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http://hdl.handle.net/10174/10303
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Title: | Global Heritage Stone: The Excellence of Portuguese Estremoz Marbles |
Authors: | Lopes, Luís Martins, Ruben |
Keywords: | Geoheritage Estremoz Marble Tourism Portugal Dimension Stone |
Issue Date: | Oct-2013 |
Publisher: | Geological Society of America |
Citation: | Lopes, Luis and Martins, Ruben (2013) Global Heritage Stone: The Excellence of Portuguese Estremoz Marbles, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 45, No. 7, p.538 |
Abstract: | Palaeozoic calcitic marbles are found in the Estremoz Anticline, Ossa-Morena Zone
(Southern Branch of the European Variscides in Portugal). The 40 km NW-SE structure
present outcrops continuity and intense mining activity since the Roman Period (fourth
century BC). The structure has a Precambrian core and the younger rocks aged Devonian
Period. The marbles occupy an intermediate stratigraphic position in the Cambrian age
Volcano Sedimentary Sequence. The Variscan Orogeny performed twice with different
intensities under ductile and brittle tension fields. The Alpine Cycle also acts and causes
more fracturing of the marbles. These show spatial-temporal continuity of the deformation
where a complete Wilson Cycle can be described. The geological features imprint the
marbles beautiful aesthetic patterns that are highlighted when used as Dimension Stone
(DS).
The marbles exhibit physical properties allowing fabrication of structural and decorative
elements. In the Roman period, pieces of art made with Estremoz Marbles were exported
abroad and can be found in Museums and Archaeological Sites throughout Europe and
North Africa countries.
During the maritime expansion, altars, stairways, columns, statues, etc., were carried as
ballast in the holds of ships. At the destination the Portuguese had built monuments which
can now be found in South America and Africa countries.
The Modern DS Industry Global Market allows Portuguese Marbles to be present all over the
World. Notice that every variety of marble has enough reserves to sustain the mining activity
for several hundreds of years.
The Alentejo hallmark whitewashed houses are a landscape that can only have been
developed by the availability of marbles to produce quicklime. The marble based built
heritage is very rich and is always present. The countryside is marked by intense mining
activity living side by side with rural industries, namely wheat fields, groves, orchards and
vineyards; therefore the region has unique characteristics allowing the development of
integrated industrial tourism routes, promoting sustainable development of industrial,
scientific and technological culture opportunities.
This work has been financially supported by INOVSTONE: FCOMP-01-202-FEDER-013854
(QREN-Portugal, COMPETE/FEDER) and by the Geophysics Centre of Évora. |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/10174/10303 |
Type: | lecture |
Appears in Collections: | GEO - Comunicações - Em Congressos Científicos Internacionais
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