Petrography and Geochemistry of Gahirat Marble in Relation to Geotechnical Investigation: Implications for Dimension Stone, Chitral, Northwest Pakistan
The modernization of human civilization has led to the prospect of better and more durable building materials. Marble, found in various colors and textures, has been used as a building stone for centuries, either as cut stone or polished stone. The present study evaluated the petrological, geochemic...
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| author | Syed Amjad Ali Bukhari Muhammad Basharat Hammad Tariq Janjuhah Muhammad Saleem Mughal Aqeel Goher George Kontakiotis Charalampos Vasilatos |
| author_facet | Syed Amjad Ali Bukhari Muhammad Basharat Hammad Tariq Janjuhah Muhammad Saleem Mughal Aqeel Goher George Kontakiotis Charalampos Vasilatos |
| author_sort | Syed Amjad Ali Bukhari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The modernization of human civilization has led to the prospect of better and more durable building materials. Marble, found in various colors and textures, has been used as a building stone for centuries, either as cut stone or polished stone. The present study evaluated the petrological, geochemical, and geotechnical characterizations of the Gahirat Marble formation as a building stone. It is exposed over an area of 160 square kilometers in southwestern Chitral. The Gahirat Marble formation has been divided into two parts, i.e., the eastern and western parts. The eastern part is a coarse crystalline rock that exhibits a granulose structure and was subjected to amphibolite facies metamorphism, whereas its western part is a coarse-to-medium crystalline rock that displays a differential granulose structure and was subjected to green schist facies metamorphism. Petrographically, it is composed mainly of calcite (>92%) with minute quartz, chlorite, muscovite, biotite, garnet, and opaque minerals. The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technique was used to analyze the chemical composition of the Gahirat Marble showing that it is a pure calciocarbonate marble (CaO: 53.16–55.02 wt.%). The specific gravity measured varies from 2.46–2.71 gm/cm<sup>3</sup>, water absorption is <0.2%, sulfate soundness is <0.65, and due to its unconfined compressive strength, it is classified as strong rock, thus conforming to ASTM C503 specifications. The results acquired from the investigated samples suggest they are suitable as dimension stones. Until now, it has been limitedly mined and marketed but can be further exploited for export trade, based upon its petrographic, geotechnical, and geochemical characterization. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:51:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-21d0b61cc4624950a4db9c60c7c679ad2023-11-16T16:09:58ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172023-01-01133175510.3390/app13031755Petrography and Geochemistry of Gahirat Marble in Relation to Geotechnical Investigation: Implications for Dimension Stone, Chitral, Northwest PakistanSyed Amjad Ali Bukhari0Muhammad Basharat1Hammad Tariq Janjuhah2Muhammad Saleem Mughal3Aqeel Goher4George Kontakiotis5Charalampos Vasilatos6Institute of Geology, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad 13100, PakistanInstitute of Geology, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad 13100, PakistanDepartment of Geology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal 18050, PakistanInstitute of Geology, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad 13100, PakistanDepartment of Earth Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Islamabad 45550, PakistanDepartment of Historical Geology-Paleontology, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, School of Earth Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15784 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Economic Geology and Geochemistry, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, School of Earth Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistiomiopolis, Zografou, 15784 Athens, GreeceThe modernization of human civilization has led to the prospect of better and more durable building materials. Marble, found in various colors and textures, has been used as a building stone for centuries, either as cut stone or polished stone. The present study evaluated the petrological, geochemical, and geotechnical characterizations of the Gahirat Marble formation as a building stone. It is exposed over an area of 160 square kilometers in southwestern Chitral. The Gahirat Marble formation has been divided into two parts, i.e., the eastern and western parts. The eastern part is a coarse crystalline rock that exhibits a granulose structure and was subjected to amphibolite facies metamorphism, whereas its western part is a coarse-to-medium crystalline rock that displays a differential granulose structure and was subjected to green schist facies metamorphism. Petrographically, it is composed mainly of calcite (>92%) with minute quartz, chlorite, muscovite, biotite, garnet, and opaque minerals. The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technique was used to analyze the chemical composition of the Gahirat Marble showing that it is a pure calciocarbonate marble (CaO: 53.16–55.02 wt.%). The specific gravity measured varies from 2.46–2.71 gm/cm<sup>3</sup>, water absorption is <0.2%, sulfate soundness is <0.65, and due to its unconfined compressive strength, it is classified as strong rock, thus conforming to ASTM C503 specifications. The results acquired from the investigated samples suggest they are suitable as dimension stones. Until now, it has been limitedly mined and marketed but can be further exploited for export trade, based upon its petrographic, geotechnical, and geochemical characterization.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1755Gahirat Marblegeotechnical propertiespetrographybuilding stonemajor element geochemistry |
| spellingShingle | Syed Amjad Ali Bukhari Muhammad Basharat Hammad Tariq Janjuhah Muhammad Saleem Mughal Aqeel Goher George Kontakiotis Charalampos Vasilatos Petrography and Geochemistry of Gahirat Marble in Relation to Geotechnical Investigation: Implications for Dimension Stone, Chitral, Northwest Pakistan Applied Sciences Gahirat Marble geotechnical properties petrography building stone major element geochemistry |
| title | Petrography and Geochemistry of Gahirat Marble in Relation to Geotechnical Investigation: Implications for Dimension Stone, Chitral, Northwest Pakistan |
| title_full | Petrography and Geochemistry of Gahirat Marble in Relation to Geotechnical Investigation: Implications for Dimension Stone, Chitral, Northwest Pakistan |
| title_fullStr | Petrography and Geochemistry of Gahirat Marble in Relation to Geotechnical Investigation: Implications for Dimension Stone, Chitral, Northwest Pakistan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Petrography and Geochemistry of Gahirat Marble in Relation to Geotechnical Investigation: Implications for Dimension Stone, Chitral, Northwest Pakistan |
| title_short | Petrography and Geochemistry of Gahirat Marble in Relation to Geotechnical Investigation: Implications for Dimension Stone, Chitral, Northwest Pakistan |
| title_sort | petrography and geochemistry of gahirat marble in relation to geotechnical investigation implications for dimension stone chitral northwest pakistan |
| topic | Gahirat Marble geotechnical properties petrography building stone major element geochemistry |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1755 |
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