Abstract Villamayor Stone (VS) is an arkosic stone and is known by several names: (i) VS because the quarries are located in Villamayor de Armuña village (Salamanca, Spain); (ii) Golden Stone due to its patina, which gives the stone a ochreous/golden colour; (iii) Franca Stone is known locally and in historical documents. VS has several varieties ranging from channel to floodplain facies. In this work, we have selected three varieties. VS was quarried and used in the construction of Romanesque monuments such as the Old Cathedral, Gothic monuments including the New Cathedral and the University façade, and Baroque monuments, notably the Main Square. Also, VS was used in the reconstruction of the Roman Bridge (Salamanca, Spain). Currently, VS is quarried by a small number of family businesses, using traditional methods for cladding façades of new buildings. Unfortunately, part of the construction sector went bankrupt in the 2008 crisis. However, VS is still the main stone used in the city of Salamanca for the restoration of monuments, even though used in relatively small quantities in comparison with usage before the economic crisis. It is thus of great importance for future generations that their quarries and the craft of masonry be protected. This work proposes that VS should be designated as a Global Heritage Stone Resource.

Abstract Échaillon stone, a Mesozoic platform limestone from SE France, is proposed as a Global Heritage Stone Resource. The Échaillon stone quarries are located at the western termination of the Alps, near the city of Grenoble. Stone from the main Échaillon quarries is an Upper Jurassic to Berriasian bioclastic near-reef limestone, renowned for its two characteristic white and pink colours. Two ancillary quarries nearby, the Lignet and Rovon quarries, provided the Lower Cretaceous (Barremian to Aptian) Yellow Échaillon stone, of lagoonal origin. Échaillon stone's unique characteristics, resistance to weathering and high aesthetic values made it a prized building and ornamental material used in many significant historical buildings in Europe, North Africa and the USA. Although the first use of Échaillon stone in buildings dates from the Gallo-Roman period, the industrial use ranges from the mid-nineteenth century, during the heyday of the Beaux-Arts architecture period in France, to the mid-twentieth century. The reputation of Échaillon stone was bolstered by world-renowned architects, sculptors and artists who used it for historical building ornament and sculptures. By the turn of the twentieth century, production started to decline and it ceased by the middle of that century.

Abstract Connemara Marble, a well-known distinctive decorative stone from the west of Ireland, is herein proposed as a Global Heritage Stone Resource. Connemara Marble is a sillimanite-grade ophicarbonate, dominated by dolomite and calcite with varying proportions of serpentine, diopside, forsterite, tremolite clinochlore and phlogopite. The marble displays intricate corrugated layers that range in colour from white through sepias to various shades of green. These features impart unique characteristics that set the marble apart from other ornamental stones. Characteristics reflect amphibolite-grade metamorphism of an impure siliceous dolomitic limestone during the Grampian orogeny (475–463 Ma). Olivine, diopside, tremolite along with calcite and dolomite were formed during the peak of metamorphism which was followed by a later pervasive hydrothermal metamorphism that led to the extensive growth of serpentine after olivine and diopside. It has been used since Neolithic times, but has been quarried and fashioned in Connemara since the eighteenth century, and widely utilized in buildings in Ireland and the UK, for cladding, banisters, columns and church fittings. Later in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries it was exported in large quantities to the USA for use in civic and educational buildings. Its many uses as an ornamental stone in the interiors of buildings and in Irish jewellery commands worldwide acclaim.

Abstract The proposal to designate those natural stones that have achieved widespread utilization in human culture was first mooted in late 2007, and first presented in a public forum at the 33rd International Geological Congress in July 2008. Over the next four years, a network of international correspondents was created, circulars were distributed, a website was established and formal rules were adopted, all with the focus of establishing the ‘Global Heritage Stone Resource’ designation. During the 34th International Geological Congress in July 2012, the Heritage Stone Task Group was formally established under the auspices of the International Union of Geological Sciences, in association with the International Association of Engineering Geology and the Environment, Commission C-10 Building Stones and Ornamental Rocks, and with a formal Board of Management. It has now been recognized that the new designation has value both in offering a mechanism to promote the safeguarding of stone resources, as well as in the formal definition of stone types within sufficiently tight parameters that it can facilitate name protection. For the future, the Board of Management needs to encourage and approve nominations for the new designation. As well, an annual conference needs to be organized.

Abstract Piedra Pajarilla is the local name under which the Martinamor granite was known when it was quarried during the 19th century. It is a leucogranite of Hercynian age, and here we present its formal nomination as a ‘Global Heritage Stone Resource’. Piedra Pajarilla fits the proposed designation because it has been used for centuries in the construction of major historical and famous buildings in Salamanca, leading the city to being included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1988. Piedra Pajarilla is no longer quarried, and this nomination will help to maintain the historical quarry for the restoration of the monuments if blocks need to be replaced.

Abstract Colmenar Limestone is one of the traditional materials most commonly used in monuments in Madrid, Spain. The petrophysical properties of this stone determine its high resistance to decay. Its low water absorption and pore size distribution favour good hydraulic behaviour, which is likewise furthered by its high ultrasound velocity and low anisotropy. The durability findings pursuant to the 280 freeze–thaw, 42 thermal shock, 30 salt crystallization and 120 salt mist cycles conducted confirmed the stone’s resistance to decay in these simulated aggressive environments. The mass loss recorded in the samples and the variation in petrophysical parameters were generally very low after all except the salt crystallization trials, which induced loss of cohesion on the stone surface, increased roughness and the formation of concentric microcracks, sub-parallel to the more exposed surface, that also affected the arris and vertices of the specimens tested.

Abstract Carrara Marble, from Italy, probably one of the most famous dimension stones in the collective memory and in ordinary people, is here nominated as a suitable ‘Global Heritage Stone Resource’. Quarried since pre-Roman times, the Carrara marble is the testimonial of an area/industry that was able – for a variety of reasons not easily repeatable in future stone history – from the dawn of the stone sector, to trigger a flywheel effect on a global scale. Suitable for any environment and cultural context, this versatile marble has been appreciated in almost any field of application – from building to architecture, from fine arts to urban landscape, from funerary art to modern 3D design – probably reaching its highest point in the eternal works of famous sculpturers, artists and architects such as Michelangelo, Donatello, Jacopo Della Quercia, Canova, Bernini, and many others. It is currently excavated in more than 100 quarries, processed almost everywhere and sold all over the world.

Abstract Although Argentina is a large country, only a few local stones meet the requirements to be used for construction purposes. Piedra Mar del Plata is a quartzite that has been used for more than 50 years, mainly as a building stone. During the 1930s and 1950s, its use in the construction of houses in the city of Mar del Plata (a famous beach resort) created a distinctive architectural style. Because of its durability and availability, the use of this stone rapidly spread to other parts of the country. Sculptures and monuments have also been made out of this stone. Mar del Plata architectural style is now part of the heritage of Argentina and represents the rise of the middle class, when local citizens could afford to build their own houses in a style different from the mansions, which were constructed by rich families with imported stone.

Abstract The Global Heritage Stone Resource (GHSR) and Global Heritage Stone Province (GHSP) designations provide a means by which geoscientists, planners and industry can explain the importance of some types of stone in the repair and maintenance of historic structures, new building and objects such as sculptures. Defining criteria are envisaged as including: wide ranging geographical use for a significant period; utilization in significant industrial projects; recognition as a cultural icon; continuing availability; and potential benefits of designation. Consideration is needed of the future composition and administration of the overseeing Board, refinement of the mechanism for making and approving nominations and how to consult the cultural heritage sector on nominations. It is likely that a larger panel of reviewers will be needed to support the work. It is important that criteria are clear and widely known and that discussions and decisions are well documented and publicly available. A mechanism for appeals against decisions is also needed. It is considered that the cultural heritage qualification should be the primary criterion supported by timescale and scale of use, both geographically and quantitatively.

Abstract The Verbano–Cusio–Ossola quarrying district (Piedmont, northern Italy) produces many different ornamental stones (granites, gneisses, marbles); two important categories are represented by Serizzo and Beola gneisses. The Serizzo , a group of foliated orthogneisses, is the most important and extensively exploited ornamental stone, largely used to produce columns since the end of fifteenth century and used for many parts of the Duomo di Milano. Beola is the name of a group of heterogeneous orthogneisses with mylonitic foliation and strong mineralogical lineation, easy to split into thin slabs with hammer and chisel, occurring in the middle Ossola Valley. The quarries of Beola are probably the oldest of the Ossola Valley (since the Roman period), and the Beola trade probably started at the end of the thirteenth century. In general, Beola and Serizzo gneisses have been used for ornamental purposes and for the construction of churches, palaces and monuments, widely documented in many towns and villages of the Ossola Valley and in northern Italy. This contribution reviews the history and distinctiveness of these materials, their importance in local and national culture, and their present international diffusion. Both stones are recommended as Global Heritage Stone Resources within a Global Heritage Stone Province.

Abstract Victorian Bluestone is proposed as a Global Heritage Stone Province from Australia. Numerous heritage stones occur within this province and of these Malmsbury Bluestone is suggested as a Global Heritage Stone Resource. Bluestone, an iconic basalt dimension stone from Victoria, is used domestically and internationally with a recognized heritage value. Sources are located in urban and country areas of Victoria some of which are still utilized for dimension stone. In many instances bluestone has superior technical characteristics, including durability, that surpass high-quality commercial sandstones, despite an architectural preference for lighter-coloured stones. These characteristics are matched by the diversity of significant uses for domestic, commercial and infrastructure purposes especially in Victoria. Notable examples include the Spotswood Pumping Station, Malmsbury Viaduct, the Graving Dock (Williamstown), Malmsbury Reservoir, St Patrick's Cathedral (Melbourne), Kyneton Railway Station and Ararat Gaol. If the bluestone used in pavements and drains is also considered, Victorian Bluestone could be described as Australia's most prominent infrastructure heritage stone. Bluestone use in Melbourne dates from the 1840s, in the other states of Australia and in New Zealand from 1873, with international interest from Asia between 1860 and 1880. The stone continues to be utilized widely around Australia and is also exported.

Abstract Heritage stones are stones that have special significance in human culture. The papers in this volume discuss a wide variety of such stones, including stones from Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa and Australia. Igneous (basalt, porphyry and a variety of granites), sedimentary (sandstone, limestone) and metamorphic (marble, quartzite, gneiss, slate, soapstone) stones are featured. These stones have been used over long periods of time for a wide range of uses, including monuments, buildings of architectural note, columns, roofing, tiling and lithography. A number of papers in this book provide information that is essential for eventual approval of stones as a Global Heritage Stone Resource or a group of stones as a Global Heritage Stone Province.

Heritage stones are building and ornamental stones that have special significance in human culture. The papers in this volume discuss a wide variety of such materials, including stones from Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa and Australia. Igneous (basalt, porphyry, granite), sedimentary (sandstone, limestone) and metamorphic (marble, quartzite, gneiss, soapstone, slate) stones are featured. These have been utilized over long periods of time for a wide range of uses contributing to the historical fabric of the built environment. Many of these stones are of international significance and potential Global Heritage Stone Resources – stones that have the requisite qualities for international recognition by the Heritage Stones Subcommission of the International Union of Geological Sciences. The contributions in this volume bring together diverse information on these stones, ranging from their geological setting and quarry locations to mechanical properties, current availability and uses over time. As such, the papers can serve as an entry into the literature on these important stones.

Abstract Heritage stone was initially considered in terms of building stone; however, the use of natural stone extends much more widely into utilitarian applications, implements by prehistoric humans as well as decorative stones and gemstones. Nevertheless, there are limits to heritage stone designation where it may seem that recognition of a Global Heritage Stone Resource is inappropriate despite some favourable aspects.

Abstract Created in the central and western part of Brazil to be the new capital of the country, Brasília is a definitive example of modernist twentieth-century urbanism and was named a Cultural Heritage Property by UNESCO in 1987. It was built in just four years (1956–60), following a design by urbanist Lúcio Costa and architect Oscar Niemeyer. However, despite the worldwide recognition of the architectural value of the buildings, the extensive use of white marbles as cladding is scarcely mentioned in the literature. Surveys conducted in this work indicate that the majority of the marble was sourced primarily from the Italva region (Rio de Janeiro), and probably, in minor quantities, from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim region (Espírito Santo). Available technological data for rocks from those regions revealed their suitable engineering properties as natural stone. Currently, although most of the slabs still remain on the buildings, the preservation of this world cultural heritage is urgent, as pointed out by UNESCO. For this purpose, the potential designation under the name the Brasília white marbles as a Global Heritage Stone Resource would be very beneficial, encouraging the availability of these natural stones for conservation and restoration.

Abstract Serpentinites from Sierra Nevada (Granada, south of Spain) have traditionally been used as ornamental elements in historical buildings, both indoors and outdoors. The cathedral, the Palace of Charles V, the Royal Chancellery in Granada and some others are good examples of their use. Outside Granada, the serpentinites are seen at the monastery of El Escorial, The Royal Palace and the convent of Las Salesas Reales, all of them part of Madrid’s architectural heritage, although there are much more examples to be found across the country. There are two quarries located in Sierra Nevada that supplied all the material to make the different elements in the above buildings. In this work, we report a thorough characterization of the main characteristics of the serpentinites from Sierra Nevada in order to propose this stone as a possible candidate as a ‘Global Heritage Stone Resource’. This work is important for duly recognizing a natural stone that has been profusely used in the past in the construction of a magnificent heritage of important cities, and historical quarries should be protected so that they can provide original material if required to do so in the future.

Abstract The cultural heritage of Brazil built with natural stone is expressive and shows a great variety of rock types. The main differences between rock types are found when a comparison is made between the buildings located in the coastal zone and those located inland. In historical cities located on the coast, European limestones were widely used. Within the Brazilian interior, especially in the current State of Minas Gerais, a large number of historic buildings can be noticed. In this State, despite the large volumes of granites and gneisses and other less common rock types such as gabbros, basalts and sandstones, steatite and different types of schist, beside quartzites, were the rock types most commonly used in the construction of those 18th- and 19th-century buildings. This paper focuses on the extent and quality based on the use of steatites and schists in historic buildings in Brazil, which is part of a research project in progress. Assembled data justifies the inclusion of these rocks in the database on the rocks of world cultural heritage. The advancement of these studies may contribute to the maintenance and preservation of this heritage and the appropriate new uses of these rocks, as well as to propose some of them as Global Heritage Stone Resource for their international recognition.

Abstract Paleozoic calcitic marbles are found in the Estremoz Anticline, Ossa-Morena Zone (Southern Branch of the European Variscides in Portugal). This 40 km NW–SE structure presents outcrop continuity and intense mining activity since the Roman Period. The structure has a Precambrian core and the younger rocks are from the Devonian Period. The marbles occupy an intermediate stratigraphic position in the Cambrian age Volcano Sedimentary Sequence. The Variscan Orogeny had two pulses with different intensities under ductile and brittle tension fields. The Alpine Cycle also caused more fracturing of the marbles. The geological features imprinted in the marbles are beautiful aesthetic patterns highlighted when used as dimension stone. Since the Roman period, pieces of art made with Estremoz Marble were exported abroad and can be found in museums and archaeological sites throughout Europe and North Africa countries. Present day, Estremoz Marble objects can be found all over the world. The very rich marble based heritage is omnipresent in cities, and the countryside is marked by intense mining activity side by side with rural industries; therefore the region has unique characteristics allowing the development of integrated industrial tourism routes, promoting sustainable development of industrial, scientific and technological cultural opportunities. The historical and widespread application of these marbles in national and international monuments, some of them already part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is a condition to propose them as Global Heritage Stone Resource for their international recognition.

Abstract Indiana Limestone is one of the most used and versatile building stones in the USA. It is a uniform, carbonate grainstone formed during the Mississippian Subperiod of the Carbonifereous. The stone has excellent physical properties, good workability, fire resistance, durability, sustainability, reserves sufficient for hundreds of years, remarkable history, and is available in pleasing colours and textures. Indiana Limestone is used extensively for important buildings, homes, or carved as accents and sculptures, as well as other uses. At one time it was estimated that 60–80% of important US stone buildings were built with Indiana Limestone. This stone has been used for significant, even iconic buildings such as the Empire State Building and the Yankee Stadium, the Pentagon and many other government buildings, even religious structures such as the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, notable houses such as the Biltmore House in North Carolina, many Chicago landmarks, plus libraries, research centres, academic buildings and museums, across the USA. Sculptures throughout the USA and other countries are made of Indiana Limestone. The stone has good sustainability and is incorporated into the very culture of the state of Indiana and America. Indiana Limestone merits designation as a Global Heritage Stone Resource.

Abstract Berea sandstone, a potential Global Heritage Stone Resource, has been one of the most widely used sandstones in North America. This Paleozoic sandstone, quarried for more than 200 years in Ohio, has been used across much of the continent. Thousands of commercial, residential, ecclesiastical, government and other structures have been built with Berea sandstone, including Thomas Worthington's mansion in Chillicothe, Ohio, the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, the Carnegie Library and Natural History Museum Building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and parts of the Parliament buildings in Canada. Grindstones made from Berea sandstone were shipped throughout North America, as well as to the Caribbean, South America, Europe and Asia. The stone is celebrated in a number of locations, notably Berea and Amherst, where quarries have been important historical sources of this stone. It has been known by a number of different geological and commercial names, including Berea grit and Amherst stone, complicating its identification from historical sources. Stone from the most productive quarries, however, was known to be homogeneous and can be identified by its quartz–arenite to sublithic–arenite composition, its fine to medium sand (125–350 µm) grain size and iron-cement spots. Berea sandstone continues to be quarried today in Erie and Lorain counties.