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The Georgia Mineral Society, Inc. 4138 Steve Reynolds Boulevard Norcross, GA 30093-3059 |
GMS Field Trip
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Dumpster Diving Treasures
GMS Field Trip
Granite in Georgia
Friday, February 7, 2014
This field trip started with a visit to the Elberton Granite Association Museum. We watched a video about Elberton then wandered around the museum. The history of granite mining is well represented by artifacts, photos, documents, and explanatory text. The Elberton granite deposit spans 35 miles by 6 miles wide and is approximately 2 to 3 miles deep. It is very hard, 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale, and is highly regarded for its uniform texture and consistent quality.
Next we went to see the Georgia Guidestones, an enigmatic granite monument that is often described as an American version of Stonehenge. There is a message containing 10 guidelines engraved in 8 contemporary languages and a shorter message engraved in 4 ancient languages.
After puzzling over that, we visited a granite processing plant. We watched a huge saw cutting through a large granite block. The saw is suspended from a rail that spans the width of the plant. We got to watch several other smaller saws and a polishing process too. Then we entered a surreal maze of countertop slabs, all the while marveling at the beauty of the vast array of materials around us.
Outside the plant, we dumpster dived for scraps left from the processing. There were so many beautiful and exotic materials we hardly knew what to take and what to leave!
Our last stop was a working quarry. Gazing down into the pit we estimated it is about 10 to 12 stories deep. Blocks are blasted off in chunks about the size of a railroad car, then smaller blocks are split off for processing.
Many thanks to Matthew Pruett of the Elberton Granite Association for this fun and educational tour including the exciting tour of the processing plant and the dumpster diving!
Lori Carter, on behalf of
Charles Carter, GMS Field Trip Chair
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Site 1 -- Elberton Granite Association Museum
Photo by Lori Carter
The Elberton Granite Association Museum opened early just for us!
Photo by Lori Carter
A miniature replica of the next stop on our tour -- the Georgia Guidestones
Photo by Lori Carter
This sculpture titled "Sea Lion" (note its "fishy" tail), circa 1900,
is one of the oldest Elberton granite carvings in the museum.
It was carved from "Long Blue Granite", a material that helped establish
Elberton's reputation in the monument industry.
Photo by Lori Carter
The museum is an impressive collection of artifacts, documents, photos, and descriptive text
that represent the history of the granite industry in Elberton.
Photo by Walt Kubilius
Mineral proportions of Elbert granite
Photo by Walt Kubilius
"Oxide" proportions of Elbert granite
Site 2 -- Georgia Guidestones
Photo by Lori Carter
The Georgia Guidestones are often referred to as the "American Stonehenge"
Photo by Lori Carter
10 guidelines are carved in 8 different languages on the Georgia Guidestones
Photo by Lori Carter
The author of the guidelines remains anonymous; the name listed is admittedly a pseudonym
Photo by Lori Carter
Mystery surrounds the author and organization that funded the building of the monument
Photo by Lori Carter
???
Site 3 -- Processing Plant
Photo by Lori Carter
This enormous 11 foot diameter saw blade is suspended from a rail that spans the width of the plant
Photo by Lori Carter
The tour of the processing plant was great!
Photo by Lori Carter
Those polishing machines are fast!
Photo by Lori Carter
We got to see several saws in action
Photo by Lori Carter
Another saw in action
Photo by Lori Carter
Beautiful, intricately carved monuments are made here
Photo by Lori Carter
We were free to wander a labyrinth of counter top materials
Photo by Lori Carter
Some of the counter top materials were man-made...
Photo by Lori Carter
...most of the counter top materials were natural
Photo by Lori Carter
This is one of my favorite counter top slabs
Photo by Lori Carter
A tiny clamp is strong enough to hold this huge counter top slab as it is lifted and moved
(by the way, that slab is graphic granite)
Site 4 -- Dumpster Diving
Photo by Lori Carter
After the plant tour we did some dumpster diving
Photo by Lori Carter
Counter top bits were everywhere!
Photo by Lori Carter
A few people posed for a group picture while Hugh stopped collecting long enough to photobomb them
(Left to right) Ivy, Richard, Mike, Kathy, Rob(!), Kathleen, and Charles
Site 5 -- Granite Quarry
Photo by Lori Carter
Our last stop was a working granite quarry
Photo by Lori Carter
Enormous blocks are blasted away from the walls, then split into smaller blocks
Photo by Lori Carter
No one was interested in climbing down those ladders into the quarry (see center of picture)
Photo by Lori Carter
Matthew Pruett (foreground) graciously led our Elberton tour
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