Geologist Cid Chiodi Filho
Kistemann & Chiodi Consultancy and Projects
Leblon - Decolores
Brazil is known for its exceptional ‘geodiversity’ in natural rock materials for ornamentation and cladding. Over the last 50 years, Brazil has produced and commercialised on the domestic and foreign markets a greater variety of stone than Europe as a whole. As of 2006, Brazil was the world's 4th largest producer and exporter of ornamental stone. The country currently has around 1,200 registered quarries, producing at least 1,000 commercial varieties of granite, solid and foliated quartzite, marble, limestone, slate, soapstone and many other rocks.
Cristallo - Vitoria Stone
Explosion Rouge - Vitoria Stone
It should be noted that this Brazilian geodiversity now includes massive quartzite and natural quartz, which are produced in various regions of the country, especially in the states of Minas Gerais, Bahia and Ceará. Their economic exploitation has mainly been made possible by diamond wire technology, both for extracting blocks and for sawing slabs.
Taj Mahal - Brasigran
Taj Mahal - Vermont
Due to their distinctive aesthetic and technological attributes, quartzite has become the main new product in Brazil's ornamental stone exports. Dozens of commercial varieties are already being offered by Brazilian companies on the international market, especially in the USA.
Fantasy Nuage - Vitria Stone
Fantasy Lux - Vitoria Stone
In fact, Brazilian exports of these materials, in slabs and blocks, have risen from US$ 11 million and 17,000 tonnes in 2010 to US$ 455 million and 305,000 tonnes in 2023. The percentage of annual sales of these quartzites in total Brazilian exports was 1.2 per cent in 2010 and 40.1 per cent in 2023. In physical volume, this share rose from 0.8 per cent in 2010 to 16.7 per cent in 2023.
Annual evolution of Brazilian exports turnover of ornamental rocks compared to exports of quartzite (blocks + tables)
Millions of dollars - 2010 to 2023
Annual evolution of the volume of Brazilian exports of ornamental rocks compared to exports of quartzite (blocks + tables)
1000 Tons - 2010 to 2023
Still on the subject of 2023, the average price of quartzite slabs (US$ 2257/t) was the highest of all the other stones exported, surpassing the average price of granite slabs (US$ 570/t) by a wide margin. At US$ 643/t, even quartzite blocks exceeded the average price of granite slabs.
Splendido - Decolores
Negroni - Brasigran
Between 2021 and 2023 there was a 25 per cent drop in the physical volume of Brazilian stone exports, but only a 17 per cent drop in turnover. This differential was precisely sustained by quartzite exports, which have higher added value than the other products traded. According to market trends, Brazilian quartzite, like natural quartz, is already shaping up to be the main high-end stone of the 21st century.
Maldive CS3
