Stone newsletter. December 2017
GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION
PIERRES MARBRIERES OF RHÔNE ALPES
SPECIFICATIONS
SUMMARY OF THE WORKING DOCUMENT
1. The name of the Geographical Indication
"Marble Stones of Rhône-Alpes"
2. The product (s) concerned
The Marbrières Stones of Rhône-Alpes are limestones formed in the Jurassic era and the Lower Cretaceous era, extracted in quarries located in a geographical area defined in point 3.
As an indication, the average values of the physical and mechanical characteristics of the main Stones Marbrières of Rhône-Alpes are:
• Density value (NF EN 1936): between 2500 kg / m3 and 2810 kg / m3
• Open porosity value (NF EN 1936): between 0.3% and 3.0%;
• Flexural strength under center load (NF EN 12372): between 9.5 MPa and 23 MPa;
• Compressive strength (either NF EN 1926 or NF EN 772-1): between 139 MPa and 250 MPa;
• Wear resistance (NF EN 14157): between 18 mm and 35 mm.
The non-exhaustive list of different limestone materials that can claim the protection of the IG "Stones Marbrières de Rhône Alpes" is presented below:
• Chandoré Stone / Champdor
• Pierre de Chomérac
• Drom Stone / Revermont Stone / Chandolin Stone
• Grand Corent Stone / Yellow Valore
• Pierre de Hauteville
• Pierre de Labeaume
• Pierre Rocheret / Pierre-Châtel / Silver Roc
• Pierre de Romanèche / Pierre de Hautecourt
• Ruoms stone
• Saint-Baudille stone
• Pierre de Villebois / Montalieu
The geographical indication covers the following products:
at. Raw products: blocks extracted from quarries for cut stone, construction and decoration;
b. Semi-finished products: slices and products being finished;
c. Finished products, classified by family:
New and old building (massive cut elements, thin elements, etc ...);
Roads, urban and landscaping (Pavers of all types, slabs of all types, borders of all types, street furniture, landscape furniture, etc ...);
Funeral (monuments and funerary articles, columbarium, etc ...);
Any decorative furniture and real estate product (such as interior furniture etc ...).
Made from natural materials produced by extraction and processing processes except for any reconstituted and / or composite materials or products.
The finished product loses Geographical Indication at the first stage of the process outside the geographical area. Finished product means a product that will not be reworked outside the geographical area.
3. The delimitation of the geographical area or the associated determined place
The geographical area of the IG Pierres Marbrières in Rhône-Alpes covers:
• For extraction operations: the departments of Isère (38) and Ain (01) and the department of Ardèche (07);
• For processing operations: all departments in the Rhône-Alpes region (01, 07, 26, 38, 42, 69, 73 and 74).
The extraction and processing operations of the products covered by the IG Pierres Marbrières de Rhône-Alpes must be carried out in this geographical area.
4. Quality, reputation, traditional know-how or other characteristics of the product concerned that can be attributed essentially to that geographical area or specific place, as well as the elements establishing the link between the product and the geographical area or associated determined place
The list below presents the formation dates of each of the Stones Marbrières of Rhône-Alpes:
• Hauteville: Lower Cretaceous - Valanginian - 136 to 140 Ma
• Chandoré: Lower Cretaceous - Valanginian - from 136 to 140 Ma
• Rocheret: Lower Cretaceous - Valanginian - 136 to 140 Ma
• Chomerac: Jurassic - Portlandian (Tithonian) - 145-150 Ma
• Labeaume: Jurassic - Portlandian (Tithonian) - from 145 to 150 Ma
• Ruoms: Jurassic - Portlandian (Tithonian) - from 145 to 150 Ma
• Drom: Jurassic - Portlandian (Tithonian) - from 145 to 150 Ma
• Grand-Corent: Jurassic - Kimmeridgian - from 150 to 155 Ma
• Villebois: Jurassic - Bathonian - from 168 to 166 Ma
• Saint-Baudille: Jurassic - Middle Bajocian - about 170 Ma
The totality of marble limestones of Rhone-Alps comes from marine deposits. These deposits were made in a sea of tropical and shallow type. The hot temperature of the water favored the deposition of limestone (calcium carbonate). This sedimentation is both biodetitic and chemical, hence the presence of oolites. Some of these rocks then very slightly metamorphosed.
With regard to these parameters (richness in calcium carbonate, presence of oolites and a very slight metamorphism) we obtain a hard rock, compact, fairly homogeneous and "taking good polish". These petrographic characteristics are partly the definition of the ancient term "choin" which can be defined by "limestone (or stone) marbrière".
5. The identity of the defense and management body (ODG), its statutes, the list of initial operators it represents and the financial arrangements for their participation.
The association RHONAPI is the defense and management organization that manages the Geographical Indication "Pierres Marbrières de Rhône-Alpes".
6. Terms and periodicity of the controls carried out by the bodies mentioned in Article L. 721-9 of the Intellectual Property Code, as well as the financing methods for these controls. The terms include the product control points:
The tests to be carried out and to hold for the IG are:
• Identity tests;
• Employment skills tests;
• Additional tests for CE marking.
Paragraph supplemented by CERTIPAQ's proposal.
7. Reporting or record-keeping obligations to which operators must comply in order to enable verification of compliance with the specifications:
The reporting or record-keeping obligations that operators must meet to enable verification of compliance with the specifications are described in the following diagram:
9. Formalities of notice and exclusion of the operators in case of non-compliance with the specifications:
Paragraph supplemented by CERTIPAQ's proposal.
10. Projected funding from the GDO:
The ODG is financed mainly by operator fees.
11. Specific elements of labeling:
The products marketed under Geographical Indication "Stones Marbrières of Rhône-Alpes" will have to comprise all or part of the following information by way of labeling and / or by documentary way:
• "IG Stones Marbrières of Rhône-Alpes" or "Geographical Indication Marbrières Stones of Rhône-Alpes";
• The logo of the IG Pierres Marbrières of Rhône-Alpes;
The logo is in the process of reflection.
• The national logo of the PIA GIs as defined by regulation;
• the registration number of the GI;
• The authorization number of the quarry / processing unit;
• the name of the material sold;
• The name and address of the ODG;
• The name of the certification body and / or its logo.
12. Where applicable, the social and environmental commitments made by the operators grouped within the defense and management body:
Carrara marble resists.
Carrara is renowned for its pristine white marble. But we know less that in the neighboring mountains, eclipsed by its flagship product, we also extract other marbles: belu Turquin and variegated blue, the portor, black veined. The mountain occupies an area of 750 km², compared to 20 km² where the quarries are located.
These less known marbles but they benefit from the image of white marble.
The activities related to marble occupy 10% of the employees of the Italian province of Massa Carrara and 22% of the city of Carrara;
Unlike some claims the white marble veins are far from exhausted. Alvise Lazzareschi extracts between 20,000 and 25,000 tons of this marble from his quarries with his 25 workers and he estimates that he could continue this way for at least 200 years
Euroroc
The European umbrella organization for the natural stone branch is undertaking an investigation of plagiarized product-names
Though surprising at first glance, one of the topics at Euroroc’s General Assembly at the 2017 Marmomac was Soya Milk! Euroroc is the European umbrella organization for the natural stone branch. The reason for Euroroc’s interest in produce is a judgement by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which had ruled that the nomenclature „Soya-Milk“ was misleading and thus prohibited: milk, by definition must originate from an animal and a derivative from e.g. soybeans could mislead consumers according to the Court.
Euroroc-members stand before the question of precedence: is the ruling applicable to other materials and would it prohibit producers of competing material using e.g. „Marble“ as a suffix or prefix of products that are not marble.
Flavio Marabelli, honorary president of the Italian Trade Organization Confindustria Marmomacchine, hat tossed the theme into the ring for discussion. Plagiarism is not new by any means, he explained. But it is slowly mutating from a nuisance to a threat as copies of the original, which can be mass-produced in increasingly large formats, are looking more and more natural.
But Marabelli stopped short of calling in the cavalry. Considering the complexity of the matter, he chose his words carefully: The branch should solicit an expert opinion on the prospect of such an initiative.
The line of argument based on the ECJ ruling is: a liquid may carry the name „Milk“ if and only if it ensues from an animal, similarly, a product bearing the name „Marble“ may carry the title if and only if it originates straight from nature (and is not man-made).
This is exactly what also the name „Natural Stone” implies.
Euroroc’s Secretary General, Professor Dr. Gerd Merke picked up on the line of thought and agreed to request a review. He expects first results in early 2018.
Some of the other topics at Euroroc’s General Assembly were:
• Geographical Indication (GI), brought before the EU-Parliament with great verve, seem bogged down in the EU-Commission according to Professor Merke. A recently created website lists GI-Protected alcoholic beverages („E-Spirit-Drinks“).
• A threshold to cap crystalline silica has been agreed by NEPSI (working group of European social partners). Currently the countries are being called upon to present their positions to the EU-Parliament and to the EU Commission.
• November 2017 saw the second Raw materials Week in Brussels. Natural stone is one of the topics, albeit with menial positioning.
• The 13th meeting of the work group for standardization took place in November 2017 in Würzburg, Germany.
• Professor Merke presented various marketing initiatives aimed at improving public relations for natural stone. „Have a Good Feeling“ is one of the slogans.
The next Euroroc-meeting is scheduled for June 15th, 2018 at Stone+tec in Nuremberg.
Caterina Moretti incorporates Mexican lava stone in her product design
„Lava Table“ and „Tribu“ are two new product lines, which bring material to the foreground
Mexico is one of the most active areas of tectonic activity in the world. It is where the North American Plate meets the Pacific Plate, forcing one to slide beneath the other, causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the wake. Designer Caterina Moretti made a virtue of volcanic lava and, once again, incorporated it in her product design: „Lava table“ is a table top composed of several pieces of hand worked natural stone.
The seams dictate the pattern – there are two to choose from. The table stands on legs and a base made of teakwood and comes in three sizes.
In „Tribu“ (Tribal) lava also plays a major role. The collection designed for afternoon tea or luncheon is composed of a volcanic lava slab encircled by tiny fingerbowls in marble. The bowls come with a tiny handle protruding from the side like Japanese tea ceremony pots for positioning and poring.
The added contrast between lava, marble and copper complement the material stone – as is also the case with „Lava table“ where natural stone meets wood.
„Tribu“ was developed in cooperation with designer Alejandra Carmon.
Caterina Moretti was born in Vienna, studied architecture at ITESCO University in Guadalajara, Mexico, graduated from the Polytechnic University Cataluña (Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña), Barcelona with a master’s degree and founded Studio Peca in Guadalajara, Mexico as a mere 30-year-old in 2007 and distributes her craft via her online shop.
Lava is the term given to molten rock which reaches the Earth’s surface expelled through a volcanic eruption, which then usually flows down the side of the volcano. Once the lava flow has stopped moving, the mass solidifies. Depending on how quickly it cools, various types of rock ensue, most commonly basalt. Very quick cooling, e.g. when the lava flows into the water, will result in obsidian: a green and black glass-like stone, respectively.
The stone and its decoration. Vial Edition
Editions Vial publish 4 interesting books on the work of stone.
Volume 4: sculpture
Public:
Professionals and lovers of stone carving. Restaurateurs of historical monuments.
The last volume of the collection devoted to the stone and its decoration, this book describes the techniques of sculpture. Artisan and trainer of great experience, the author invites here to go to the sources of the stone sculpture, for the restoration or the creation always in the respect of the styles and the kinds. Craftsmen and students will find here the precious advice gathered so that still lives a long time the profession of sculptor and restorer of the inheritance.
Summary:
1st part: The tools of sculpture. Focusing techniques. The clay. The plaster. Reproductive techniques.
2nd part: The trophies. Animal sculpture. The look. The busts. The medallions. The statuary (caryatids, Atlanteans, terms ...). Glossary.
Growth of the stone industry in Algeria
Founded in 2016, Granittam, a subsidiary of the Hasnaoui Group of Companies (GSH), specializes in the stone industry from its initial phase of extraction to the final stage of processing and processing. It currently operates Tamanrasset quarries (Outoul, Aguenar, In Guezzam and Silet) and is dedicated to the processing and processing of stone, respectively in the south and north of the country. Omar Hasnaoui, General Manager of the GSH, explains in this interview the different phases that led to the launch of Granittam. Let us follow him.
How did you come up with the idea of investing in the field of stone processing?
The idea started to sprout four years ago. After studies and consultations, we opted initially for a unit of 1000 m2 / day in the area of Sidi Ali Benyoub, 23 km from Sidi Bel Abbes. We have thus created the subsidiary Alpostone and the installation of the necessary equipment at the level of Sidi Ali Benyoub's quarry. Then we contacted the Enamarbre to supply the new unit with blocks of marble.
Since the raw product was not available in sufficient quantity on the market, we started to import it from Spain before going south. In Tamanrasset, where we first started on the granite track, we found that there are varieties of marble of great quality: translucent white marble, pistachio green, brown ...
From there, the Granittam project began to take shape. It must be recognized, however, that the beginnings were not easy.
Can you be more explicit?
In the stone processing industry, the start of quarrying is not easy. This required extensive excavation work, mobilization of all types of gear and heavy investments. In Tamanrasset, we benefited from seven mining titles for the exploitation of marble and granite. Three production sites are already in operation in Silet and In Guezzam.
They started in the last quarter of 2016 and it is expected to reach, in the short term, a production of 3000 m2, with the possibility of quickly increasing this volume to 10 000 m2. The unit thus created covers 20 hectares, for an investment of about 219 billion centimes. The main objectives of Granittam are the satisfaction of the national needs in granite and marble, to stimulate the local production under a label of quality (Made in Algeria) with a better offer quality / price. We expect, by the end of 2017, to make the Tit plant operational.
Investing in a remote region like Tamanrasset has enough to generate significant operating costs, especially for transportation?
When we established the cost of our investments, we found that it is almost equal to that generated by the importation of marble.
As exploration progressed and after extensive prospecting, we realized that substantial savings in transportation costs could be realized. In furthering our market exploration, we found that some 300 large trucks supplying Tam with various products left virtually empty to the North.
This not only reduces transportation costs for blocks and finished products, but also provides additional revenue for experienced carriers and builds loyalty. In fact, the Tamanrasset region holds enormous investment opportunities, particularly in the construction sector. I can even tell you that Tamanrasset is like the north of the country 20 or 30 years ago, where almost everything is built. Real estate, tourism, building materials are, among other things, buoyant segments and containing enormous potential.
What about job creation in the Tamanrasset area?
Granittam has two components: a section dealing with quarrying stone and an industry component. It is expected to generate 700 jobs, including 500 permanent, in a first phase. We expect, after the completion of all phases of the project, to create 2000 jobs. The priority for GSH is to offer job opportunities to the local workforce. Today, in the far south, the Hasnaoui Group of Companies has made a commitment to use skilled local labor. And there are already in Tamanrasset trades adapted to the culture of the region.
Moreover, we were surprised by the existence of a cooperation program between Brazil and the Algerian Government for the training of trainers in the trades of handicrafts and marble processing.
In continuity with the efforts made in this context,
