Markets and Industry

The legal obstacles to be overcome before opening a natural stone quarry in Russia are explained. Investments will not be forthcoming without a resolution to these problems. Meanwhile the country´s stone processing factories have to rely to an increasing extent on imports. In this report*, I.O. Sinelnikov & O.B. Sinelnikov propose some practical solutions. (*This article was translated from the Russian original in Gorny Zhurnal 2009, No.3, and appears here by kind permission of the publishers and authors.)

The Republic of Serbia has limited domestic resources of dimension / decorative stone in volume terms. Below, the Chairman of the Stone Association of Serbia, Zoran Djajic, and the Publisher of KAMEN trade journal, Zika Milovanovic, summarize current knowledge of the sector.

Everyone who visits the Crimea falls in love with the region. Impressions of this virtual paradise are, in the author´s opinion, based on three main constituents - the warm, bright blue sea, the picturesque mountains, and the famous white stone which is still quarried today. 

This text was elaborated by geologist Cid Chiodi Filho (cdchiodi@terra.com.br), Kistemann & Chiodi Assessoria e Projetos. The primary data about exports were obtained starting from consultation to the Base ALICE of MDIC (Ministry of Development, Industry and External Trade)

Worldwide, Brazil is the 5th largest country in territorial extent and the 6th in population. Endowed with vast natural resources, Brazil is one of the ten largest mineral producers of the world.

During the last 15 years, while the Indian granite industry has gone through a strong growth period with a major expansion in extraction of blocks and in the production of slabs and tiles, another less known segment has also been growing steadily and increasing its market share in the world markets. We refer to the Indian gravestone manufacturing industry is still growing steadily. The important and interesting point to note is that this industry and its products have no market at all in India; it is a 100% export oriented industry.

The U.S, market is a very fractured market with various levels of distribution. Producers typically are quarries with small fabrication plants capable normally of producing only cubical work. This work is sold to contractors for cladding of commercial buildings, or large residential jobs for walls and retainer walls or other uses in residential construction. Very few producers are capable of producing tiles and slabs for the residential market.

Note by editors - This article was written in 2004, it needs to be read in the historical context and not a reflection if today's market condition. Sept 2020

Fashion, a 26% annual increase in house prices and the emergence of the bathroom as the new home hot-spot, have stimulated UK sales in natural stone tiling for the home. Claire Santry reports.

This is not Raw Silk from China to make exquisite fabric for the fashion designers of the world. This is the fashionable granite from India that the Chinese are fond of!

Raw Silk is among the most imported granites into China from India after Black Galaxy, Ruby Red and Tan Brown.

Raw Silk Granites is basically of two types:

Raw Silk Ivory

Raw Silk Ivory quarries are located in a village by name Varchur located approximately 26 kms. from Madurai city in the Southern State of Tamilnadu, India. Madurai city can be reached by flights from Madras (Chennai).