Partavousi Marble Quarry (Bahabad, Yazd)

 

Location of the quarry:

The quarry is located in 200 km south-east of Yazd City and 80 km east-north of Bafgh City.

 

Geological Characteristics of the quarry

The quarry is located in the geological zone of Bafgh. According to the structural and sedimentologic features as well as seismic structure of the region, it belongs to the subdivision of central Iran. The region is, therefore, tectonically active and the existence of active, sometimes large faults such as Bahabad Fault signifies its tectonically activeness.  

The Bahabad Peacock-Feathered Marble quarry is situated, according to the geological maps, in the south zone of the 1:100,000 Chadermalu scale map, consisting of volcanic zones (mainly volcanic and intrusive rocks) and of cretaceous lime which sometimes have transformed, under the influence of transformational processes, into marble. Mining area of the Bahabad Marble quarry is located in the lime zone dating back to the Cretaceous period. Existence of average thick to very thick layers of recrystallized lime containing macrofossils has created ideal conditions to quarry these layers as decorative stones. When the rock is cut, embedded fossils of bivalves give the rock an image of peacock feathers, and that is why marbles of this Quarry were marketed under the title of ‘Peacock-Feathered Marble’.        

The micro- and macro-paleontological studies conducted have revealed fossils of rudest bivalves and also microscopic fossils which are not clearly observable as the result of recrystallization process. The region’s lime deposits which have been transformed into marble as the result of tectonic phenomena probably date back to the Cretaceous Period. Calcite (CaCo₃) operates as the constituent ore here.

 

Quarry Products

The quarry products is Partavousi marble blocks in varying proportions and weights (in metric tons), of different quality ratings including export-proper, high quality, grade 1, grade 2 and grade 3.

Quarry production, as per its exploitation permit, amounts to 50,000 metric tons a year of marble blocks. The dominant method employed for extraction is the wire saw mining; however, a combination of chain saw and wire saw methods is also used. 

Partavousi marble of the Bahabad quarry, due to its particular color and design, is one of the most beautiful marbles of this kind. Dimensional stone, the Bahabad marble looks like a beautiful painting.

 

Quarry Office

No. 6, 2^nd Shanzdah Metri St, Shahrak Valiasr, Emam St, Bahabad City, Yazd Province, Iran.