BRIEF REPORT An overview of the domestic market of dimension stones in Greece A. Papadopoulos 1 Received: 24 July 2020 /Accepted: 31 August 2020 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020 Abstract The exploitation of dimension stones, especially marble, has always been important for Greek economy. In the dimension stone market, granite and schist are also included. However, marble is by far the most important product of the dimension stone market of Greece. An attempt to highlight the trends of the last decade in the market of dimension stones in Greece is attempted. Several factors potentially affecting the demand are also assessed. Domestic demand for dimension stones seems to increase, but this is applied more to the general constructions sector rather than in private dwellings. The production and exports of marble and schist follow increasing patterns since 2011. The domestic market of granite is more complicated, due to the fact that there is no systematic exploitation of granite in Greece, even though the demand and therefore the imports increase steeply since 2017. Keywords Quarries . Dimension stones . Trade . Marble . Granite . Schist Introduction Humanity has always used dimension stones for construc- tions, monuments, etc. Dimension stone is regular stone ma- terial, quarried to acquire blocks or slabs that meet determina- tions as far as size (width, length, and thickness) and shape are concerned. Color, grain texture and example, and surface properties (e.g., ability of being polished) of the stone are typical prerequisites from both the clients and the stone busi- ness. Durability, strength, and natural radioactivity are other significant criteria. The main rock types to be included in the dimension stone market are granite, marble, limestone, sand- stone, and slate (Dolley 2004). The terms used in the market are sometimes quite different with these used for scientific classification. In this paper, “granite” is a commercial term used in the dimension stone market and encompasses a variety of igneous and metamorphic rock types, used as building ma- terials. However, in igneous petrology, granite is a prevailing rock type describing acid plutonic rocks having particular mineralogical and geochemical characteristics. Broad testing of the physical properties of a stone is signif- icant so as to choose the stone for the most suitable end use (Smith 1999). Global dimension stone rock production was assessed to be ninety hundred million tons in 2019 (Careddu et al. 2019). Globally, the principal producers include 27 countries. The first five dimension stone producers in 2014 were, in plummeting arrange by tonnage, China, India, Turkey, Iran, and Italy, and these nations accounted for approximately 74% of the world’s dimension stone production. Worldwide generation of measure- ment rock and marble expanded by 12% in 2014 compared with that of 2013. The world quarry net product is expected to reach one hundred twenty million tons in 2025 (Montani 2019), which, in any case, represents a prudent medium-term forecast. Greece exhibits a long tradition in the extraction and ex- ploitation of building stones, particularly marbles. Today Greece is one of the most important marble producers and exporters of marble of the world. Forty different types of Greek marble are available in the market and cover a wide range of colors and physical properties. The one with the highest commercial value is the snow-white dolomitic marble (Chatzipanagis and Vougioukas 2005). In recent years, the use of granite as a decor material in buildings (indoors and outdoors) and monuments has globally been increased, due to its durability and appearance (Papadopoulos et al. 2010). Granites are quite common rocks in Greece. Granitic bodies of various sizes can be found in Rhodope, Serbomacedonian, and Atticocycladic Massifs, Circum-Rhodope, Stip-Axios, and Pelagonian zones. * A. Papadopoulos argpapad@geo.auth.gr 1 Departent of Mineralogy-Petrology-Geochemistry, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece Mineral Economics https://doi.org/10.1007/s13563-020-00236-1