF sand replaced the remaining 40 % by mass. The flowability, compressive strength, permeability and Ultrasonic tests were conducted on the modified concrete mixture. The results of the study were compared to conventional concrete. The concrete flowability was not much affected. The strength properties showed slight reduction. The permeability of the modified bled was increased significantly. The findings showed that blends made of marble and ISF slag recyclable materials did not affect concrete mechanical propertie

Stress-deformation monitoring and modelling of an underground marble quarry

Geotechnical instruments have been installed in a marble quarry that are dedicated for the monitoring of the mechanical behavior of rooms and pillars during the successive stages of concurrent surface and underground excavations. To facilitate fast and easy monitoring of stress and relative displacement changes with time, a web-driven platform was created for the collection, processing and presentation of monitoring data on the computer or mobile phone screen on an everyday basis. Since the collected data are local in character they are combined with the full-field three-dimensional solution of a Distinct Element Model. This combination of ground behavior monitoring with 3D numerical modeling data is proposed for the application of the observational or “experimental” method for the proper design and monitoring of safe underground marble quarries.

Hydrotermální a supergenní mineralizace křemen-kalcitové žíly z kamenolomu Smrčník, Lipová-lázně u Jeseníku (Česká republika)

An extraordinary rich supergene mineral association (about 20 determined mineral species) has been discovered in an active marble quarry Smrčník located at NW slope of the hill Smrčník (799 m a.s.l.), 2 km NW of the village Lipová-Lázně, 7 km WNW of Jeseník, Rychlebské hory Mountains, Czech Republic. The origin of supergene minerals is connected with weathering of primary sulphides (galena, chalcopyrite, sphalerite) in quartz-calcite hydrotermal vein in the conditions of supergene zone in-situ. The most common supergene mineral is cerussite, quite abundant are anglesite, phosphohedyphane, hemimorphite, malachite, chrysocolla, fornacite and vauquelinite. Other determined minerals are rare: aurichalcite, caledonite, cesàrolite, conichalcite, descloizite, duftite, leadhillite, linarite, mottramite, plumbojarosite, rosasite and wulfenite. The detailed descriptions, X-ray powder diffraction data, refined unit-cell parameters and quantitative chemical composition of individual studied mineral phases are presented.

Beyond the Whiteness

Saverio Salvioni, Cava di Ravaccione, 1810–1813 (Source: Archivio di Stato Massa e Pontremoli) Marble extraction in the Italian Apuan Alps has been known since Roman times, and its historical importance is symbolized by masterpieces of Western art history. However, the Carrara marble industry has recently received harsh criticism for operating in the protected area of the Apuan Alps Regional Park, recognized by UNESCO since 2015. Environmental and social concerns about mining have arisen from the extreme acceleration of all the productive phases of the extractive industry. From the mid-twentieth century, the exploitation of geological deposits of marble grew exponentially thanks to the development of powerful extraction technologies and a global export economy that creates only relatively few occupations in Carrara. Within this context, photographic and cinematographic projects have increasingly focused on the environmental risks created by the marble mining industry. This article shows how visual representations of Carrara have changed in recent years via an analysis of three case studies: the internationally acclaimed documentary Anthropocene: The Human Epoch (2018), the climbing project and Italian short film Carie (Cavity 2019), and Lorenzo Shoubridge’s naturalistic photographs in Apuane: terre selvagge (Apuan Wildlands 2018). These case studies offer an innovative perspective on the landscapes of marble extraction. Previously, these landscapes were represented following other visual trends emphasizing the technological sublime found in the geometric shapes of the white quarries, the working conditions of marble laborers, and the myth of the purity of marble used in artistic sculptures. The three examples analyzed in this paper attempt to go ‘beyond the whiteness’ by focusing on the scale of environmental destruction (Anthropocene: The Human Epoch), the more-thanhuman perspective (Apuane terre selvagge), and the social struggle for preserving a mountain region through creative solutions (Carie). In other words, new aesthetic and ethical sensibilities are challenging established twentieth-century narratives of the Carrara marble quarries by focusing on a new element: the environment.

Archaeometric investigations on marble provenance of two statues from the newly uncovered Roman bath at the center of the historical Amman, Jordan

This research investigates the quarry origin of the white marble used to sculpt two draped female statues found in the newly uncovered Roman bath at the center of the ancient city of Rabbath-Ammon (Philadelphia, Amman). It aims to shed more light on the trade and origin of the marble used for sculpture at the city during its prosperous period (2nd −3rd c. AD). The use of macroscopic examination and multiple analytical techniques (X-ray diffractometry, optical microscopy, C13 and O18 isotope mass spectrometry) showed that both statues were carved out of the dolomitic Thasian-3 marble quarries at Cape Vathy, Thasos Island, Greece. The stylistic features of the two statues that were common during the late 2nd and early 3rd c. AD and the wide use and distribution of this marble in Jordan during the 2nd and 3rd c. AD might be an indication to date them to the same period of the Roman times. The assigned date concords with the time of expansion, large construction activity and prosperity of the city and the use of imported and luxury stones to carve statues and embellish the structures of the city.

Crystal structure of scapolite from Samurski Dol, Chepelare region, Central Rhodopes, Bulgaria

Samples of scapolite from the marble quarry from the Samurski Dol locality, situated nearby Chepelare, Central Rhodopes, Bulgaria have been subjected to chemical analyses and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The obtained values for the meionite component (Me) range between 70 and 75. The crystal structure of the studied sample has been solved in both I4/m and P42/n space groups, traditionally assigned to scapolite members. The paper provides new insight on the choice of correct space group for description of scapolites crystal structures, with a view of the preferred positions by silicon and aluminum ions and their framework ordering.

Stress–Strain Investigation of the Rock Mass Based on Overcoring with CSIRO HI Cell Test and Numerical Modeling: A Case Study from an Italian Underground Marble Quarry

The present research illustrates the application of a methodological approach to studying the stress–strain distribution in a marble quarry of the Apuan Alps mining area (Italy). This study has been carried out in the framework of a project involving the University of Siena and the UOC Ingegneria Mineraria—USL Toscana Nord-Ovest, Tuscany Region. This stress–strain analysis aims foremost to monitor the slope stability conditions to guarantee a safe workplace for the personnel involved in mining activities, and to enable more sustainable long-term planning for excavation and production. The involved survey activities are as follows: (i) terrestrial laser scanning; (ii) engineering–geological data mapping; and (iii) in situ marble stress measuring through four CSIRO-type cell tests executed in different locations and at various depths within the underground excavation walls. The gathered data converged into numerical models of the quarry, both in 2D (DEM) and 3D (FEM), calibrated by in situ stress results through a rigorous back analysis assessment using least squares procedures. The created models represent a valuable tool for the identification and securing of risk areas and for future excavation planning in respect of the site efficiency and safety.

Geochemical and petrographic investigation of the provenance of white marble decorative elements from the Roman Villa Armira in south-eastern Bulgaria

The paper presents evidence of Roman marble production in the Balkan region, specifically from the south-eastern Rhodope Mountain area (modern Bulgaria) and Armira. Although the Roman marble trade and production in antiquity are well known in Prokonnesos, Thasos, and several other production sites, marble deposits from inland Thrace have received far less attention. In 2018–2019, a systematic survey of south-eastern Bulgaria (Roman Thrace) was carried out by our team in collaboration with the National Archaeological Institute with Museum in Bulgaria. White marble quarries and outcrops were investigated in situ with the goal of characterizing the macroscopic qualities of the stone. Quarry samples were collected and analyzed through various techniques—petrography, isotopic, and chemical analyses—and compared with the architectural decorative marble and artifacts from the Roman villa at Armira. We demonstrate that the geochemical and petrographic features of these samples indicate a marble provenance restricted to a few selected sources. We conclude that the local marble from the Armira and Kamilski Dol quarries was widely used for the complete architectural program of the Roman villa of Armira.

On the Provenance of the Tesserae in the Mosaic Pavements of Parthicopolis (4th - 6th c.). Local Quarries, Deposits and Import (Preliminary Report for Some Mosaic Tesserae from Basilica No 2)

This article examines several mosaic tesserae from the mosaic panel of the exonarthex of the early Christian basilica No 2 in Parthicopolis (today’s town of Sandanski).The studied mosaic tesserae are made of glass, brick and stone - marble and sandstone. After the analysis: micro- and macroscopic, method applied: EDS; XRD analysis of the mineral phases and others. The composition and possible production of glass for the smalta tesserae has been established, the composition of the brick tesserae; of two types of white marble tesserae, of sandstone tesserae has been determined.In antiquity, and especially in the early Byzantine period, several marble quarries of very good quality were exploited in the Middle Strymon area. It has been established that the stone tesserae were mined from deposits around the ancient and early Byzantine city, quarries Ilindentsi (‘The marble quarries of Trajan’), and the glass is imported. An assumption has been made about the possible production on site in the city of a type of glass tesserae - with a degree of crystallization. The chemical and structural analysis of the tesserae reveals the origin of the material, stone and glass, the latter in the form of a finished product distributed as an import by Thessaloniki merchants and undergoing only the final stage of heating, cutting and polishing in local workshops. Although research on the origin of tesserae from mosaic panels from the early Christian basilica complexes in Parthicopolis is only in the beginning, research proves the origin of tesserae materials, the supply of mosaic workshops mainly with local stone material, and trade in imported glass for enamel mosaic and its final stage of in situ preparation in Particopolis.

A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON MARBLE WORKERS: OCCUPATIONAL EYE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND RISK FACTORS

Objective: Occupational health and safety is one of the most important aspects of the workplace. Working in a healthy and safe environment is one of our constitutional rights. In terms of occupational health, which is of the utmost importance, assessing the occupational eye health of marble quarry workers is also critical. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of corneal nebula, refraction error, pterygium, and similar ocular surface diseases and the factors affecting these diseases in marble quarry workers. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study in a marble quarry was performed. All the marble quarry workers who wished to participate in this cross-sectional study were included. Examinations of 126 workers were done in a large, appropriately lit room using a portable Snellen chart and a portable biomicroscope, and Volk 90D for fundus examination. Results: Of the total 126 workers, 83 (65.9%) were working in an environment of high-risk in respect to ocular health, and eye disease was determined in 32 (25.4%). Refraction error was determined in 19 (15.1%), pterygium in 11 (8.7%), amblyopia in 2 (1.6%), and corneal nebula in 1 (1.1%). Conclusions: Pterygium and refraction error were determined at a significantly high rate in marble quarry workers. It is important for workplace doctors to be trained in the early diagnosis of pathologies affecting the ocular surface, such as pterygium, for these workers to be referred early to an ophthalmology specialist. With the measurement and recording of the visual acuity of workers at certain intervals, workplace accidents can be reduced by taking precautions such as the referral to ophthalmology specialists of those determined to have a decrease in visual acuity.

Using satellite imagery to assess the changes in land use and land cover in Diyarbakır city (SE Turkey)

This study aims to describe, classify, and analyze the most common anthropogenic factors that have altered the landscape. For this reason, the city of Diyarbakır, one of Mesopotamia’s largest and most urbanized cities, was chosen as an example of several anthropogenic factors. Several field surveys were conducted to determine the most common anthropogenic activities in the study area. They were then classified into four categories: marble quarries, aggregate quarries, water bodies, and built-up areas. A series of satellite images spanning 1975 to 2019 were analyzed by investigating time-based anthropogenic changes. The trends, distributions, and impacts of 177 locations were examined and monitored through remotely sensed images. Between 1975 and 2019, a total of 25224 ha of land were transformed, according to the findings. “Water bodies” were the most extended of the studied classes. The second most rapidly expanding class was “Built-up areas.” The “Built-up areas” class was assumed to be the most effective agent that will continue to modify the land of the study area, given the need for more construction spaces. Surface mining activities can also be assumed to be an efficient agent that will continue to modify the lands of Diyarbakır in the future, considering the export potential of marble products and the demand for construction material. Water resources and building materials supply should be examined in depth throughout future development planning of such urbanized cities to minimize anthropogenic degradation.

2D/3D SOIL CONSUMPTION TRACKING IN A MARBLE QUARRY DISTRICT

Abstract. Complex extractive districts, such as the marble quarries in the Apuan Alps (northern Italy), require soil consumption monitoring over the years that could be achieved through high-resolution remotely sensed data. To derive 2D and 3D indicators with appropriate resolution for annual monitoring of high-resolution changes in soil consumption, aerial images, LiDAR acquisitions, satellite data, and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) acquisitions were used. In particular, open-access Sentinel-2 multispectral satellite imagery with a spatial resolution of 10 m was used to assess cover changes (2D), and then refined by manual interpretation for 5 years (2016-2021). 3D changes were detected by comparing free aerial LiDAR data from 2009 and 2017, integrated with two stereo models obtained from Pléiades high-resolution satellite images from 2020 and 2022. 3D changes observed over the years by algebraic elevation comparison, performed in QGIS 3.x environment, highlight quarries characterized by intense mining activities (extracted marble blocks, characterized by positive elevation differences) and quarry area management (debris disposal and service infrastructure construction, characterized by negative elevation differences). The combined use of 2D and 3D change indicators can be challenging in order to correctly represent soil consumption over the years. A dual 2D/3D webgis client have been developed for proper representation of 2D/3D spatial indicators of ongoing extraction activities in the Carrara marble basin: high-resolution images have been served as tiled data, while 2D/3D spatial indicators are served as static and/or tiled vector data. Open-Source libraries have used in data processing, serving and representation inside a map interface.

New Aluminum Syntactic Foam: Synthesis and Mechanical Characterization.

Metal matrix syntactic foams (MMSF) are advanced cellular materials constituted by a system of a minimum of two phases, in which a dispersion of hollow particles is embedded by a continuous metal matrix. The incorporation of porous fillers favors the development of low-density materials with exceptional behavior for damping vibrations, impacts, and blast effects, shielding acoustic, thermal, and electromagnetic energies. There are three main techniques to produce them: infiltration casting technique (ICT), stir casting technique (SCT), and powder metallurgy technique (P/M). The first two techniques are used for embedding filler into lower melting point metallic matrices than fillers, in contrast to P/M. The present study demonstrates the feasibility of producing MMSF with components of similar melting points by ICT. The fillers were synthesized in-situ with aluminum and a natural foaming agent from wastes of Spanish white marble quarries. These novel aluminum syntactic foams (ASF) were mechanically characterized following the ISO-13314 and exhibited a porosity, plateau stress, and energy absorption capacity of 41%, 37.65 MPa, 8.62 MJ/m3 (at 35% of densification), respectively. These properties are slightly superior to equal porosity LECA ASF, making these novel ASF suitable for the same applications as LECA-ASF.

Analysis of the suitability of marble waste for beach nourishment

Marble waste, as a subproduct of the exploitation of marble quarries, could be reused as a replacement for the scarce sand sediment supply for beach nourishment. This work studied the suitability of 4 different types of marble (Bateig, Ivory Cream, Imperial Brown and Niwala). The method consisted of generating 3 samples for each type of marble and preparing them (i) with jaw crusher and D50 = 0.692 mm; (ii) with jaw crusher and D50 = 0.301 mm; and (iii) with ball mill and D50 = 0.268 mm. These samples were analysed using the accelerated particle wear test, and the mineralogy and morphology of the particles were studied using X-ray diffraction and Scanning electron microscopy. Results indicate that if the particle size is larger than 0.4 mm, durability increases between 2 and 4 times compared to a usual sand sample. The jaw crusher generates a smaller number of fractures to the particles than the ball mill, increasing the durability of the sample. If these criteria are followed, marble wastes can be used in beach nourishment, becoming a circular economy asset, alleviating the adverse environmental impact, saving resources and energy and reducing the total cost of nourishments.

Imagery, Irony, and Transcendence in Carl Jonas Love Almqvist's The Queen's Tiara

Imagery, Irony, and Transcendence in Carl Jonas Love Almqvist's <i>The Queen's Tiara</i>

Sculpture, Faith, and the Many Worlds of Victorian Sculpture: W. F. Woodington, Genesis (1862)

Abstract This roundtable comment piece raises questions about the significance of materials, subject matter and form, and location and display to interpretations of W. F. Woodington’s 1862 Genesis panel at St Paul’s Cathedral. The panel was commissioned as an adjunct to the Wellington Memorial, and depicts the conclusion of the first military engagement in the Bible, the Battle of the Vale of Siddim. It features 18 human figures, three sheep, and two cows, and is inscribed with a passage from Genesis 14. 20. My comment piece reconceptualizes the panel as an assemblage bringing together many worlds, human and non-human, alongside the worlds of faith which were the impetus for the roundtable. It brings together biblical subject matter with the commemoration of military heroes; Italian marble quarry workers; the racially charged material of white marble; memories of sheep on their way to slaughter at Smithfield market; archaeological discoveries; the figure of Sodom in Victorian culture, and classical sculptural form. It asks how these varied geographies, time periods, and contributors to this object, human and non-human, might shift or mediate our understanding of this frieze as something more than an adjunct to a memorial to a military hero.

Mermer Ocak İşletmeciliğinde Yastıklama Uygulamasının Üretim Verimine Etkisinin Araştırılması

Ülkemizde mermer ocaklarında blok üretim verimleri oldukça düşüktür. Verimin düşük olmasının nedenleri jeolojik parametrelerden olmakla birlikte üretim faaliyetlerindeki bazı uygulamalardan da kaynaklanmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, ekonomik açıdan büyük öneme sahip mermer ocaklarının işletme faaliyetleri sırasında karşılaşılan üretim kayıplarına değinilmiş ve bu faaliyetlerden yastıklama uygulamasının üzerinde durulmuştur. Mermer bloklarının ana kütleden kesildikten sonra devrilmesi sırasında yastıklama şeklinin ve yastıklama malzemesinin blok üretim verimine etkisi araştırılmıştır. Bu amaçla, Burdur bölgesinde bir mermer ocağında farklı boyutlardaki pasa ve toprak malzeme ile üç farklı yastıklama şekli (tekli üçgen, çiftli üçgen ve trapez) kullanılarak üretim yapılmış ve üretim verimleri hesaplanmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda en uygun yastıklama şeklinin çift üçgen şeklinde olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca yastıklama yüksekliğinin arttırılması blok üretim verimini arttırdığı gibi, yastıklama malzemesinin ebatlarının ince olması veya toprak malzemeden hazırlanmış olması da blok verimini olumlu yönde etkileyecektir.