Regatta Universal Exports Blog

Natural Stone Clasification

Natural stones are classified on the basis of types of rocks from where they are queried and on their mineralogy and textures. There are mainly three classes of natural stones:

1. Igneous stone – Those formed by the cooling and solidification of molten magma. E.g. granite.

2. Sedimentary stone – Those formed by the accumulation and compaction of fragments from pre- existing rocks. E.g. sandstone and limestone.

3. Metamorphic stone – Those formed from pre-existing rocks that have under gone  recrystallisation due to  increased temperature or pressure or both. E.g. marble, slate and quartzite.

Properties of Natural Stone

Natural stone forms an attractive range of unique natural products that vary in their inherent characteristics. No two natural stones can ever be same if also they are originated from the same rock. The most common properties of a natural stone are water absorption property, porosity, density, compressive strength, modulus of rupture, hardness, flexural strength, abrasion resistance and thermal expansion property. These unique properties vary with variable natural stone. These properties should be taken into account while selecting any natural stone for any particular application.

Genesis of Natural Stone

Natural stones or dimension stones are rocks formed by various natural processes during almost all the Earth’s history. Many factors governed the genesis of natural stone like type of earth crust, geographical conditions etc. Different types of natural stones were originated at different stages of the earth’s geological era. Some periods are rich in granites, others in limestones, and others in marbles used as natural stones. Each stone as a rock is a source of information about processes in the past.