23.10.2024

A very special case

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Building Design

Here we see a 400-ton block of marble on its maiden flight. But don’t worry, this was an expertly prepared operation by quarry manager Hans Hauser and his colleagues from Lasa Marmo: the white giant, measuring eleven by five meters in size, was deliberately loosened with three-meter-deep cuts. Finally destabilized with a diamond wire saw, gravity removed it from the 80-metre thick marble band of the Jenn Massif.

(Source: Lasa Marmo/Hans Hauser)

STEIN has visited the quarrying site of the world-famous Lasa Marble and has many amazing things to report. An extensive picture gallery is available here – you can read the full story in STEIN 09/17 from August 22, 2017.

The enormous dimensions of the portals of the Weißwasserbruch (in relation to the riders on the wheel bearing) seem small in comparison to the marble halls behind them. (Photo: Philipp Neuman)
Heavy equipment seems like toys in the naves of the Lasa marble basilica. (Photo: Philipp Neuman)
Gigantic sawing machines are used to cut the contours of the sections to be removed into the marble strip. (Photo: Philipp Neuman)
Even in the mine, monstrous monoliths are trimmed to the still imposing wheel loader format using diamond wire saws. (Photo: Philipp Neuman)
Cutting edge: The sawing tool is a steel wire with diamond trimming. It must be cooled with water during use. (Photo: Philipp Neuman)
The man on the monolith controls the first calibration of the raw blocks. It is carried out in front of the gallery using a wheel loader adjustment and diamond wire saw. (Photo: Philipp Neuman)
Most of the blocks leave the Weißwasser quarry by cable car. Only those weighing more than 18 tons require special transport. (Photo: Philipp Neuman)
The path of the Lasa marble: From the white water quarry in the wooded slope on the left, a cable car takes you to the mountain flank on the right. From there, a narrow-gauge railroad takes you around its ridge and finally by inclined railroad through the forest aisle to the Lasa Marble Works. (Photo: Philipp Neuman)

To coincide with Marmomac 2017, we are presenting the important Italian natural stone regions of South Tyrol, Verona and Carrara. Further information on the three-part STEIN series “Italy’s classics” here

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