CSIRO Guide to the Specification of Dimension Stone

[abknight@zzzzzz]

Hi Simon and all,

I'd better write something before the cat sends a message.
I wish I had the professional need for the type of
information you are offering.  The closest thing is that I
have seen is marble graded B, C, and D.  The Carthage
Marble yard in Missouri has architectural information with
all of its stone, as it is for use in architectural
cladding primarily, and they use these grading
designations.  All the same I tried unsuccessful to decode
its meaning from its context in the literature and got
nowhere.  I have also seen a Carrara Ordinario labeled
Saimo C and wonder if that is related.

Another type of grading is more along the lines of first
quality no vein, or Statuary, or I don't know all the
other grades and I wonder if there is an international
standard for that in the stone market, which seems to be
quite international in its nature.  I am looking at some
marble where they are offering a statuary grade.  This is
the only place I have run across that offers a Statuary
grade marble in the U.S.  This quarry is in Alabama.
Vermont at one time offered a statuary grade, I think, and
may still.  Then of course there is Italy.  When they call
their stone Statuary grade does it really mean anything or
are there particular characteristics that are judged
according to accepted standards.  The quarry in Alabama is
Italian owned, so when they say statuary grade it has an
international sound to it.  I would guess they use a
grading system similar to lumber grading where clear grain
would correlate to a statuary grade in marble.

Simon, it seems to me that you were you asking what stone
was used in the Washington Monument in D.C.  If you were,
the Alabama quarrymen say it was theirs.  If you do care,
why?

Thanks for all the welcoming words,

Bill Knight