The marble industry and its evolution since 1990 in Brazil: A bibliographic review

The Brazilian stoneworking industry has undergone various structural, cultural, and technological changes since the 1990s. The introduction of multi-wire saws has made extracting harder rocks such as quartzites possible, increasing productivity. The arrival of modern cutting and finishing machinery has facilitated the production of slabs and met the demands of an increasingly demanding and selective market. The use of resin treatments for slabs has been a significant advance. This context has elevated Brazil as one of the largest exporters of slabs for the external market while also becoming one of the largest consumers of natural rocks. This study utilized a qualitative approach, with a literature review as the chosen research procedure. The results highlight that the rock market in Brazil, in general, primarily serves the construction industry, which is growing year after year. Nevertheless, stoneworking companies need to keep up with this growth to meet market demands.