Deutsch: Gestein / Español: Roca / Português: Rocha / Français: Roche / Italiano: Roccia
In geology, a rock (or stone) is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of one or more minerals or mineraloids. For example, the common rock granite is a combination of the quartz, feldspar and biotite minerals. The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. Rocks have been used by mankind throughout history. From the Stone Age rocks have been used for tools.
In an industrial context, "stone" refers to rocks, minerals, and other naturally occurring materials that can be quarried, processed, and used for various purposes. The stone industry encompasses all aspects of the extraction, processing, and use of stone materials, including dimension stone, crushed stone, and decorative stone products. Some examples of industries related to stone include:
- Dimension stone and natural stone quarrying
- Stone cutting and processing
- Granite, marble, and other decorative stone production
- Crushed stone and aggregate production
- Landscaping and construction materials production
- Memorial and monument production
- Tile and flooring production.