THE GELOGY AND LITHOLOGY OF MASONRY STONES
John Mills

Most masonry stones fall into broad catagories of sandstone, limestone (including travertine and dolomite), marble, and granite, along with a few less common lithologies like quartzite and slate. The geologic history of a stone deposit and the differing physical characteristics of each stone type control where and how they are quarried and how they are best used by stone masons. There are great differences in the physical characteristics both between different stone types and also within individual stone types - particularly within the sandstones and limestones. The physical characteristics of the stone, the climatic conditions at the building site, and the masonry techniques determine the longevity of stonework.

John Mills is the owner of Select Stone, Inc., a quarrier and supplier of masonry and landscape stone to projects throughout the United States. He obtained a Baccalaureate in Geology from Montana State University and a Master's Degree in Geology from the University of Wyoming. Prior to founding Select Stone in 1993, John Mills worked as a petroleum exploration geologist and as a consulting geologist in the mining, groundwater, and environmental remediation industries.

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