Building Stones Life Cycle

All the necessary operations from identifying the initial source to the final use of the stone constitute its life cycle. This operation started with discoveries, in this stage, stone sources are identified and their characteristics are determined. If the exploration operation is successful, after the planning, the quarring operation will start. After loading and transporting the extracted stone to the factory, it is processed. This process may take place near the place of production or even far away. Finally, after the stone trade is paid, the stone products will be used in the right place. Figure 1-9 shows the life cycle of building stones.

discovery

Before extracting construction stone, the quarry must be identified and explored. The exploration of stone quarries is carried out in two stages: prospecting and exploration.

exploitation

After prospecting and resource exploration, extraction must be done. For this purpose, an operating license must be obtained. After obtaining the exploitation license, the building stone must be extracted in such a way that, while maintaining its physical and chemical properties, it is separated from the rock mass with a regular and appropriate shape and size.

There are different methods for extracting stones, which are used depending on the technology available to the quarry owners. The most famous stone extraction methods are: using parallel pits, using pars and wedges, using diamond cutting wire, using steel cutting wire, using stone cutters, using expanding chemicals and controlled fire methods.

In designing the extraction of construction stones, the designer or operator should be aware of various issues based on them, and make basic planning for the extraction of construction stones. The most important of these issues are:

• Characteristics of the deposit and type of building stone

• Choose the extraction method

• production rate

Picking and transporting quarried blocks

After quarring the stones, the separated blocks must be transported to the processing plant using trucks. In the areas where the quarried block is located in the inaccessible areas of the stone quarry, the blocks are transferred to the trucks using a crane; But if the block is easily accessible, the truck and opener are placed next to the block and the loader will transfer it to the truck after lifting the stone block.

Since most of the stone quarries are located far away from the stone processing factories, transportation is one of the most sensitive stages in the stone industry and constitutes a large part of the final price of the stone.

Entering the factory and warehouse

Stone blocks are often heavy, and the storage of blocks must be done with special skill and experience, so that firstly they are placed in the smallest space, secondly, there is the ability to access all kinds of stored stones, and thirdly, the employees are safe from any danger.

Cutting and polishing in the factory

After the raw stone is transported to the factory, the stone is cut into the ordered dimensions or it is made into tiles with different thicknesses (usually 2 to 4 cm). After cutting the stone in the desired dimensions, the stone is processed using different methods to prepare the final product. In the case of layered stones, cutting and polishing should be done in the direction of parallel layers.

The technique of cutting and polishing and accuracy in this matter is very effective in the quality of the plate. The uniformity of the thickness of the stone, the smoothness of the sides, the size limit of the plaque and the amount of stone polishing are among the factors that depend on the precision of the stone cutting factory and the level of the relevant technology. Using the appropriate control technology, monitoring their work, and formulating the necessary rules and standards plays an effective role in improving the work of this industry and thus improving the quality of the license plate. Good technology and the use of suitable machinery and equipment in a country like Italy has made it possible to import a considerable amount of granite from different countries in addition to extracting stone from Italian quarries, and at the same time to export a considerable amount of slate stone to different countries and even to the country. And the producer should have the same stone.

Distribution

This stage covers all commercial aspects related to the direct sale of blocks or semi-finished or finished products. Trade of stone products is closely related to the consumption and use of stone products, depending on the type of company’s activities.