» Alabaster

Alabaster, adaptability and vanguard

Its marble appearance, its ductility and translucence make alabaster a worthy material from ancient times because of its ornamental values. The name of this mineral comes from Alabastra, a city of the Ancient Egypt where it was dug out. Egyptians, Greeks, Etruscans and Romans made use of it for architectural coverings and for sculpting vases and statues.

The Paleochristian, Byzantine and Romanic architecture used it instead of glass for covering windows and it has been employed through the centuries for sculptures in Spain, Italy, England and Germany. Presently it is used in sculptures, in ornamental pieces and in buildings.

Applications of Alabaster

Architecture: Big panes of alabaster for pannelling, covering walls and enclosing walls which filter light warmly.

Restoration: The Alabastro de Sástago craft workshop has colaborated with architects and restores to recover Aragonese buildings of such a quality as the palace of Armijo (nowadays the site of the Justice of Aragon) or the Saint Nicholas church in Saragossa; the cathedral of Jaca, the cathedral of Albarracín, the monastery of Veruela, the Monastery of Stone, the monastery of Rueda, etc.

Decoration: Ornamental objects of all kinds. Vases imitating Egyptian, Greek and Roman vessels, and works of contemporary style as well.

Lightning: Thanks to light, alabaster shows its true expressive qualities. Nothing is so noble as natural stone with veins and colours to give light warmness to very different atmospheres. From large spaces –by means of large panes and big pieces–, to family houses, wall lamps or lamps with a lampshade stuck on the ceiling, combined with forge works, wood and other noble materials.

What can we do for you?

The Mercedes Artal, Alabastro de Sástago enterprise covers requests by means of planes and designs for alabaster panes on windows and on rose windows; panelling of walls and ceilings, enclosing walls which filter the light; columns, corbels, mouldings and other aplications for ornamentation and lighting, for example, wall lamps, lamps, etc.

Technical features of alabaster from Aragón

Mineral: variety of competent, masiff gypsum which has crystalized and is translucent with light colors.

Beds: underhorizontal levels of blocks with maximum dimensions which oscilate from some centimetres to two metres.

Composition: two water molecules hydrated with calcium sulphate (SO4Ca+2H2O); approximate proportions: SO2 = 43%; CaO = 35%, and H2O = 22%.

Coefficient of water absortion: to 60ºC = 0%; to 110ºC = 5.2%.

Hardness in Mohs: 47 kg/mm.

Porosity: 0.15%

Specific gravity: 2.4 gr/cm³

Average index of resistance to freezing:

drying to 40ºC = 0.94%

drying to 60ºC = 0.68%

Resistance to thermical changes:

To 40ºC = 2.8% of weight variation and 68.4 kg/cm² of resistance to flexion

To 60ºC = 3.0% of weight variation and 8.8 kg/cm² of resistance to flexion

Resistance to compression:

200 kg/cm²; under a freezing test to 60 ºC it may reduce a 35% its resistance.

Module of elasticity: 32 Kg/cm²

Resistance to acids: 0.6% of weight variation and loss of resistance at 20% of flexion.

Resistance to shocks: 38.3 cm.

Performance with light: opacity at 110ºC.

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