JE, NI MAWE GANI YA ASILI LAINI NA YANAWEZA KUTUMIKA WAPI? jiwe la mazingira

Kwa nini baadhi mawe ya asili considered to be soft when they all appear to be hard? The answer lies within ‘relative’ hardness. Mohs scale of hardness was invented in 1812 and compares the relative hardness of ten minerals. Diamond is the hardest and rates a 10, while granite is the toughest natural stone at 6. Limestone comes in at 3 as does its metamorphic counterpart, marble. Softer stone is easier to dress or carve but does not wear or weather quite as well as harder stone. Here we discuss some of the more popular soft stones along with suitable applications.

Mawe yasiyo ya kawaida

Mwamba wa sedimentary

Chokaa, mchanga na shale ni aina za kawaida za miamba ya sedimentary. Hizi ziliundwa kupitia shinikizo kubwa, kwa mamilioni ya miaka, likishuka kwenye mashapo ambayo yalikuwa yameanguka kwenye sakafu ya bahari.

Slate

The layers in slate are described as being “foliated” and they are easily split apart to create whatever thickness is required. UK slate is considered to be hard and was traditionally used as roofing, while soft slate is found in China, Spain, Italy and the USA. With a broad range of natural slate colours, a multiple array of designs can be achieved, from contemporary to classic, rustic to refined. Slate is often recommended for high traffic areas, thanks to its remarkably durable composition. It is also non-porous and does not easily react with acid liquids. It is fire proof, weather resistant and achieves good slip resistance dues to its riven finish.

Chokaa

Limestone is a very common building material and is formed mainly from the mineral calcite, derived from the calcium in bones and seashells deposited over the millennia and forced together through pressure. While it also contains magnesium, it is harder and more weather resistant, and can also be polished. Portland stone from the eponymous island in Dorset is probably the single most famous type of limestone and was used to build many of London’s great buildings. It is used for external cladding as well as paving, fireplaces and other internal and external decorative features. Its soft colours are its trademark visual attributes.

Jiwe la mchanga

Jiwe la mchanga labda lilikuwa jiwe la ujenzi lililotumiwa sana kabla ya 1800, kwa kila kitu kutoka kwa madaraja hadi majengo ya kifahari. Kama inavyoweza kudhaniwa kutoka kwa jina lake, huundwa wakati mchanga, mabaki ya viumbe hai, kalisi na aina ya madini mengine yaliunganishwa pamoja chini ya shinikizo la ajabu kwa milenia. Inapatikana kwa umbile konde au laini na hutolewa kimila kwa mtindo wa matt. Kimsingi cream, nyekundu au kijivu nchini Uingereza, rangi yake inategemea madini ya ziada yaliyomo ndani yake. Silika hutoa weupe, wakati chuma kitatoa rangi nyekundu-hudhurungi. Sehemu zake kuu za maombi ni kuta na sakafu, au kutengeneza nje.

Marumaru

Marumaru ni derivative ya chokaa, iliyoundwa kupitia metamorphosis ya joto kubwa na shinikizo kwa mamilioni ya miaka. Ingawa ni laini ikilinganishwa na mawe mengine, marumaru huelekea kung'aa vizuri sana. Kijadi marumaru hutumiwa kwenye milango na husaidia kuunda kumaliza kwa hali ya juu.