Tenn. Black Marble

[Bill Marsh <bmarsh54@zzzzzzzzzzzzz>]

George,

I am currently working on a piece of this stone, and have used it for
several pieces in the past.  Everything you say about it is true - hard,
brittle, good surface qualities, barely noticable layers of nearly black.

I visited the quarry in 2000, and discovered they are not actively
bringing new stone out of the mountain, but are selling blocks (and
slabs, tiles) from the rather large inventory just laying about the
place. They were working on an order for the Smithsonian when I was
there.  It has apparently changed hands a few times.  They have a gang
saw, a big circular saw, and a slab polisher, and 3 employees.  The old
crane is still there, and functioning.  I spent the day there, and the
guys took great delight in teaching me the hand signals between operator
and spotter.  They seemed a bit bored, and I must have been a bit of
novelty for them.

Because they are not actively bringing out new stone, you have to be
careful in choosing blocks.  I was sucked in by all the waste bits and
pieces piled all over, for making smaller sculptures, so they threw in
several of those at no charge along with the blocks I bought.  These
bits have been somewhat useless, as the stone had weathered in their
yard, and the surfaces are losing their structure.  Sometimes "waste" is
truly waste, I guess.

The quarry is near exit 8 or 10 off  I-81 south (the Morristown exit, I
think), north of Knoxville.  It's a bit of winding back into the hills
to find it.

This stone is a challenge, as you say, but well worth it on a good
block. I have found that a 2 tooth chisel rips it pretty well, and a
3/4" rondel will shape it, but for smoothing one really needs grinders
of various kinds and diamonds help alot.  They also sell a pink marble
 from another quarry nearer Knoxville, that the owner has.  Haven't tried
that yet, but it looks nice.  They have a website, from which they can
be contacted.

Bill Marsh